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In 3 - 5 minutes, you can help make a wish come true today

Sam Callahan, the son of a Realtor (and my friend & Active Rain member) in Silicon Valley, is 14 years old and has cancer which is not responding to two different types of chemotherapy. His cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma, had metasticized before it was discovered on September 22nd.

Sam writes about his battle with Ewing's Sarcoma on the Sam's Team website: http://www.samsteam.org/About_Sam.html He is an amazing 8th grader with a good attitude who wants to beat this thing. If you read his "about Sam" page, you'll find he's a great writer, too.

Normally, we can feel very helpless to "do anything" besides offer our compassion, thoughts and prayers.

But this time, there IS something you can do, and it only takes a couple of minutes. It may not change how he feels after radiation or chemo, but it will lift his spirits and those of his family and friends to see an outpouring of support. And it will help Sam and his family to make a little goal they've set up for themselves.

In addition to the website, Sam's family & friends have a "fan page" on Facebook. It's called I'm On Sam's Team. Their modest goal is to have 5000 fans by St. Patrick's Day. I'd like to help them get there. As of this moment, they have 2608 fans. They want people to know about Ewing's Sarcoma and they want people to know about Sam and his battle with this cancer.

What To Do: So, my Active Rain friends, I know a lot of you are on Facebook. If not, this might be the right time to join!

Please take a moment and log into Facebook.
Go to the Search bar and key in I'm On Sam's Team or use this link once you're logged in:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=261410896243&ref=ts
At the very top, in the middle, there's a button which says Join Group - click on it

That's it. How easy it is to send some support and encouragement! Of course, read through the website and the FB page too! But it only takes a minute to "fan" a page.

Just to reiterate, Sam is someone I know, it's not one of those fake internet hoaxes and he's part of the real estate family (his dad's a Realtor). Join us on Sam's Team! Please re-blog!

Update June 12, 2010:
Nice article in local paper about Sam:
Community rallies to support 14-year-old Sam Callahan in his battle with cancer

Update June 21, 2010:
The Facebook group, "I'm on Sam's Team", is now up to 4689 members. Almost to our goal of 5000 members!

Posted by Mary Pope-Handy, ABR, CRS, ePRO, SRES, ASP on 03/08/2010 10:25 AM

Comments (99)

sam callahan, real estate family, cancer, facebook, im on sams team, samsteamorg

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99 Comments on In 3 - 5 minutes, you can help make a wish come true today

MAR

2010

What a great deed and takes so little time.

I joined.

Jody - I think so. We always want to "do something". Here's one way to do it :-)
Maureen - I appreciate it, thank you!

I will join and reblog. I wish him the best.

Thank you, Miriam! If there's anything we bloggers can do, it's "get the word out". I appreciate your help!!

Mary, Your post touched me very much and when I get on FB, I will join. I had written about a wonderful young client of mine who has cancer and a page on FB as well for support and I absolutely believe the prayers and thoughts are helping her. I would hope people could also join TEAM SHERIE.

Thanks so much, Carole! You're the best!

Dear Mary,
I'm in, I really joined to the club :) so he has a new fan more, hope that he will be ok I really wish he get forward wtih all, my best wishes and prayers !

MAR

2010

Thank you Ray!!

MAR

2010

On my way over to Facebook now.

Denise

Thank you so much, Denise!

Mary I am on my way there now!

Awesome of you to help him with his goal Mary. Happy to help and I'll post this on my wall as well

Debra - thank you!

Colleen - I sure appreciate it, thanks!

Hi, I'll be signing up as well.

There is something else that people can do as well...I'll be posting about it shortly and even if you don't have an organization set up in your community to do something like this, you can set the stage for next year - it's called the St. Baldrick's Day Fundraiser for child cancer research.

I am going to pat myself on the back... I flagged this as a Feature on Monday. No one tell me that it was NOT me. I need to feel powerful. I was probably not the only one who flagged it... and tweeted it.... gee I don't remember other than joining the Fan page if I did anything on Facebook.

I am still lost on Facebook. I got your email Mary, Thanks! I always turn off comments on Consumer Channel ActiveRain posts for a bit to keep members from commenting "great post thanks for sharing" type comments.

I'm keeping Sam in my prayers. You are doing a great job of getting the word out.

William - thank you! That sounds like great info!

Maureen - I appreciate your flagging it for featuring! Sam is a great young guy and he deserves a ton of support. Actually, in addition to his dad being a Realtor here on AR, Sam's grandfather and uncle are ALSO Realtors. So he really has lots of connections to our real estate family.

I reblogged and Tweeted and now I am heading over to Facebook. God bless this family.

Wow! I will fan and reblog this post!

Fran - thanks! You are the queen of viral marketing!

Monika - many many thanks!

I joined his "team" and I sent an invitation out to my friends to join also. Hope it helps. What a brave young man he is!

Stumbled, Twitted, Facebooked,Joined FB group-cant find fan page. Reblogged!

Sharon - awesome!

Laurie - I think the group and the page are the same thing, sorry for being mixed up! Here's the link (which should work if you're logged in)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=261410896243&ref=ts Thanks so much!

Hi Guys, I was reading all of this and it is very inspiring. I have become a member of his page, I am a younger realtor at 26 and have been in this business for 6 years and have formed a non profit within our Keller Williams office and we have a Relay for Life team that we would all appreciate if anyone can support, every dollar counts and I am trying to create 1500 dollars in donations. Here is the link and on my page I have put a little blog about Sam encouraging anyone that visits my site to join him on facebook. Bakersfield has one of the largest if not the largest R4L events in the nation and we do it rach and every year. Sam hang in there youve got this! Thanks and best to ALL! My Link is http://main.acsevents.org/goto/oppy

Mary - Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will reblog and am headed to Facebook right now. Sam's story is very moving! As a mother, I can totally relate.

Carole - I will also join Team Sherie for your friend.

Mary, I signed up and will do what I can to spread the word.

Hi Mary,

You got me..okay I'm doing it...its done! Looks like a great kid-all my best! I will be praying for him and his family.

Just joined and am definitely on Sam's team.

Our prayer are with this young man. I am on the way over to be a fan on Facebook.

Very nice of you to do this for him and his family. I will join Sam's Team.

Michael

Thank you for sharing Mary, I joined.

Mary- I joined. I could not find it for a long time then I cam back here and saw your link in the comments and used that. Katerina

We all must do what we can when we can to help others.

I joined! Thanks for letting us know we could help in some small way...

On my way there to sign up. I was treated for cancer in 2008 so whatever I can to help, I'm there.

Count me in. im signing up.

Oppy - thank you & best of luck with your project too!

Elyse -sure appreciate it! We want to get to that 5000 number by St Patrick's Day and I sure appreciate your help!

Kathy -great, thanks!

Lisa -Thanks!

Kirsten - awesome, thank you!

Diane - thank you!

Michael -super, thanks!

Chris - really appreciate it, thanks!

Nestor & Katerina - thank you! I'm sorry it was hard to find! I'll add the link to the main body of the post.

Evelyn - Amen to that.

Christianne - thanks!

Joe - you get it! Glad you've done so well!

Just joined Sam's group and left him a message. God bless him and his family.

What a handsome young man! Great support via AR Facebook Friends!

Hey Mary, I'm On Sam's Team

I just became a fan and saw I am one of more than 2000! Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Mary - This is exactly the kind of cause that social media can rally around and bring attention to. I hate cancer. Fanned the page (up to 2,795 now!) and going to reblog after this rolls off the dashboard. I think we can be close to 10K by St. Patrick's Day.

Mary, I joined and have been reading all the emails from you girls. I will pray for a miracle for Sam.

Mary,

This is the first fan page I've joined.

Rich

Mary,

Thanks for telling us about this. I just joined!

My prayers goes out to sam and his family. I will join his page.

Vicki, Cheryl, Jim, John, Missy, Rich, Coleen, Niema ~ thank you ALL! Active Rainers have added I think about 100 to 200 members in the last 24 hours and we are definitely helping Sam's Team to get closer to the goal of 5000 by St Patrick's Day.

Guys and gals - you seriously rock. I'm soooo happy to be an Active Rainer and to be in your company! Thank you all for fanning the Sam's Team page and also for making this more viral and exponential. Thank you thank you thank you!

Mary... What a GREAT Blog! Through your kindness and support, let alone your blogs, I do believe Sam will reach him goal! I am a BIG cancer supporter...even though I lost my mother and sister to ovarian cancer, my heart is with all! Thanks for turning me on to his page, it's an honor!

Cheron Lange

Hello:

I just became number 2,817 ... so it's going well.

My prayers are with Sam and his family and friends.

Alright. I've been over there and joined up. FYI - It says join, not become a fan.

We'll be proud to join Sam's Team. He sounds like a fine young man with a great attitude. Attitude is so important in fighting these awful diseases and we are certainly praying he wins the battle. Our prayers to Sam and his family.

Sue of Robin and Sue

I joned.... reblogged and then posted it on my Facebook page

MAR

2010

Saw Thomas - reblogged this and I am doing the same. 2824 is the current count on FB.

Cheron, Aaron, Christine, Sue, Thomas, and Felix ~ Many many thanks to all of you! I believe that Active Rain members have added 200 members to the page in less than 48 hours. You guys are the best! Please keep reblogging so we can help the family to hit 5000 members by St Patrick's Day (the 17th). Big hugs to ALL of you from Silicon Valley! <3

Just signed up. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Consider it done and we know with the added strength of friends like you he will win his fight and go on to a healthy, happy life.

Thanks for posting this Mary. He's up to 2,834 fans as of this comment.

The family here at active rain will probably push this over the top in no time. This is the best group ever.

Joined it and I will reposted to my outside blog. My prayers are with this boy & his family.

All done! Thanks for bringing attention to this young man.

Steve, Sally & David, Adam, Larry, Riu and Jenna - Thank you all so much!

And a very overdue and HUGE THANKS to the wonderful guys at Active Rain who not only featured this post, but made sure that it showed up on the Active Rain home page. This was enormously helpful in getting traffic to the site!

The FB page is now up to 2854 members, which is up by 246 since Monday. If you haven't been back to Sam's page, you might not know it but the family's specifically noticing you Active Rainers and they do appreciate it!

Please continue to reblog this, tweet it, and/or promote this post to get the Sam's Team more attention (fav it, Digg it). Encourage your friends to join The Team. Let's help 'em to hit 5000 members by March 17th.

It's never been more true than now that "every little bit helps". Thank you again!

Mary, this is such a great idea. Thanks for the info. I'll go join now.

I'm in. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and this brave young man at this time. You have my complete support. if there is anything I can do to make this viral let me know.

Tammie - thank you so much

Mary - Perfect! Thanks for the plug on FB. Any tweeting, database emails etc. are all very helpful! I know you're the Ace of Viral and truly appreciate your pushing it too.

Mary ---- I just became fan # 2887 & I will re-blog --also will put it on my personal web site.

The AgentOwned Realty Company - Mama Liz Signature with blue

Read on Mama Liz's post and joined. The AR Community is so giving. Should not be difficult to meet the goal. :)

Liz, thanks so much!

Candice - many thanks - love that it's so viral!

Joined, asked my friend who had not already joined to join, and hope they do and spread the word. I hope he makes his goal! And hope that there is a miracle in store for this young man.

Hey Mary,

I'm on Sam's Team. Go Sam!

What a fabulous idea. I joined and sent it to all my friends and challenged them to join and I'll reblog it. Good luck and I'm sure good things will come from this.

MAR

2010

I did a reblog so more people would see the request for Sam and I got this comment that should have come to you for Sam.

Comment by Peter and Dawn Smith:

I will be joining Sam's team as soon as I finish this response to you. My oldest son is 14 and I can't imagine what Sam and his family are going through. Thank you for getting this out there to help Sam's cause. What a wonderful thing you are doing for them. Please give my best wishes to Sam and let him know that I am starting my prayer chain (that stretches across the U.S.), for Sam and his family. Have a great weekend and thanks again for sharing Sam's story with us all.

Hi Mary,

I just became fan 3112! You may have 10,000 by St. Patrick's Day if this keeps up. I'll be praying for Sam and his family.

Great Blog Mary - I am on Sams team... Good luck to him..

I'm in. The power of prayer and good thoughts has been known to work miracles.

I'm there....this really touched me. I have a 14-year old 8th grader. I can't imagine how hard this is on those who love him (and Sam himself, of course). I just went upstairs to kiss my "baby" while he sleeps (Saturday mornings we don't see him before 11am). Love, love, love..our prayers are with this family.

Mary - thanks for posting this and giving us all the opportunity to help in some small way. I re-blogged, then sent a link to friends in my e-mail address book.

Sending light and love to this whole family...

Karen - interesting how stories like this make us go kiss our babies, isn't it? We all need to give thanks for our kids who are healthy and happy.

All signed up

Mary, I joined Sam's team...and now he has 3,278 members. Also added your post to my FB page to help meet the goal of 5,000 members.

Mary, Not only did I join, but I put in a message to my friends on FB and asked them to join as well! Thank you for bringing Sam to our attention.

Andrea, Molly, Dave, Diane, Diane, Kathy, Al, Karen, Marte, Keith, Rebecca, Dawn ~ Thank you all so much for taking the time to join and (many of you) to comment on the FB page and to encourage your friends to do the same. It's now over 3300 people, so just 1700 to hit the goal: we are 2/3 there! Your support and encouragement, your good thoughts and prayers are all really appreciated by Sam and his family. Bless you all!

I'm going to do this. thanks for reaching out this way.

I'm on Sam's team. I could not imagine if this happenned to my son how I would feel. I reblogged it and put a link on my facebook page.

Good luck to Sam.

MAR

2010

Bev & Bob - super, thank you!!

Gene - I feel that way, too. Thank you VERY much for reblogging and linking to your FB page.

Aaron - thank you.

Update to all - we are at 3400 members now, that's up 800 since when this post was written. Yesterday it jumped by about 200. We are aiming at 5000 so "only" need about 1600 more by Wednesday. If we only grow by 200 per day, we won't hit our goal. If everyone reblogs, tweets it, and emails friends and relatives, though, I think it will continue to pick up speed and we'll hit it. Thank you for helping us to get this out virally, that's what it will take!!

Your help is so much appreciated. I wish I could take you all to Starbucks as a sign of thanks.... If any of you ask to friend me on FB, please tell me you're from AR and Sam's Team and I'll say yes (ordinarily I am not taking on more real estate folks there) .... Thank you again!

Have him look in to Kangen Water. I don't sell the machine but I know someone who also had cancer and the chemo wasn't working and he quit the chemo and started drinking Kangen Water and he is in remission. They use the machine in hospitals in Asia in their oncology departments.

Thanks for sharing this Mary. I not only joined but posted this information on my profile encouraging other facebook friends to join.

MAR

2010

Jami - I think there are several brands that do the water ionization (and most appear to be a lot less expensive than then Kangen brand). I'd never heard of it before but several people emailed me about it so I will pass that on to Sam's parents. Thanks for the tip.

Jamie - many many thanks for reposting it!

Update: we are now up to 3541 members on the Sam's Team group on Facebook! Almost up 1000 from when this post was written a week ago! Need about 1550 more to hit the goal of 5000. Thanks to ALL for the help!

I just joined Sam's Team and will invite my friends to join, too. I saw he's up to over 3600 members. Thanks

MAR

2010

Mary~

THANKS for this... http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=261410896243&ref=ts
will get it out to my Facebook pals...and we send lots of special energy Sam's way

and this goes for a reBlog...

MAR

2010

I just ReTweeted and put it on my Facebook again....

I going over to the facebook page. I know this will lift Sam's spirits.

I joined and put this on my facebook page. I hope that this outpouring of support helps to lift his spirits.

MAR

2010

Ashville (sorry, I don't know your name!) - many thanks!

Maureen - thanks! We're well over 3750 members there. I know we're not hitting the goal of 5000 by today but I'm going to keep at it until we DO hit 5000 and I really, really appreciate your ongoing help!!!!!!

Joan - thank you so much!

Stacey - I am sure it does! Love is always good!

Many many thanks to all of you for your tweets, re-blogs, diggs, stumbled upons and anything else you're doing to make this viral. It's so awesome to see so many stepping up in ways big and small. You guys are the best!!!

MAR

2010

I just joined the page too. Glad you blogged this. I pray for him :)

MAR

2010

Christine - thank you! Prayers are definitely appreciated!

Update for everyone who's been helping, praying, sending good wishes etc. - Sam's PET Scan after the radiation treatment came back with some positive news that the tumors have shrunk somewhat (it varies). So that is really good news! He's going to have 2 more rounds of radiation, according to the FB page.

The I'm On Sam's Team group is now up to 3868 members. We didn't hit 5000 by St. Patrick's Day but we grew the number of members by about 1250 in the last 2 weeks!! Thank you all for tweeting, blogging, digging, stumbling and so on - especially for joining the Facebook group and for your prayers and encouragement. Also thanks to so many of you who went an extra step and wrote some encouraging words on the FB group page. Those have been neat to see.

Sam's a great guy and it's nice to know that sooo many of you care. Please continue to spread the word! Thank you all again!!!

APR

2010

Update on Sam & on I'm On Sam's Team:

Sam was recently named as an American Cancer Society "Ambassador for Courageous Kids". If you see next year's ACS calendar, he'll be on it! He's also been interviewed for TV & the newspaper.

Sam's still getting aggressive treatment with some weeks on and some off. Please continue to pray for him (and his family too).

In terms of the FB page, "I'm On Sam's Team", as of today it has 4371 members. We are still trying to get to 5000! Can you help us to spread the word? The quick link, if you're logged into Facebook, is www.bit.ly/SamsTeam the longer link is not so memorable, but you can also use it:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=261410896243&ref=ts

Thanks so much for your support - please help us to get the number to 5000!

MAY

2010

I am glad you share this with us. Just joined.

Thanks!

JUN

2010

Thanks Sonia!

Update June 12, 2010:
Nice article in local paper about Sam:
Community rallies to support 14-year-old Sam Callahan in his battle with cancer

JUL

2010

Very moving story. It's quite a bit after your last comment, how is Sam doing? I will keep him in my prayers.

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Mary Pope-Handy, ABR, CRS, ePRO, SRES, ASP

Los Gatos, CA

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Sereno Group Real Estate

Address: 214 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, Los Gatos, CA, 95030

Office Phone: (408) 335-1432

Cell Phone: (408) 204-7673

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