Stories of Hope

Stories of Hope is my new recurring piece.  Recently, I've become more aware of people that have lost, are losing, or praying to see the finish line.  After my blog on Jenny Bizallion and I decided that more people out there could be praying or helping others. Some people have the monetary means to help others, others have time to volunteer, and others simply have an endless supply of prayers.  Any family going through lose or illness could use all the prayers and help they can get. I cry every time, but it is reality and these families need our help.

Today's Story of Hope is about a little girl named Layla Grace Marsh.  Here is some information about Layla and her family from http://www.laylagrayce.com/

"In her mother's words, little Layla Grace Marsh "Went to play with the angels" the morning of March 9th, 2010. Although we only recently came to know Layla through the words and photos of her parents, we and thousands of others have been deeply touched by her battle with Neuroblastoma. It has been our honor to share her story with you, to raise money with you for the family's medical expenses and to help raise awareness about Neuroblastoma. To read an accounting of Layla's illness, we encourage everyone to read the Marsh family's blog: LaylaGrace.org.


Due to similarity of names, however unrelated, many Layla Grayce customers and followers had asked us if there was a way we could bring attention to her story. We contacted the family to learn more, to see what they were in need of and then posted articles on our Layla Grayce Backroom Blog and on our Facebook fan page: Facebook.com/laylagrayce. We were overwhelmed by the response of all our wonderful customers and fans, the outpouring of support, messages and prayers for the family. The Marsh family's story is compelling and powerful, and ultimately Layla's parents wanted people to learn more about their daughter and Neuroblastoma. This type of cancer most often begins during early childhood, usually in children younger than 5 years. It sometimes forms before birth but is usually found later, when the tumor begins to grow and cause symptoms. Chances of recovery depend on the age of the child when diagnosed, the stage of cancer, location of the tumor(s) and other factors. Early detection is key to a successful recovery. Stage 4 which is what Layla was at the time of diagnosis, has a survival rate of only 30%. Learn more about this type of cancer at the Texas Children's Cancer Center website.

We mourn the loss of this sweet 2 year old who touched hearts across the country with her story. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marsh family. Rest in peace little Layla, your grace will never be forgotten."