Brizo's Blogger 19 Reunion Supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Sometimes you get the opportunity in life to experience a miracle in progress. That is what the team at Brizo faucet gave 76 interior designers, bloggers, architects and journalists this week when we toured the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. I am honored to have been invited.

Photo Courtesy of Brizo

Brizo, the luxury line of Delta faucets, has found that investing in the designers and bloggers that support their brand is well worth their marketing dollars (yes, this was an all expense paid trip!).  This year, they gave us a personal look into their partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Brizo has helped to sponsor more than 300 St. Jude Dream Homes and has helped raise more than $1.7 million dollars for the life saving cancer research and care of children at St. Judes Children's Hospital.

To me, St. Jude was a very happy place even in the midst of the most grave diseases.  Our creative bunch had a great time with the kids coloring, painting, playing in the photo booth and making dollhouses.

Photos courtesy of Brizo with permission of St. Jude's

I was in perpetual awe of the facilities, the cleanliness, the attention given to every need of the kids and their siblings and parents and of course the amazing treatment that these children receive. The greatest thing about St. Jude? NO PAYMENT IS REQUIRED. Not a single penny for the world acclaimed care, the transportation, the housing or the food!  Yes, it takes $1.8 million EVERY DAY to operate this hospital and it's all thanks mostly to donations.

No wonder so many celebrities are attracted to this worthy cause.

This outdoor pavilion donated by Tiger Woods.

Or this really cool lounge donated by Olympic snow boarder Shaun White.

The support is endless and celebrated in every corner.

Can I play in here?

Or here?

Little whispers of hope are everywhere....

Kids might be in treatment for 3 months or 3 years and every effort is made to help them have fun when they feel up to it.

I think that kids are the toughest and most resilient of all of us. One of my favorite areas in the hospital was the Teen Art Gallery. To me, their artwork illustrates their inner most strengths even in the face of death.  This one is called Ray of Hope. 

This poem called Mirror Mirror was written by a beautiful girl who struggled with loosing her long blonde locks but gracefully found peace that her hair did not define her.

One of the themes at St. Jude's put in motion by founder, Danny Thomas is this:

Unfortunately, two children that meant a lot to myself and my family passed away recently. One was my little Guatemalan baby Erika (I helped build a house for her family last year) who died of Leukemia at the age of 3 on June 23rd. The other was my daughter Emory's close friend Scott Shockley who died from lung cancer at the age of 18 on July 12th.  Fortunately, their faith was very strong and they are in peace in Heaven as very beautiful angels.

I've shed a lot of tears over the passing of these two kids who fought this ugly disease hard and were unable to beat it. Visiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital did not make me sad though. I thought I'd be a basket case working thru a box of tissues. Ironically, I was filled with hope and inspiration that under the worst of diagnoses, the kids at St. Jude's have the best chance a kid could have.

This was evidenced to us by a very personal story told to us by a father who's son Ethan successfully beat Leukemia after 3 years in treatment.

Photo courtesy of Brizo with permission by St. Jude's. 

Thanks again to my friends at Brizo for sharing your love of St. Jude's with us. If you'd like to learn more about St. Jude's and how you can help, click HERE or like their Facebook page HERE.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of our trip to Memphis!

Kelly

Unless specifically noted, all photos taken by Kelly Kole. Please do not use without giving credit.