Our Story Started with a Sundae...

On October 24, 2020, (during the Covid-19 global pandemic) I had my first dance performance of the year with my school dance team. When we got home that night, my parents greeted my sister and I greeted with an ice cream sundae at the kitchen table. It was unusual for us to have ice cream sundae parties on a school night, so I assumed it was to celebrate my dance performance. Little did I know, nothing could have prepared me for the news that would change my life forever. “We have both good and bad news”, my mom said with tears in her eyes. “The good news is that we know what’s wrong with dad. The bad news, is that the stomach issues he has been dealing with the past few months, is stage four colorectal cancer.” 

At that moment, the world stopped and went still. The sweetness of the ice cream became bitter. I didn’t know what to think, say, or do. Navigating this new “normal” of living with a parent battling cancer was heartbreaking for our family. Despite this, our mom made it her mission to ensure we could still have sweet moments together.

Watching a movie in bed, having dinner as a family, singing songs and having dance parties in the living room - we celebrated each day and every moment we could. Our new focus was having as much quality time together as possible instead of the illness my dad was facing. By taking it one day at a time, we made an effort to center on positive thoughts and staying sweet in bitter times.

Guided by our mom’s mission, my sister and I decided that we wanted to give other families the opportunity to make the most out of their situations too. We hope that you will consider helping us to pay it forward - please donate today!

Together through Strength in Sundaes, we can find the sweetness in tomorrow.    -Zoe