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

By Mary Pope-Handy

Real Estate Agent with Christie's International Real Estate Sereno 01153805

March 08, 2010 02:25 AM

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!

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Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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!

Mar 13, 2010 09:48 AM

Beverly of Bev & Bob Meaux

Keller Williams Suburban Realty - West Orange, NJ

Where Buying & Selling Works

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

Mar 13, 2010 11:53 AM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

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.

Mar 13, 2010 12:53 PM

Aaron Silverman

SuccessfulRental.com, Bluewater Property Management, LLC and Lowcountry Turnkey Properties, LLC - Charleston, SC

Improving Real Estate Experience through Education

Good luck to Sam.

Mar 13, 2010 02:39 PM

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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!

Mar 14, 2010 04:10 AM

Jami Van Den Bogaert

RE/MAX House of Brokers - Springfield, MO

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.

Mar 14, 2010 06:26 AM

Jamie King

Hoty Enterprises, Inc. - Huron, OH

Sandusky, OH

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

Mar 14, 2010 10:02 AM

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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!

Mar 15, 2010 03:51 AM

Anonymous

Heidi Lynch

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 15, 2010 05:44 AM

#91

ASHEVILLE REALTY REFERRAL RESOURCE 828-776-0779

REAL ESTATE REFERRAL NETWORK - Asheville, NC

CONTACT janeAnne365@gmail.com

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 16, 2010 10:56 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

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

Mar 17, 2010 01:53 AM

Joan Whitebook

BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH

Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

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

Mar 17, 2010 03:08 PM

Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh

Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD

A doctor who makes house calls.

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

Mar 17, 2010 03:15 PM

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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 17, 2010 05:00 PM

Christina ONeal

At Home Real Estate Group - Ripon, CA

Realtor - Ripon California

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

Mar 22, 2010 02:08 AM

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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!!!

Mar 23, 2010 08:12 AM

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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!

Apr 19, 2010 03:12 AM

Anonymous

Sonia Lee

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

Thanks!

May 05, 2010 07:55 PM

#100

Mary Pope-Handy

Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA

CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley

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

Jun 12, 2010 04:35 AM