In partnership with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), The Nicholas Colby Fund^® speaks at a wide range of events and forums for the LLS, including corporate events and at Light The Night^® walks.

Following is a sample of the focus of one of our talks:

While this is my story, it is a piercingly, painful true story about my son-Nicholas-as the headline. I say headline because like headlines regarding a business, an industry, an organization, or perhaps about your company…the face of the story today is different tomorrow. The face, the body, the spirit of too many children and adults diagnosed with blood cancers are headlines everyday.

While my story is heart wrenching and life shattering…it is not at all intended to make you cry. Just like when you are in your office or at home on your computer, when you "double click" with your mouse you see another layer of information.

I am asking you to "double click" on blood cancers with me…to hear and feel another layer of information!

My wife, family, and friends are committed to working with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society because as parents we have lived a leukemia journey, live this journey without our precious son, and seen too many others NOT LIVE because of blood cancers. I am going to share a couple of verses from a song-"He's My Son"-that we experience and know others experience:

Down on my knees again tonight,
Hoping this prayer will turn out right.
See, there is a boy that needs Your help,
I've done all that I can do myself.

His mother and father are tired,
I'm sure You can understand.
Each night as he sleeps,
We go in to hold his hand.
And we try, not to cry,
As the tears fill our eyes.

Can you hear me?
Am I getting through to You tonight?
Can You see him?
Can you help to make him feel all right…"

I am a face of someone whose loved one HAD to endure an awful journey. I am one of too many people from all aspects of our world, our countries, our states / provinces, our cities / towns, our communities, and our streets / roads. I am the face of a loved one.

There is a song called, "One More Day" by Diamond Rio and I am going to share:

Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me
It could be for anything
I didn't ask for money
Or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished, for one more day with you

One more day
One more time
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again
I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still, for one more day with you

First thing I'd do, is pray for time to crawl
Then I'd unplug the telephone
And keep the TV off
I'd hold you every second
Say a million I love you's
That's what I'd do, with one more day with you

While we think about all of those that are loved that are HAVING to endure awful blood cancer journeys…and knowing that daily more are diagnosed HAVING TO face these journeys…please…also think about RESEARCH.

Think about new therapies, better treatment, and finding cures for blood cancers so one day, the faces of people like my son-Nicholas-and mothers or fathers like me…can have "one more day, one more time, one more sunset, and one more sunrise" to say and hear another "I LOVE YOU!"

Think about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and how you can help to make one more day real for people like my son, like me, like your co-workers, your friends, and your family if impacted.

As you "double clicked" with me on the information shared and to be shared this evening, I truly hope that you can see, you can hear, you can feel, you can smell, and you can taste the "one more days" that can be realized through research.

A couple times during Nicholas' journey, we shared with him some of the Guestbook entries that expressed thoughts such as Nicholas being a courageous hero… One time after hearing those type of kind words, Nicholas said, "I'm glad I could help others, but could someone else do it now…"

There was another night Nicholas was taking medicine (there was always lots and lots of medicine each day), he was understandably not thrilled about it and Sheila (mom) said she wished that she could take it for him. Nicholas said, "…will you!" and Sheila explained that she couldn't. At that time I (Lamont, dad) was walking in the family room and Nicholas said, "How about dad?"

Of course we are not asking you to take "their" place. However, will you help us deliver "one more day" for all those faces, bodies, and spirits that just want to be a child, a woman or man, free from a blood cancer that erodes life, erodes ability to wake and see the sun or simply enjoy a sunset.

Please CLOSE YOUR EYES and LETS BE SILENT for a moment:

• With your eyes closed, know that my son Nicholas was blessed to always be surrounded by love.

• However, many children and adults with blood cancers-even surrounded by love-face endless, dark & quiet moments. Morning, noon, and night…day after day…week after week…month after month…

• These children and adults live these endless, personal experiences with the hope…that they would be cured

BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR EYES:

• Can you hear their voice…

Now PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES:

• This problem with blood cancers may not impact your life today; however, statistics about blood cancers penetrating deep into all families hurt

• Just being here today, listening to this story, you have helped

• You have helped by, perhaps, being more aware of blood cancers…the faces, bodies, and spirits impacted

• THANK YOU for listening to my story, a headline, a face of someone impacted by blood cancers, and someone seeing hope!

• As my story comes to a close, please think about how else you & your company can help-through creating a corporate team for Light The Night and/or sponsoring Light The Night, or through contributions to fund research

   

My story now closes with a poem-We Remember Them

In the rising of the sun and in its going down
We remember them

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter

In the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring

In the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of the summer

In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn

In the beginning of the year and when it ends

When we are weary and in need of strength

When we have joys and special celebrations we yearn to share

So long as we live, they live in our hearts
For they are part of us
We remember them