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Robbie Thomas -
Founder/President
OUR VISION
MAIDEN
FLIGHT was created from the hearts of women who have
committed to dedicating their lives, time and talents to
alleviating some of the burden and stress, single women and
men will undergo once they have been diagnosed with cancer,
with a special program for the children of single parents
who are in hospice care. As the sole provider, the
financial and emotional pressure can be overwhelming. The
Founder of the organization is a recent survivor and along
with the initial Board Members are women who have
individually fought their own personal battle with this
life-threatening disease or assisted close friends and
relatives. They know intimately the emotional stress and
financial burden which accompanies this diagnosis.
OUR MISSION
An international
benevolent organization dedicated to providing financial
assistance and practical day-to-day assistance for low
income, under and uninsured single women and men as they
battle cancer and its challenges alone.
COMPELLED TO ACT
For many years,
as a staff member of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, I worked
side-by-side with a group of amazing women. Day to day I
interacted with the family members, friends and children
with whom the organization served. It was hard for me to
watch as the children battled with horrific disease. They
were always so courageous and surrendered. In my free time
away from the office, I also volunteered for the
organization. In this role, I held the hands of many parents
as they helplessly sat by the bedsides of their children.
Smiles came over their faces as they watched the community
come together and give their support to grant their child's
wish.
As fate would
have it, after a sharp pain in my side led to many medical
tests, ironically... I too heard the words no one wants to
hear or ever thinks they will hear from their doctor, "I'm
sorry, the diagnose is cancer." I summoned the
thoughts and remembered the hugs of the many children I have
spent time with... children whose lives altered my very own
thoughts of life and its meaning. As a single woman, I was
devastated by the financial impact of the surgery,
medications and treatment. Family and friends rushed to my
side and carried me along, emotionally, financially and
spiritually.
During the
months of recovery, I realized that God had blessed me with
an amazing support system, though family and friends. As I
spent time talking with other cancer survivors during my
hospital visits, I realized that an overwhelming number of
single women and single mothers were going through their own
personal battles with this disease alone. My heart was
broken as I listened to some of their stories. In addition,
I had an opportunity to speak with children who were in the
midst of watching their mothers fight for her life and
ultimately their lives. It was during this time I made a vow
to find a way to be THEIR support system.
This vow... this
support system has come to fruition in the form of
Maiden Flight.
It was challenging
holding the hands of a parent with a sick child... but it is even
more challenging holding the hands of a child who has a sick mother.
The fear and terror in their eyes when the thought of losing their
mom comes over them is how and why I feel
COMPELLED TO ACT.
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