Monday, July 30, 2012

Official Launch Event

This was such a fun event....

Ace Hardware brought 2 reps and 
asked me to speak at their golf tournament 
in Sept!!! I can't wait!

The sweet representative from
 Delta Airlines gave me a t-shirt
Chico's FAS rep cried when she spoke about
 how inspired she was to hear my story. 
She gave me their special CMN Hospitals bracelet too! I love it!!
Mayor of Fairhope, Tim Kant, gave me a 
Key to the City! I feel like a......(see the next picture)

ROCK STAR!!



Two of our favorite men in the whole world....Owen Bailey, Hospital Administrator at my CMN hospital on the left, and on the right, Dr. Anthony Martino, the brilliant neurosurgeon who saved my life.

I am so honored to represent Alabama as the 2012 CMN Hospitals Champion. Thank you CMN!



Sunday, May 13, 2012

"Saving The Glow" by Jenny Biggs

(Note from Jenny: I know that my physical battle is what made me a "Champion", but the emotional battle was tougher than the physical one. This poem is about that struggle.)


Saving The Glow


In a room full of people you feel so alone
And you wonder what you did so wrong,
Looking inside the circles of people
And to fit in is all that you long.

You feel as invisible as a weak gust of wind
And smaller than one grain of rice,
You feel so rejected and empty of love
To the point where you contemplate life.

People around you tell you "you're loved"
And you know inside that they're all right,
But the enemy fills you with negative thoughts
And doubts that you re-live at night.

You pace through the halls and frown at the floor
Pass mirrors you don't want to pass,
You're scared to look in them and see what you'll see
You're scared it will just point and laugh.

Faking smiles is how you get through these dark days
You're hiding your pain with a grin
You feel like you never will find real ones now
And never find comfort again.

Reaching for peace and searching for light
Your candle has almost gone out,
Faith, Hope and Love is what you should have
But that's what you're living without.

Visits to doctors, but none worth the cost
Insincere theories and thoughts,
You just want some healing and all on your own
Not all the tears doctors brought.

You miss your old smile and sweet, friendly laugh
You want it to come back and stay,
Frowns, tears, discomfort is now how you live
And what you are used to these days.

Physically here but your mind wanders off
To a place that is lonely and cold,
You want to believe all the words Momma says
And every "I love you" you're told.

You're so insecure and scared of the mirror
Like children are scared of the dark,
This mood's getting old and your heart needs a break
It's scarred and is falling apart.

You finally surrender and give up the fight
And you feel as your spirit has died,
You've burned out your candle and stayed in the dark
And forgot how you felt in the light.

Long days pass as you cry all alone
And now you are used to your pain,
The palm trees that used to sway in your world
Have died and your blue sky is rain.

You want back your laughter, it's time to fight back
You're tired and want this to clear,
You don't know what, but you need to do something
To dry all these miserable tears.

You know that you're fighting and you know it's for peace
But you don't know what you will do first,
You go to more doctors with hope it will end
But all that it does is get worse.

Even though all these doctors are just wasted time
You learn what you could've just read
You can choose your feeling and feel how you want
You now feel your soul has been fed

Slowly but surely, you renew your old peace
And through this you discover the truth
When you go through this fight you need someone stronger
And someone who makes all things new.

You now see the positive with Jesus' help
And with Him on your side you can't lose,
Before, you were dead, and now you're alive
Over darkness it's light that you choose.

You listen to God and you regain your hope
You're glad that you opened this door,
With Jesus' love you are made new again
And He gives what was stolen before.

You long to be heard, but you were all along
You fell and you thought you had lost,
But then, just in time, Jesus showed up
He rose and He lives by the cross.

Darkness and shame took over your world
Your high peace turned into a low
But now you're with Jesus and His world is light
Your candle now has a bright glow.

What's on my mind

Hello beautiful people!

I'm so excited to represent this beautiful state and I'm looking forward to meeting all of the other Champions! All of you are so strong and amazing, and I can't wait to hug each and every one of you when we finally meet in D.C.  Our trip will be so much fun!!!

Thank you to CMN Hospitals for giving me this opportunity.  I am so honored!!  I'm especially excited about having this blog because I love to write poetry and journal.  I hope you enjoy my posts.  :-)

-Jenny

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Jenny's Story

Jenny
Age 15
University of South Alabama Children’s & Women’s Hospital
Brain Tumor

While high school can bring some headaches, 14-year-old Jenny’s pains were definitely out of the ordinary. After a year of, originally diagnosed, “migraines,” Jenny was rushed to the hospital due to excruciating head pain.

Doctors discovered a brain tumor known as cerebellar astrocytoma, and began surgery 11 hours later. While on the operating table, a blood clot developed in Jenny’s brain and doctors had to perform an emergency craniotomy to save her life.

Jenny finished her freshman year homebound, but headstrong. Nicknamed “Rock Star” by one of the nurses, she remained determined and positive during months of relearning how to speak and walk.

In the fall, Jenny returned to school and attended homecoming. In addition to the beautiful, red hair and an infectious smile that makes Jenny stand out, she is special because of the lessons she learned from her tumor. Jenny is grateful to be alive and wouldn’t trade those experiences for the world.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champions

Champions is a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals program that brings attention to the important work being done at its 170 children’s hospitals. It does this by honoring 54 remarkable kids who have faced severe medical challenges, and helping them tell their stories.

The Champions program designates a child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals every year. The 2012 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, organ transplants and traumas, as well as various types of cancer.

The Champions travel for a week in September, first to Washington, D.C., where they traditionally meet with their state representatives on Capitol Hill and visit the White House. They then take a private chartered flight, provided by Delta Air Lines, to Orlando, Fla. While there, Champions meet Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals corporate partners, hospital representatives and media partners. These groups convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort.