Inside the Van Andel Institute

Here is a message from our Facebook friend Sue Swart.....

Hi Maranda-
I just wanted to thank you so much for the story about VanAndel Institute. It hit close to home! I LOVE that you are encouraging kids to go check out the Institute. My daughter, Mariah, who is 16 now, has been by my side every step of the way with this brain tumor. She has always been interested in science, but this whole experience has thrown open a floodgate of wonder for her! She has gone to radiation therapy with me and the doctors and technicians were SO cool with her - inviting her in to watch the treatments and explaining everything. She decided right then that she was going into the medical field. Then, when I started my chemotherapy and she saw all the fascinating research and treatments, she decided she was going into oncology! Now, as I have gone through one year of this clinical trial (which has fascinated all of us!) she REALLY wants to be a research doctor. Good thing she's WAAAYY smarter than her Mom!! :) Now to get her into med school...we'll trust the Lord with that! You are doing such a great thing, introducing kids to cancer research and picquing their interest!

Cannot thank you enough!! Is there any way in which I could help the cause? I find myself with a lot of free time on my hands because I was deemed "medically disabled". Let me know. I'll do whatever I can.

Thanks, again. Because of His great grace,
Sue Swart