While living in San Diego, I quickly became friends with a gal in my church connect group.  We had a similar love for home decor and an unhealthy passion for Pinterest (hehehe).  We both had growing families, and a shared yearning for the best education possible for our littles.  We’d get together to let the kids run wild at the park while we planned out craft activities, healthy meals and share ideas for home decoration and organization.  The day after a usual outing with the kiddos at a park, she messaged me saying she felt something wasn’t right.  Later that day, she told me she was taking her littlest to the Doctor because she didn’t feel right about how her baby’s eyes weren’t focusing on her like she normal did.  My friend’s maternal instinct was correct.  A diagnostic MRI revealed her baby had one of the largest atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) the pediatric neurologist had ever seen in an infant.  My friend’s beautiful daughter, Carsyn Neille, was diagnosed with brain cancer on June 4, 2013 at just 4 1/2 months old.  Her family was rushed into the emergency room for Carsyn to have surgery, and within five hours of her diagnosis, little Carsyn was gone.

Cancer had become their family’s tragedy… but they miraculously turned that tragedy into tremendous triumph.

There are many amazing organizations that focus on research, therapies, and diet for families dealing with childhood cancer, but nobody was creating spaces that are not only gorgeous but minimize toxic loads. In honor of their sweet Carsyn, my friend Kia, along with her husband and 3 other daughters started the Carsyn Neille Foundation. Their mission is to support and comfort families affected by childhood cancer through the transformation of their interior home spaces, providing them a sanctuary and catapulting them towards healing and thriving. By creating spaces that are not only beautiful but low impact on human health and the environment, the Carsyn Neille Foundation assists in increasing the quality of life for each family, both in treatment and beyond.

If you would like to host a lemonade stand, please visit: http://www.carsynneillefoundation.org/lemonade-stands

One way of getting involved in this awesome organization is by hosting a lemonade stand in honor of Carsyn.  The money raised from the stand provides support and comfort, to families affected by cancer, by transforming the interior spaces of their homes – creating a comfortable sanctuary while dealing with medical trauma and giving them a place that launches them towards healing and thriving.

If you would like to learn more about the Carsyn Neille Foundation and how further you can get involved please visit: http://www.carsynneillefoundation.org