9 years and 9 million lessons

As I write this Jack is going to sleep with anticipation of celebrating his 9th birthday tomorrow.  Like most soon-to-be 9 year-olds he is pretty excited.  Unlike most he had an appointment for chemo today.  I don’t want to make this update too much about that however.  Just know that today his counts were too low and he could not receive chemo.  Essentially I am learning as I go here but the chemo makes him susceptible to illness.  Giving him chemo this week would exacerbate that so he gets this week “off”.  Stay tuned!  Let’s get to the good stuff which despite the situation we find ourselves in is pretty overwhelmingly cool.  Let’s start:

1.  Jack turns nine years old tomorrow!  As my first-born he changed my life from the moment we knew he was coming and it hasn’t stopped since that day.  He has changed it so much for the better.  A lot of parents feel that way about their kids (I hope) and I am no different.  He has taught me many lessons, so many in fact I could not dare to try and list them.  In his short life thus far he has come to personify the best qualities of people while minimizing the worst.  Compassion, Courage, Dignity, Love, Hope, Humor, Inspiration, Courtesy, Creativity and Self Respect,  There is not a week that goes by (and by my calculation there has been about 460 or so) that he hasn’t shown me one or more of these things.  If you have been following along this most recent journey you well know this.  If you have met or know Jack personally you have experienced it.  I love that when I go to Cogburn Woods Elementary I overhear kids say, “There’s Jack Burke’s Dad.” Or I hear them say ,”There’s Luke Burke’s Dad”. It happens folks, a lot.  And it is said in a way that makes me proud.   I know there is no better way for me to lose my own identity than that.  Which brings me to my next item.

2.  Today at school Jack, along with some other kids, received an award for Character.  Some staff at the school nominated him.  Like his younger brother before him a few weeks back, Jack made us so proud.  I said it then and I will say it now, you can’t TEST for CHARACTER.  You just have to have it.  Despite all of the challenges that Jack faces EVERY day he obviously makes an impact on his community at school and I love him for that.  You see, he could very easily crawl up and feel bad for himself.  He could say “poor me”.  Instead he says, here I come and nice to meet you! I love him for that courage and confidence even under the most difficult of circumstances.  

3.  His community at school led by his great after school teacher and our family friend, Brenda Miller has taken unprecedented steps today to show him that they are with him!  This morning they announced a CureNFwithJack Tshirt sale with all proceeds going to the Children’s Tumor Foundation.  Additionally, tonight they held their annual talent show and all of THOSE proceeds are going to CTF.  Just amazing.

4.  Lastly, the Cupid Undie Run.  As many of you know because you are running or supporting this event, people will be running in their underwear for people with NF.  We wanted to put Jack’s stamp on this amazing event founded by one of the greatest people I have come to know, Chad Leathers.  As of this writing we have NINE teams running in SIX cities for Jack.  There are a total of 245 runners on Jack’s teams that have raised a record $54,000 for NF research!  We have been overwhelmed by this response and can’t wait for the event to happen.  

This article deliberately focused on all the good things going on.  Tomorrow is a celebration of a unique life.  A life full of life.  A life full of lessons.  A life full of hope.  Look at the pictures.  Smile if you will.  Tomorrow, call someone to just say hi and make their day.  Do it because it’s Jack’s birthday.  He would think that was cool.  Maybe you will donate to NF research in his name or someone else’s.  Maybe you will donate to another charity.  Maybe you will volunteer somewhere.  Maybe there is a researcher in a lab somewhere working on a drug through a grant funded by YOUR dollar that is the first step toward a cure.  

Tomorrow Jack is Nine.  Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow there is hope and you are among the reasons why.  Don’t ever forget that. EVER.  #ENDNF #FNF. 

I can’t wait to hug him tomorrow and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  

As always, thanks for taking the journey with us.

Jack’s Dad