Back To New York

We are leaving tomorrow to do battle with "The Mouse" as Nick refers to 3f8. We should be back late Friday night or Saturday.

We had a great 3 weeks at home with family, friends, Tahoe, Thanksgiving, school, playstation, and home cooking! Nick is mostly doing great but there are a few relatively minor side effects that make things a little uncomfortable. I'll update from NY on Monday.

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Connor Coen - Connor is a little 8 year old boy from Auburn that I met through my cousin, Erin. He has the same type of cancer that Nick had and is undergoing treatments in NY. He is having a tough time of it right now but everyone is hopeful that MSKCC can help him reach NED!! Connor is staying at "The House" which is what they affectionately call the Ronald McDonald House in NY and he got to meet Fergie. Here is what she said in her diaries that are posted on the internet.

Back In NYC! November 16, 2006

Here I am, back in the city that never sleeps: New York, NY.Two months ago I was here meeting with children at the Ronald McDonald House of New York City and taping a public service announcement for World Childrens Day. This time Im up on stage and behind the counter at McDonalds with Emmitt Smith (a big time American footballer) and actor Mario Lopez who both just came from the finale of the show Dancing with the Stars. I was also with actress Sofia Vergara and with Guiding Lights Lawrence St. Victor. What an honor!

Clearly, the bigger honor happened back to the Ronald McDonald House where I was able to visit with my friends. They are the real stars. Like Connor. His aunt LaVonne told me that Connor had been at the house for two weeks and nothing could make him smile. We managed to change that and it was a beautiful thing to see. You know, before I left the House in New York City, a mother of a young cancer survivor told me that I was like Peter Pan. I guess this is true in some ways. Id certainly rather spend time with my friends like Amanda and Jonathan who you read about from my trip to Seattle. Or Raquel in Dallas (I hope your still smiling Raquel!). Or Johnnie and Macy in Detroit or little Ashley in Boston. Ive had the honor of meeting sweet, brave children from all over the world. I made some of them smile and Ive been given more than a few smiles myself. We can all help make these smiles possible by donating to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Put your spare change in the RMHC canister at McDonalds or phone your local RMHC and ask what you can do to help.

As I conclude the U.S. portion of my tour at the global celebration for World Childrens Day at McDonalds before heading to Beijing, China I would encourage you all to think and be a little bit more like children. They find joy in lifes simplicities and do a much better job of caring for each other than we adults. Lets appreciate the bravery of a child who is frightened, in pain and who could use some happiness right now. Lets all do a little more to make a child smile today.

Best wishes,
Sarah, Duchess of York