Bay Professional Photographers Association is working with SunCoast Blood Bank We would like to invite you to attend a special event for a special girl!
Honorary Blood Drive for Maya McKibbin Please ca to resell Maria Lyle r ve you at 941. r Dona 362.19 tion Tim 57 WHEN: Saturday, May 10, 2014 e
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM WHERE: on the front parking lot of Saba Plaza 1055 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236 (located on the corner of 41 and Bahia Vista)
In addition, the members of this organization are working together to provide you with a Mother’s Day Special at a reduced price. Sessions are inside Saba Plaza. Available for one day only for either
“Mother’s Day Mini Portrait Session” (Includes 1 5x5 FB digital file) or
“Facebook Profile Mini Portrait Session” (Includes 1 5x5 FB digital file)
Suggested donation $45.00 All proceeds will go to the family to offset medical costs.
This is Maya. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Ewings Sarcoma on in 2013. She is considered to be stage three with a very good chance of survival. Maya has received over 30 units of blood and platelets since the beginning of this journey . She gets a new lease on life with every transfusion.
All donors are automatically entered to win one of the following Two Prizes: One Beach Portrait Session with One 11x14 Print with Maria Lyle Photography OR One $100 Gift Certificate from Patricks On Main Gift Certificates are NOT redeemable for cash.
If you are unable to attend this event, you can always stop by and donate blood on her behalf. Please use the following Code #5124 www.scbb.org SUNCOAST BLOOD BANK 1760 MOUND STREET | SARASOTA, FL 34236-8501 Walk-ins are welcome or by appointment to Schedule Blood Donation: 941.954.1600
Participating Professional Photographers Stephanie Dubsky
Billy Dzwonkowski
Kelly Kearns
Maria Lyle
Gigi O’Dea
Pilar Ojeda
Marina Proskurina
Carmen Schettino
Donna Williams
Marina Yuhko
Follow Maya’s story and visit her blog: www.mayaspuffercheeks.wordpress.com To learn more about childhood cancer please visit: www.thetruth365.org
Sweet, smart, bubbly and a bookworm; those are some of the words that you can use to describe my middle daughter Maya. She is the princess of the family centered between the tomboy (little sister Cali) and the protective mother hen (older sister Lakota). Maya loves her panda bears, everything Paris and anything girly. Being the straight A student since kindergarten she has high expectations of herself academically. Maya also loved her long brown hair... the long brown hair that she no longer has thanks to her diagnosis of stage 3 Ewings Sarcoma in July of 2013. Maya use to be my sensitive child, the one that cried at the drop of a hat because something, anything didn’t go as she expected. My husband Adam and I spend quite a bit of time trying to toughen her up so that she accepts the short end of the stick life hands her at times without tears. When she started complaining initially of pain in her right thigh, we thought it was growing pains that many preteens experience and told her to toughen up, As the pain grew stronger, we took her to the podiatrist, and her pediatrician realizing that there might be more to her pain. We did x-rays of her thigh, when that didn’t show anything we did a blood test. Nothing was wrong, everything was normal. The pain grew stronger, Maya was up late at night not being able to sleep due to pain. Her pediatrician suggested a sonogram to check for endometriosis. That’s when I saw the tumor on her right hip pop out of her side when she laid down. “My hip” was Maya’s answer to what it was. Looking back I regret giving my children privacy and not checking their body for possible abnormalities, perhaps I would have caught the tumor before it became a stage three malignant monster. Trust me, you could only see the tumor when she laid down with her hip exposed. Regrets, there are many. That was July 19, 2013. We were sent to All Childrens Hospital in St. Pete for a CT scan to find out what was causing her pain. At 9pm that night after blood tests, CT scans, x-rays, PET scan and another ultrasound, Adam and I were told that Maya has a malignant tumor. Maya was immediately admitted to the seven south pediatric oncology & hematology unit. Even Though the shock of the diagnosis almost paralyzed us, we grew stronger. After more testing, MRI, biopsy, port installation and bone marrow aspiration, the official diagnosis of Ewing's Sarcoma stage 3 was given to us on July 23rd and she started her 6 cycles (12 weeks) of chemo on July 25; six days after we came in for a CT scan expecting results on the following Monday. Our home away from home became ACH seven south, the oncology nurses and doctors became our family. We thank God for blessing
us with such an amazing hospital and staff. Maya truly has the best care she could possibly ask for. When she was diagnosed we were told she was not a surgical candidate due to the location of the tumor on her right hip and how it was wrapped around the bone (the pain in her right leg was referred pain from the tumor) and our only option was radiation. This meant that our daughter will never be able to have children of her own, will always have brittle bone. What choice did we have? We were going to fight for her at any cost. The fight cost Maya the most. She lost her beautiful hair, eyebrows and eyelashes that were a mile long. She lost her seventh grade year at school with her friends and at the end of the 12 weeks of chemo, she also lost her tumor, which was 100% dead along with her right hip bone. She did not need any radiation because the tumor was dead! What an answer to prayer!! God really blessed Maya and provided her with the best surgeons, doctors, nurses and hospital. She is now in what is known as the consolidation cycle of chemo which consists of another 11 cycles (22 weeks) of treatment. By then of of all her treatments she would have received 17 cycles of chemo (34 weeks of treatment). One of the main effects of chemo is killing all rapidly dividing cells; cancer cells, blood cells, hair cells, etc., because of this Maya has needed a whole lot of blood transfusions. to date, she has received over 60 units of platelets and around 30 units of hemoglobin. She could not fight this battle without blood donors. Other children fighting this battle could not fight without blood donors. Maya gets a new leash in life with every donation. I can see the deflated balloon within her get as full as her spirit is. Through out this battle Maya has lost many things, but she has not lost her spirit. I encourage everyone to please donate blood if you are able. Its been indescribably hard to watch my 13 year old travel this road, but she does it with such strength, determination and courage. Cancer may have taken some things away from Maya, but she has found her true self through all this. As a mother, my heart burst with joy when I see her struggling to walk, but not giving up. When I see that mischievous smile that tells me she is ok, my heart melts. When she makes deals with me to eat all the ingredients that I can juice because she rather eat it than drink it, I just laugh and let her eat them instead. I have seen my daughter gain more independence in a wheelchair than she ever had when she could walk . I struggle to stay positive at times, but she rarely breaks down. She is my hero. Sashika McKibbin
Q&A Do I need to eat before donating blood? Yes, absolutely it will help to have a healthy meal and drink water before donating blood. Coffee is not recommended. Food and water prevents passing out after donating blood. Where exactly will I go to donate blood on Saturday, May 10th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM? There will be a Blood Bank Bus in the parking lot, accross the Dive Shop and Sahara Restaurant. You can’t miss it. There will be ample parking in the back of Saba Plaza. 1055 South Tamiami Trail Suite 110A Sarasota, FL 34236 Do I need to make an appointment for this particular day? It is highly recommended. Maria Lyle has volunteered to accept calls so that Suncoast Community Blood Bank staff can work effectively. You may call Maria Lyle at Maria Lyle Photography, Studio 941.362.1957. What if there are too many people and I don’t want to wait. Not a problem, you may go directly to SUNCOAST BLOOD BANK which is very near Saba Plaza. What is this about photos? The photographers are members of Bay Professional Photographers Association and Sashica, the mother of Maya was a long time member and we want to help her. And because it is Mother’s Day, we thought that we could offer our service for those that wanted portraits done. We are asking for a donation that is going directly to the family. Where are the photos going to be done? Inside Saba Plaza in 3 different locations. We will have helpers that can direct you. It’s going to be FuN, quick and painless. All you have to do is smile and enjoy.
I want to donate money to Maya but I don’t want to donate blood, how may I do this? Indeed you can, and we thank you for supporting a family in financial medical distress. Please write a check to Maya McKibbin For now you can send the check to: Maria Lyle Photography 1055 South Tamiami Trail Suite 110A Sarasota, FL 34236 Maria is organizing the event on behalf of Bay Professional Photographers Association for the purpose of helping a child in need. In this case being Maya. Maria will responsible to pass the proceeds to the family. If I can’t make it on Saturday, May 10th, can I donate on another day? Yes, and please use code #5124 for Maya McKibbin. Where can I go and donate blood on another date? You can go to 1760 Mound Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 Do I need to make an appointment? You can certainly make an appointment to save you time. Please call 941.954.1600 But, please know that Walk-Ins are welcome anytime and please don’t forget to mention Maya McKibbin’s code #5124 to ensure she receives your donation when she needs it.
-------------------------------------FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THE TWO DOOR PRIZES PLEASE FILL AND BRING WITH YOU WHEN DONtATING BLOOD. (ONLY APPLICABLE ON SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2014).
NAME________________________________
What will I get? Each photographer will be e-mailing you a digital file for your Facebook page, so that you may enjoy the image. You can certainly order more prints if you so desire.
ADDRESS _____________________________
If I want photos done, what should I wear. If you want more traditional, wear black tops with sleeves. We will also have more fun, and you can wear whatever you want.
PHONE______________
______________________________________ E-MAIL________________________________
HONORARY BLOOD DRIVE FOR MAYA McKIBBIN On behalf of Bay Professional Photographers Association, members and the family of Maya McKibbin, we thank you in advance for your time and consideration to help a child in need of a vital sustenance.