I will buy 6 tickets. I am in Milton Friday, so maybe I could drop the money off and finally met you?


Thanks for posting this, very very sad story. This breaks my heart.

I will buy 3 tickets Zoza...I will PM you when I am dropping by before Friday...

BTW, those are really great donations/prizes to help this family out!

WonderMom wrote:I will buy 6 tickets. I am in Milton Friday, so maybe I could drop the money off and finally met you?


Thanks for posting this, very very sad story. This breaks my heart.

I would love to finally meet you, it's been a long time coming!

Friday is tough during the day, as I have volunteer commitments at my son's school between 11 and 1 and then I have to make a run to get the flowers, so it would have to be either first thing in the morning, or after 5. I could also leave them for you somewhere.

Let me know.

I will PM you when I think I could arrange something Friday.

This story just breaks my heart............

Can you please put 6 tickets aside for me as well! I can stop by at some point this afternoon to pick them up if that's ok with you? If you could just let me know when you'll be home that would be great.

Unfortunately, I won't be home this afternoon.

I'm available until 11 this morning and then tomorrow between 5 and 8 and Friday after 4 and Saturday, from 8 - 12.

I hope one of those times work for you.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it tomorrow so I'll aim for Friday around 4:30pm. If I'm not able to get there on Friday, I'll definitely pop by on Saturday morning.

Zoza can I send out this as a newsletter to all our members...

Absolutely, thank you!

Done

I would like to get some flowers as well, I noticed that you are selling them as well!

Okay ... I'll put you down for an order. When would you like to pick them up, Thursday night, Friday night or Saturday?

Hey Jenny! (Zoza)

Will you be in my area anytime soon? I would love to buy tickets but I can't get to you...

Let me know please...

Lynne

I would love to buy some tickets as well as flowers. Could I pick up the flowers as well as the tickets on Saturday?

Kiwi - I've ordered your flowers and yes, you can buy the tickets on Saturday.

Lynne ... we will figure something out ... my schedule is crazy busy today and tomorrow and Thursday and Friday nights I have to be home for flower pickup and ticket sales, along with all day Saturday. So I'm not sure exactly when ... but it'll happen.

Lynne, I can pick up the money from you on my way to Zoza's tomorrow night ... and drop your tickets off on my way home!

Zoza, you've got me down for 2 bouquets, right?! I'm taking 3 tickets too!

Hi again Zoza,

Is it possible to have 3 bouquets of flowers for Saturday?

Thanks Michelle!! I would really appreciate that!

Lynne

Zoza - I will take 6/$20. WM will be bringing my $$ when she comes to meet/see you and drop off her $$.

Thanks!

Zoza wrote:Okay ... I'll put you down for an order. When would you like to pick them up, Thursday night, Friday night or Saturday?

I will call you, probably Friday evening. Also I am bringing Thai's money as well.

Thank you Jenny for letting us know about this family who needs our help at what has to be the single most difficult time in a mother's life!!! I was thrilled at how beautiful the flowers are when I picked them up tonight.
Ladies please consider helping this family if it is within your means, what a tragic time especially so near Mother's Day!!

Ladies ... from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of Joshua's family, I thank you.

Pick up of flowers and/or tickets is Friday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 at my house.

I will be out of the house most of the day tomorrow and unable to answer personal messages or any questions.

I have everyone's flower orders so far and we have tons of tickets that can be purchased by just showing up either day.

The following is an update from Melanie, Joshua's Mom:

he quick story on Joshua is that we had a beautiful, bright, loving and
full of life two-year-old who was in good health and had no chronic
issues. On March 13th, 2009, as we headed for Florida for a week, we
found out Joshua had an ear infection (no surprise as he's in daycare),
and went to Florida with antibiotics in hand. On March 19th, Joshua
started to walk unbalanced and two days later couldn't walk at all. 3
doctors suggested vertigo, but a week later he still wasn't walking and
was grabbing his head a lot saying "ow ow ow". Note to all parents - we
discovered that vertigo in children is extremely rare, so if something
similar happens to your child, take them to a children's hospital for
an examination. On March 28th, 2009 we took him to Mac Kids Hospital,
where a CT scan revealed a large tumour mass in his cerebelum. The next
day the news got worse - it had metastisized to coat the membranes of
his brain and completely encase his spinal cord. The neuro-surgeons
were in shock b/c it's rare for such an aggressive cancer to have
spread to this extent, with such a short presentation of symptoms. 4
surgeries later, they had removed the main tumour mass, put in a shunt
and stablized his vitals. We waited a week and started chemo, but 3
days into it, Joshua lost all tone and feeling in his legs. Another MRI
revealed the cancer had changed significantly in both brain and spine
in only 10 days, and it was then that they recommended palliative care,
as radiation was not an option in a child so young and no chemo would
work fast enough to outpace the rate this cancer was killing him. So we
brought Joshua home on April 20th, with the indication from his dr.'s
that he'd only live a few more days to a few weeks, but here we are, 3
weeks later and Joshua is still with us.

Joshua still wakes up,
eats soft foods and drinks through his mouth and can still move his
right arm and head. He can't really talk anymore, except to say "no"
(figures that would be the word he'd retain!) and occassionally "mama"
if very aggravated. His palliative care doctor believes now that he'll
still live through Mother's Day and this is a great blessing to me. His
vitals are surprisingly stable for all that is going on in his brain
& spine, although he is slowly losing more function and feeling
starting from the bottom up. He also can't regulate body temperature or
kidney function (he just dumps his urine non-stop, making his
insatiably thirsty) and he is having some bad bowel issues. They also
believe now that the shunt draining spinal fluid from his brain to his
abdomen has carried tumour cells to his abdominal cavity, and he likely
has a tumour there now as well.

We are blessed that Joshua is
giving us this much time left with him, but it is excrutiating to watch
your child go through this and become more and more debilitated. Most
of who Joshua was is gone now, but as a parent, you are torn between no
longer wanting your child to suffer, but also not wanting to say
good-bye. It's the moments when I think about how I'll get up in the
morning and stare down the hall to his room, knowing he's not there
that are the hardest to bear at the moment. So even though he's no
longer the child we knew, I can still touch my baby now, and I'm
holding onto that for the moment.

Joshua was our first child,
and I'm currently 4.5 months pregnant with our second child. It's
going to be a very difficult time waiting for this baby to arrive after
Joshua passes.

We've done a few things to create lasting
memories of Joshua. We've had 3 molds taken of his hands (some with our
hands and one with his hand holding a Thomas the Tank engine train b/c
he loved Thomas more than anything). We also had a photographer come
from "Now I Lay me Down to Sleep" - a charitable organization of
professional photographers who do end-of-life photography with newborns
and young children who are dying unexpectedly. The pictures are
beautiful. For our neices and nephews, we had them all trace their arms
spread wide, with a heart in the middle where their body would be, and
cut out, each of these represent a hug that will be sent with Joshua to
heaven. As well, we traced Joshua's arms, and are duplicating his "hug"
to give as a keepsake for each of them, so when they miss him they can
touch his hug. We are also going to designate two days a year as
"Joshua" days for our family - his birthday and his death date - and
these will be dates that we do things Joshua loved best - like wear
blue or red, drink milk and ride a train.

A few people have
asked where we set up Joshua's trust fund. It is set up under "Joshua
Belletrutti" at Royal Bank. We are not asking for, but generously
accept any charitable donations to his fund. Anything not used for
funeral expenses will be donated to the pediatric brain tumour research
being done, as well as to Ronald MacDonald house which was a fabulous
organization that helped us out during the sudden tragedy in our lives.
What most people don't know about pediatric cancers, is that they have
a much higher survival rate than adult cancers, but get significantly
less funding (ie Breast Cancer has a much higher awareness than
childrens' cancers), so it's a worthy cause to support research in
pediatric cancers as they are making huge strides in the discovery as
to why and how to treat them.

Below are a couple of pictures
of Joshua - before cancer and during his battle now. Again we thank
all of the parents in our community who have been so kind and
thoughtful in their offers of support and prayers and generosity. It
has touched our lives in a way that will forever change us.

Joshua right before he got sick



Joshua during his current battle with cancer (taken end of April)

Sent you a pm about a few more orders!

The flowers are just beautiful..............thanks jenny

Yes, I got my flowers and tickets yesterday from Shannon...she surprised me, by dropping them off at my doorstep in the afternoon...

Joshua is really a precious little boy - thanks for all your efforts to help this family out Zoza aka Jennifer...please keep us posted to how he and the family is doing...

Thank you for letting me pick up the flowers and tickets tonight, it was nice to see familiar faces and new faces. Zoza I am truly amazed at your great spirit and generosity to Joshua's family. What a wonderful kind heart lady you are. So glad we finally got to meet.

It was a pleasure to meet you finally as well.

Thank you for your kind words.

I am proud of each and every person who has come together, united by the bond of motherhood, to support this family.

Jennifer, it was really great seeing you again tonight, albeit under the most tragic of circumstances. What a wonderful gesture you have done to help this family out in this way. You are an amazing person.

I look at those beautiful flowers that I have placed on my fireplace mantle with a heavy heart but also a feeling of incredible hope, faith and pride in our community. It's so amazing to see such generosity, love and support for Melanie, David and Joshua. I hope that the money raised over the past few days help to take some of the burdens off of their shoulders that they are facing and will continue to face as time goes on.

Jennifer, I am so glad to have met you. You are truly wonderful for doing this for Joshua and family. The flowers are so beautiful and every time I look at them I will think of Joshua. It is so great to know that there are such wonderful ladies in this community pulling together in this time of need.

Thank you again, and all the best

1. Regtangular Stone Baker, courtesy of Sandy Carlisle, Pampered Chef Representative
Thai - Ticket #0165742

2. Milton Therapeutic Massage – 1 hour massage, value $75
Cindy (Milkies) - Ticket #0165735

3. 1 day Bouncy Castle Rental courtesy of Bounce n’ Slide, courtesy of Jennifer Schanck, value $100
Tracey - Ticket #0990796

4. Rebecca Lozer Photography – www.rebeccalozer.com
– a Child Photography Session (all children in family) 30 min – 1 hour
session – Images in high resolution and edited on CD to be given to
family to print at their leisure, value $150
Kellie (Child/Youth Counsellor Mom) - Ticket #0165797

5. Pedicure – provided by Neo Centrix Spa and Salon
Harry - Ticket #0990706

6. Babywear Boutique – www.babywearboutique.com
– Kleen Kanteen Family Pack – 2 (27 oz) kleen kanteen, stainless steel,
3 (18 oz) kleen kanteen stainless steel and 1 (12oz) sippy
Tara (Starry Eyed Gemini) - Ticket #0165782

7. Dance Elite – One Free Term of Dance, value $200
Kathleen - Ticket #0165714

8. Cut, Style and Blow Dry courtesy of Neo Centrix.
S. Mangos, Ticket #0990710

9. A personalized name frame by Kbug Kreations to match any child's room theme or colour scheme.
Celia - Ticket #0990685

All the winners have been contacted.


The response to the raffle was overwhelming ladies. We raised over $1,500 on the raffle alone for the family.

I
would like to personally thank all the generous Moms on this board,
Steph at Babywear Boutique, Kristi of Kbug Kreations and Rebecca of
Rebecca Lozer Photography, my friend Sandy Carlisle, a Pampered Chef
Representative, and the local businesses, Dance Elite, Neo Centrix, and
Milton Therapeutic Massage, who generously donated their prizes, and
made this raffle possible.

And lastly, but not least, I would
like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, this
would not have been possible.


I will post Joshua's latest update later on today.

Congrats to our "WonderMoms" winners, Thai I got your lucky ticket for you....LOL


I am thinking of this family on this special day, I am praying for the Mother's strength today.

Thank you! I will give you a call tomorrow Zoza - was heading out to a stagette when you called yesterday & figured we could enjoy Mother's day today. Thanks again for letting me know And definitely, congrats to all the winners.

Yes WM you did...I already told you, "we" won it...whenever you want to use it, come on over!

That is great that the raffle was so successful, thanks for letting us know.

I thought of little Joshua & his family this morning actually - praying for them all, and as WM said, especially for his mother.

Jenny will pass by ...one of these days...

thai wrote:

Yes WM you did...I already told you, "we" won it...whenever you want to use it, come on over!

Thai your so sweet, I have one already as I use to sell PC.

Any updates on little Joshua~ I have been thinking of him and his family.

Bless this little boy. I look at his pictures and see the same blankie my son has. the same trains my children have all cherished... it breaks my heart. I will keep Joshua and his family in my prayers wishing them I do not even know what... time.

This was posted on another site a little while ago. Joshua's mom has been updating her facebook page...

Melanie Moore Belletrutti -
Joshua pulled through the night. His breathing is still shallow and fast, but his pulse is holding at 100bpm. Joshua keeps writing his own book on dying. Many many heartfelt thanks to the wonderful ladies in our community who have banded together to take the stress of meal preparation off our shoulders during this difficult time. Shannon, Jennifer, Michelle and the other moms- you are all angels in our eyes.

I don't know this family at all, but my heart is completely breaking for them.

My heart just breaks for them........life just isn't fair sometimes. I'll be keeping Joshua and his family in my prayers. When you hear about something like this, it just makes all the little struggles and annoyances in my life seem so....petty and small.

ON the other forum Meals arrangements are being done for the family too. Breakfast,Lunch and dinner......during this time of need.

I have cried everytime I read about this family

I just read that Joshua passed away this morning....
Rest In Peace Joshua My most heartfelt condolences to his parents and family.

Heartbreaking...............absolutely heartbreaking............

My deepest condolences go out to Joshua's family, that is inconceivable pain I would never want to live through. God bless.

RIP Joshua. You were a blessing for your parents & entire family. Your memory will forever live on. My heart aches for his parents, but at least his pain is over.

Couldn't have said it better WM -- completely agree.

My heart breaks for you both.

My deepest condolences to Joshua family.