Blast from the Past: Checking in with Our Buddies
Over the years, we've met many amazing children and been warmly welcomed into their lives and their families' lives. We love hearing about how our Buddies are doing, which is why we loved getting this letter from Ben's mom: More than 20 years ago, we met a fantastic young man named Ben. In 1996, Ben was diagnosed with leukemia and had received an oncology Buddy that he named George Jr. George Jr. was with Ben every step of the way, from his diagnosis to receiving an ostomy bag that matched Ben's. Marty met Ben a few weeks before his birthday. When she asked him what he wanted, he replied, "A happy face like my buddy."Over the years, Marty kept in touch with Ben's mom. We learned that Ben went to preschool, and so did George Jr. With the help of his Shadow Buddy, Ben was able to help his classmates understand his central line and his diagnosis.This year, we received a letter from Ben's mom, telling us about all of Ben's exciting adventures. We're forever grateful that we get to meet children as extraordinary and wonderful as Ben every day. 
