We are very involved in activism and fundraising on behalf of Cancer Support Groups and Organizations including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, NCCF, National Children's Cancer Society, Candlelighters of Western Washington, Starlight * Starbright Children's Foundation, Make a Wish Foundation and Corporate Angel Network. Twice over the past 5 years we've gone to Washington DC (once on behalf of NCCF and once on behalf of LLS) to lobby for increased funding for Cancer Research. During those visits we have met with Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressmen Norm Dicks, and Andrea has testified before a congressional sub-committee on Childhood Cancer.

We are also very involved in providing support to the dozens of families who have contacted us over the years asking for help with treatment options, financial aid, and emotional support. We feel it's both a duty and a privilege to help other families who are dealing with the same situations we've dealt with over the past six years. Many of these families have become our closest friends and we remain in contact with almost all of them.

In the 4 years since we arrived back home from North Carolina a lot has happened. Alex is over 4 years post-transplant and aside from cataract surgery on one eye (the result of the targeted radiation for her Chloroma), short term memory problems and some hormone issues, she is your typical 9 year old. Albeit an 9 year old who has relapsed seven times, gone through two Cord Blood Transplants, and been treated with innumerable rounds of conventional chemo, experimental chemo, targeted radiation, total body irradiation, spinal cranial irradiation, etc...

Nicholas is now four  years old and aside from being small for his age, you would never guess in a million years that he was a micro-preemie. He's your typical "terrible four  year old" but he's also one of the happiest, funniest toddlers you'll ever meet. I'm convinced that he's going to grow up to be a comedian!

Andrea fully recovered from her near-death experience and other than a six week gap in her memory (a result of the staph infection and the subsequent medical treatment), is back to her normal self. As for myself I wish I could forget everything that happened during those six weeks!

Please visit Alex's Place if you'd like to read more about Alex and the rest of our family. There are updates on the site going back as far as Alex's first transplant in October 1999.

Sincerely,

Todd, Andrea, Alexandra & Nicholas Martini
August 17, 2007

Photo Gallery

January 2004 to October 2005

April 2006