Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Arthur.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am the youngest of five kids and bought up in a quiet beachside town in Florida. I loved building sandcastles, walking the beach with my mom and planning playdates. My biggest problem was dodging dragon flies while riding my bike to school. Life was normal. Until one day, the biggest storm I’d ever seen, rolled into our lives. Cancer. Doctors diagnosed my teenage brother with leukemia.
My single mom, who was doing her best at raising five kids, now had a new job. She spent the next year learning about blood counts and chemo. Traveling hours to the nearest hospital for labs and treatment. When the hospital visits were long, I played with magazines in waiting rooms, lived with family or friends. Today we call it a village. The people who rally around you when the seas are rough. I remembered one of my teachers spelled leukemia on the board. She taught my friends and classmates what leukemia was and what my brother’s body was going through, ultimately, empowering me to share my story and what our family was going through.
When the clouds cleared, my brother went into remission, but what we didn’t know was that cancer can come back. And it did. This time another form of leukemia. A vicious, life-threatening kind. The only hope was a bone marrow transplant. My sister was a match. The months that followed felt like a hurricane. No matter how well we planned for this storm, there was collateral damage to everyone. Sadness, fear, doubt, and even anger. Why did this have to happen again?
The journey through transplant was long but successful. My brother survived cancer. Twice. How our family and village coped, conquered and recovered, is why now I help others through the fight of their lives.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of the hardest parts of my job is seeing sweet children face the unknown. Will I live? Will I die? Why did this happen to me? It’s heartbreaking to look into the eyes of a five year when they say, I just want to go home and be normal. We at CCF feel passionate about providing special events for patients, to give them experiences that allow them to be a kid again. Many miss out on birthday parties, field trips and all the fun that life has to offer. So we plan year round to host one of the largest events in Dallas, the Children’s Cancer Fund Fashion Show and Gala. The children walk the runway with celebrities, are treated to a day of fun, where they can forget about their worries, and it’s a chance to be a kid. The best part is hearing that five-year-old child say, “this was the best night of my life!”
Please tell us about Children’s Cancer Fund.
I serve as the Executive Director of Children’s Cancer Fund, a non-profit in Dallas whose mission is to invest in strategic pediatric cancer research and provide compassionate care for patients and their families. Compassionate care. Something that resonates with me on a personal level. A village. People who care, who help you cope and survive. I am most proud of our partnership with Children’s Health where we support Child Life Services. The Child Life team at Children’s is changing the lives of patients and their families every single day. The therapy and compassion they provide is a critical piece of care. On a daily basis, you can find a Child Life specialist crafting, coloring, counseling and connecting with the patients. They educate patients and siblings on a diagnose to empower them to know more and feel more confident in their journey. My goal is to show kids that the storm will pass, the sun will shine, and you’ll find that dragonflies aren’t so bad after all.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I feel all women should embrace their challenges and accomplishments to find their passion and purpose.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4201 Spring Valley Road, Suite 370
Dallas, Texas 75244 - Website: www.childrenscancerfund.com
- Phone: 972-664-1450
- Email: jennifer@childrenscancerfund.com
- Instagram: @TexasCCF
- Facebook: @TexasCCF
- Twitter: @TexasCCF
Image Credit:
Kristina Bowman
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
