When Holly and Guy moved eight years ago, Jacob quickly became friends with the little boy next door. Gabe was recovering from a serious fight with a malignant tumor. He was and is a great kid. He would often hear Jacob and Houston calling me "Grandma Sue," and for a while he thought my name was "Grandma Zoo."

Gabe made his movie debut this past year in the movie Country Strong. In the film, he plays a boy with cancer. The producers asked that he shave his head and eyebrows so he really looked the part. I asked Lu, Gabe's mom, if he minded that very much, and she told me he was okay with the head-shaving, but he hated having to wear makeup for the filming. 

While Gabe was having his chemo treatments, Lu took a stuffed duck he had been given, and using her sewing skills, added pajamas, a head scarf, a blood pressure cuff, and even a chemo port. Having the duck seemed to comfort Gabe and also helped explain to him what the doctors and nurses were going to do during each treatment he had. This idea proved so effective, that soon, other kids in the hospital were wanting a duck like Gabe's. Lu, who had to spend long hours in the hospital with Gabe, spent a lot of that time making ducks for other children who needed them.

Eventually, Lu began a foundation called "Gabe's My Heart." The mission of Gabe's My Heart and Gabe’s Chemo Duck program is to use education to give comfort to children living with cancer through medical play using therapeutic tools. This means that these kids, who are in the fight of their young lives, can gain back some sense of control as they play with their duck, mimic taking the duck's blood pressure, and even pretend to administer drugs through the duck's chemo port.

Already chemo ducks are being used by hospitals around the country. Gabe's goal is to furnish 10,000 ducks by his tenth birthday, and I want to help.

I found out last week that Cardinal Glennon hospital in St. Louis has asked for a supply of chemo ducks for patients there. I told Lu that I would do my very best to raise the money for one shipment of ducks. Each duck is $25, so a carton will cost $600. 

It would be awesome if some of my friends would help. Go here (http://www.chemoduck.org/chemo_duck_video.html)  to watch a brief video about the chemo duck and see the way it helps kids with cancer and their families. I think you'll agree that it's a very small donation to make for something that is a huge help. 

You can make your donation right there at the site. There will be a place where you can donate 1) on behalf of 2) in honor of, or 3) in memory of someone. If you want your duck to go to Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis, put "For Cardinal Glennon" somewhere in that line. 

IF YOU DONATE A DUCK, LET ME KNOW! If you come to Write About Jesus this year, we will give you another $25 discount for each duck you provide. This will be in addition to other discounts you qualify for. 

I have been blessed with six incredible grandchildren, and I'm so thankful they are healthy. But I have known families who have had to walk the terrible road Gabe's family walked with him. Making sure a child has a bit of comfort and help through a little stuffed friend seems like the least I can do.