Our daughter, Valicity, was a most courageous little princess. She was diagnosed with Leukemia 7 days before her third birthday in January 2008. We spent 14 months in Seattle undergoing chemotherapy and treatment for the cancer. In 2009 we were able to come home with our daughter in remission we decided to hold a princess ball for friends and family to celebrate life and our write my paper daughters success with defeating cancer.
After the event Valicity always talked about having another princess ball. But in April 2010 we received the horrific news that Valicity had relapsed. Now needing a bone morrow transplant she underwent extensive chemotherapy treatment wiping out her immune system and making her vulnerable to a fungal infection which ultimately took her life on July 6th 2010.
After the passing of our daughter her mother, brother and I continue to mourn, but our daughter taught us many life lessons allowing us to continue and live life to its fullest in memory of her. She had a gift of bringing people together which is apparent with the success of our past Princess Balls. She also had a gift of a contagious smile and laugh that is still being passed on today.
We continue to celebrate Valicity’s life and honor her memory by holding this event annually to support those organizations that help family’s that are dealing with illness. We want to give back to those that helped make one our daughter’s dreams come true, the Montana Hope Project. Valicity was fascinated with her prince and princess and the Montana Hope Project allowed her to dream to come to true by personally meeting them in Disney World. The Montana Hope Project set everything up for us providing airfare rental car and accommodations making it one of our daughters and our most cherished memories together. For that I want to thank the Montana Hope Project. We also support Angel Flight West & the Ronald McDonald House.
Read more about Valicity’s journey through Valicity’s Caring Bridge Site
Our fundraising efforts go to support the following organizations:
Angel Flight West is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that arranges free, non-emergency air travel for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling needs. Our network of 1,600 pilots throughout the 13 western states donate their aircraft, piloting skills, and all flying costs to help families in need, enabling them to receive vital treatment that might otherwise be inaccessible because of financial, medical, or geographic limitations.
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Montana is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Guiding us in our mission are our core values:
- Focusing on the critical needs of children.
- Celebrating the diversity of the programs we offer and the staff, volunteers and donors who make them possible.
- Staying true to our heritage of 29 years of responsible stewardship.
- Operating with accountability and transparency.
The Montana Hope Project is unique.
Begun in 1984 by the Association of Montana Troopers (formally the Association of Montana Highway Patrolmen), the Montana Hope Project originated from the strong desire of the Montana Troopers to give back to the communities that they serve. Officers wanted to establish a special service that would create a positive and rewarding impact both for the troopers, and for their communities.
The goal of the Hope Project is to make dreams come true for critically ill children in Montana. Today, the Montana Hope Project is a separate nonprofit organization funded by tax-deductible charitable contributions and donations. The Hope Project does not receive tax or governmental support and is not associated with any national wish-granting organization.