“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” -Napoleon Hill
Almost exactly one year ago, my mother convinced me that silence was not the answer. With the help and guidance of dear family members, Kelsey’s Kaleidoscope, Inc.:A New View for PAN was born.
Part of me feared the perception my family would receive after we revealed the rare disease in our home. Part of me feared that people would look at Kelsey differently because she has a rare disease. The funny thing is, if anything, people are more kind and generous than I ever could have dreamed.
Last week, the ten-year-old student who joined forces with his family collected $300 at his stand. He stood in a crowded room full of parents, families, and students who were there to understand the world of business: how to create a business model and successfully see it through. As I looked around the variety of business models and concepts, they were very similar in every single way.
Only one had a group of family members adorned in pink, a band of bubble-gum goodness. Selfless, sweet, and kind. Only one student that night showed the world that his family raised him to give back, expand his horizons, and fight for what he believes he has the power to change. He did not make a single penny for himself or his time, but he was beaming with pride from ear to ear.
That $300 is going towards a cause far greater he can likely imagine. We have had some exciting happenings over the past few weeks. Soon, we will embark on our mission to find the cure. Every single penny earned and piece of bubble gum sold will go towards finding that cure.
What started one year ago as a dream is turning into reality. If not for my mother supporting me and urging me to speak about the fight I was only living inside, we would not be on our way to finding a cure.
Today, the kindness, the generosity, and the selfless acts of others have helped us begin that mission. When a ten-year-old young man “gets” it, you can not help but get choked up inside.
Courage has the power to heal and change lives. A ten-year-old and his family showed me how much good there is in the world around us. Sometimes, we have to open our eyes a little bit wider to see it.