You Helped Me Raise $750 For Children’s Cancer. Now Will You Help Rebecca’s Brother?

I don’t talk much about my godson Josh, because, well, he’s a kid. He deserves to tell his own story, and doesn’t need his crazy Uncle Ferrett spewing tales of his adventures out to the Internet. (As I’ve discovered to my dismay, my one-off essays can follow people around for a long time if I name them.)

But Josh is pretty typical for his age. He loves Pokemon, and lightsaber battles, and he paints his nails bright colors in part because his Uncle Ferrett has pretty pretty princess nails so that’s normal to him.

Where he’s not usual is his sister. She died of brain cancer. All he has is memories of his older sister Rebecca.

He instituted little rituals to keep her alive – saying goodnight to her, keeping some of her things in his bedroom. But he doesn’t have Rebecca any more, and I often wonder what he’ll remember of her when he’s a teenager.

He was young when it all happened, so young, and the trauma of living through a family that has to focus its efforts on a sick sister is difficult at best. The toll cancer takes is not just on the child and the parents, but often on the other children – who have their life revolve around their sibling as the family takes on the rhythm of medical care, who struggle to understand the seriousness of death, who can’t fathom why their older sister can’t play with them any more.

Now. As you may remember, I set out to raise $750 to fight children’s cancer, and thanks to all of you – thanks so much – I got there, and a little beyond.

Josh was hoping to raise $500 in his sister’s memory. As of now, it looks like he’s not going to get there.

And so, once again, I ask if you have the spare cash, please donate to Josh. He’ll be shaving his head in Rebecca’s memory, as he’s done for the past three years, as I hope he does for a long time. He’s a good kid. I won’t write about him much, because, well, with luck, he’s going to write about himself some day.

I wish Rebecca had gotten that chance.

So please. If you can. Donate.