|
|
| ENJOYING LIFE ... EVERY PRECIOUS MOMENT |
| Grieve not, Nor think of me with tears, but laugh- |
|
| & talk of me as though I were here beside you. I love you so. T'was heaven here with you. |
CAITLIN'S STORY ... A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
On December 19, 1992 Cheryl and Russell Hornung held their new born daughter
and believed she was the greatest Christmas gift God could give - Caitlin Mary.
She grew as most children do ... She loved swinging & swiming
... her dog Jake .. her mommy and daddy ... and her baby sister, Danielle. She laughed and smiled and sometimes
cried. She was like most children.
But when Caity was four, she started to feel sick and sadly it
was discovered that Caitlin was different than most other children, she had a malignant brain tumor.
Thus began a journey that was to forever change Caitlin and everyone
who loved her. This journey would introduce her family and her to a new world full of brave children
and their loving families. Children whose lives consisted of long, often distressing, days in hospital beds. And
families struggling to fill their child's day with some smiles, ,joy and diversion.
In the next three years that followed Caitlin's spirit would prove as indominable as her God's.
One favorite memory is Caitlin's voice waking her mother in the middle of the
night. Cheryl asks, "What is it Caity?". Caity responds, "nothing Mommy, I'm just talking to God". To this Cheryl replies,
"Honey, it's time to sleep, you can talk to God in the morning". Caity's unforgetable answer was, "Mommy, it's not my fault,
God keeps talking to me". Sadly, Caitlin's all too short journey ended on October
2, 2000.
Even during her days of grief that followed Caitlin's death, Cheryl
never forgot what she saw and learned from those long hospital stays ... The priceless gift of a child's smile.
Taking this lesson and her passion to ease ailing children's suffering,
Cheryl Hornung created CAITLIN'S SMILES. So much like Caitlin herself, Cheryl
makes sure Caitlin's spirit lives on with the joy each "Bag
O'Smiles" offers.
Caitlin =s Smiles is a program of the Progressive Education of Children in the Arts Network (PECAN, Inc.),
a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.
caitlinssmiles@comcast.net
When shopping on the internet, please consider shopping
registered for Caitlin's Smiles returns
a generous percentage right back to us -
-
helping us fulfill our mission.
With close to 1000 stores, we're sure
you'll find what you're looking for.
Thanks for helping us!
|
