No parent can imagine hearing the words, Your child has cancer. When Moses and Jerusha Joshua learned that their 2-year-old daughter, Meesha, had stage four neuroblastoma last year, it was a reality the couple had to face.
As they were still trying to understand what their journey into the world of childhood cancer would entail, they received a special backpack and bag from Connor’s Heroes Foundation. Meesha’s backpack had everything a little girl could want to keep her entertained while she was in the hospital. The tote bag for her parents also had lots of necessities. Among them, was a phone number. Meesha’s mother Jerusha wasn’t sure what would happen when she called the number inside the bag, but thought it might be worth a try. The person who answered was another mom who knew exactly how she was feeling, because she had been on a similar journey.
Lisa Goodwin, co-founder and managing director of Connor’s Heroes, listened, providing support and comfort. Explains Meesha’s father Moses, “It was so reassuring to know that their organization was run by parents who understood what we were going through.”
That’s exactly why Lisa co-founded Connor’s Heroes in the spring of 2006, after her son, Connor, ended treatment for leukemia. Since then, Connor’s Heroes has supported hundreds of families of kids with cancer. Lisa knows that these families need the lifeline that Connor’s Heroes can offer. Whether it’s arranging for carpets to be steam-cleaned to remove germs from the home, providing a wagon or toys for a child whose family can’t afford it, donating gift cards for gas or groceries, or visiting the hospital with lunch or dinner for the family, the goal of Connor’s Heroes is to provide support to families who are struggling during the most difficult time in their lives.
When Meesha needed a bone marrow transplant, volunteers from Connor’s Heroes decorated her room with princesses and lots of pink and purple, and left gifts for the whole family before they arrived. “We really loved the ways they [Connor’s Heroes] made Meesha happy. The smile on her face when she saw her decorated room was so incredible,” Moses said.
Shortly after Meesha was diagnosed, the Joshua family was invited to Connor’s Heroes Family Music Festival. According to Moses: “Meesha really loved dancing that day… and we were overjoyed to see her smiling and having so much fun – the first time since she had gotten so sick. Your organization constantly involves Meesha in children’s activities. You are very cancer-kids friendly.”
“Connor’s Heroes wants every family battling childhood cancer to know that they are not alone,” said Lisa Goodwin, “and to know that there is a community of heroes ready to provide the support they need to endure one of the hardest journeys of their lives.”
