Making Room for the Magic

Three years ago this month, I spent every day counting down to Rona's sixth birthday.

There were Elf on the Shelf antics in the hospital room, even though it wasn't December. We planned a birthday party in the ICU, complete with party boxes so friends and family could celebrate with us virtually. There was a virtual meet-and-greet with Doug the Pug because, if you knew Rona, you know she would have thought that was pretty much the greatest thing ever.

None of it changed why we were there. She was still fighting for her life, and we were still fighting for our girl. But it reminded us of something that can be easy to forget in healthcare: before children are patients, they're children.

Those weeks changed the way I think about healthcare forever. They became part of the foundation for Rona's FUN LAB and our belief in balancing the magic of science with the magic of living.

Science matters. It saves lives. But birthdays matter, too. So do laughter, imagination, friendships, celebrations, and the moments that remind a child they're more than a diagnosis.

Every August, we try to carry that lesson forward through our annual toy drive. Instead of buying birthday presents for one little girl, our community comes together to bring joy to hundreds of children receiving care at our local children's hospital.

If you'd like to join us this year, we'd love to have you. You can learn more at ronasfunlab.org/toydrive.

After the toy drive, I'm going to continue that tradition in a different way. I'm heading to the red rocks of Sedona to mark what would have been Rona’s ninth birthday away from my never ending to-dos.

Over the past few years, I've learned that standing somewhere filled with awe is one of the places where I feel closest to Rona. It's where I remember that the world is still beautiful. It's where I refill my own cup. It's where I find the perspective and creativity that so often get crowded out by calendars, airports, and to-do lists.

My creative projects need the space to breathe. I do, too.

After a busy year, I've realized that some of my best ideas don't arrive while I'm sitting behind my laptop. They arrive on hiking trails, around campfires, while pulling weeds in my garden, or standing somewhere that reminds me just how big and beautiful the world still is.

I'll be back on the road for much of September and October, and I'm looking forward to seeing many of you then. We have some exciting things ahead, including new hospital partnerships, conference presentations, a children's book, and a few projects that I'm not quite ready to share just yet.

Three years ago, we created a little magic in an ICU room. This month, we'll create a little magic for other children through our toy drive. And somewhere between birthday cake, red rocks, and campfires, I'm going to make a little room for that magic in my own life, too.

Sometimes the best way to honor our mission isn't to work harder. It's to remember why we started.