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Butterfly Blog

Butterfly Blog

We invite you to get to know more about Lucy's Love Bus through the stories of our staff, board members, supporters, integrative therapists, caregivers, and children.

The story of Lucy’s Love Bus starts with Lucy, and her wisdom and lived experience are still at the center of each decision the organization makes today. Read Lucy's story to learn more about Love Bus' innovative, young co-founder.

In the childhood cancer community, there is no competition– only collaboration. We're excited to share a few examples of the new partnerships we have formed to make magic happen!

Even in the face of all the unknowns that came in 2022, our community’s dedication to Love Bus has never faltered. Because of your dedication, we have been able to say “YES!” to each family who turned to Love Bus for support, while also creating two brand new programs in direct response to long unmet needs in the childhood cancer community. 

It’s the holiday season, and we want to help you find the perfect gift for your loved ones! Thanks to our generous partners, we have a specially curated list of promotions to help give you inspiration for everyone on your shopping list, all while benefiting the children and families of Lucy’s Love Bus! It’s a give-win-give! Cheers to the giving season!

The integrative therapies that our girls have been able to access through Love Bus have helped Tilly with the side effects of chemo, but they’ve also helped all of us with the emotional side effects of this long journey that we’re all on– especially Josephine. We are not going anywhere, and it’s an amazing feeling to know that there is an organization and a community behind us that is not going anywhere either. 

Lucy's Love Bus Co-Founder, Beecher Grogan, reflects on a time when she was gifted respite during her daughter's cancer treatment. It's a gift that Love Bus can now pass on to the Love Bus children's parents and caregivers.

"Lucy’s Love Bus provides opportunities for families like us that make my kids feel normal. They help remind us that the best days are still ahead!” - Nar, Mia's mom

In honor of all of those who let their inner light shine on others, and who put the needs of someone else above their own, Lucy’s Love Bus is excited to launch Marigolds for Mamas!

Meet Gabriel, Elijah, and Jonathan! Our June Butterfly Buddies went through a traumatic four years, after Elijah was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two. But, all the boys are doing well in school and have an amazing support system of friends and family! Read more about the boys journey!

Meet our dog-loving, waffle-eating, fearless leader: Jackie Walker! Her dedication to preserving Lucy’s original vision, with an eye toward innovation and inclusion, makes her the perfect person to take on the role of Executive Director! We're lucky to have her...even if she does have questionable football fan loyalties!

For #NCSD2022 we want to highlight the fact that the effects of cancer don’t end when treatment does. Cancer survivors face ongoing, often long-lasting, hardships because of their disease. We also want to spotlight that there is life after cancer, and that is something to celebrate. We'd like to introduce you to Alice, another beautiful friend who has lived through childhood cancer.

Life after cancer can be complicated and chaotic. But it can also be beautiful, meaningful, triumphant, defiant, ordinary, and extraordinary. In honor of National Cancer Survivors Day, coming up on June 5th, we wanted to share the stories of some of our beautiful friends who have lived through childhood cancer.

Meet Alex, your April Butterfly Buddy! Alex is now cancer free, and very recently came off chemotherapy treatments. Her experience with Annette, a Lucy's Love Bus integrative therapist, inspired Alex, and she is now a contracted massage therapist for Lucy’s Love Bus - providing the same comfort and care to sick children that she once received herself!

As the spring season brings the promise that everything can begin again - that we can embrace something new - Lucy's Love Bus, Founder, Beecher Grogan, has some exciting news about a new beginning.

Meet Jane: a determined and fearless five-and-a-half-year-old, who loves riding her bike and creating art projects. Jane was two years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Soon after treatment started, she caught pneumonia and was on a ventilator for a week. When she woke up, she barely had the strength to lift food to her mouth. But she persevered, taking her first steps since the episode, only looking back so she could give her mom a BIG smile!

Meet Adrianna and Vicky, your February Butterfly Buddies! Adrianna and Vicky are as close as sisters can be. They love animals and nature, and playing with their puppy. Read more about Adrianna, Vicky and their journey.

We are so thrilled to announce that, as of 2022, we will be filling an unmet need in the childhood cancer community: support for the siblings of children with cancer.

Meet Thad: An 11-year-old who has a great sense of humor and who loves to ski. Thad has had to relearn how to walk seven times between the time he first learned, through his two tumor removal surgeries, multiple corrective surgeries, and one broken leg. He jokes that he’s going to have a celebration when he’s hit the tenth time!

We are so excited to welcome John Pratt to the Love Bus Board, and Ann Biese to her new role as Board Chair! 

They say cancer doesn’t discriminate, but I never thought it could happen to an infant. My son Johnny was just 6 months old when he was diagnosed with stage IV high risk neuroblastoma. Johnny had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in his abdomen and had to undergo intense chemo and radiation. A few months later, Johnny’s tiny body endured a 12-hour surgery to remove the tumor. 

Meet Giovanna: a strong-willed, animal-loving, and super smart four-year-old girl who was supposed to be starting preschool when she was diagnosed with leukemia on September 5, 2019. Instead, she began her grueling, two-year journey through cancer treatment.

We're excited to welcome Stephanie Moran to the team!

While the impact of wishes is seen every day, we are currently on the brink of revealing the results of research that verifies the proven physical and emotional benefits wishes give children with critical illnesses. Wishes are catalysts for hope, profoundly effective in fueling a child's drive to defy the odds and push toward tomorrow.

I can still remember sitting on my couch discussing the services offered by our community based palliative care program. I had no idea what palliative care meant at the time, but six months into my son’s cancer diagnosis, I was very used to people coming in and out of our home – early intervention, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, feeding/speech. This meeting felt no different. Our palliative care program required periodic social work and nursing visits but they also offered music therapy, massage therapy and a volunteer. I said Yes to all of them.

Ryan Judd, board-certified music therapist and owner of The Rhythm Tree in southern NH, speaks with Catherine, the mother of Zoe, a Lucy's Love Bus child who received music therapy with him while undergoing treatment for her brain tumor.

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