A Focus on Life and Living

My daughter Tory was diagnosed with cancer at Children’s National Hospital when she was 2 years old, changing our lives forever. Many devoted and loving doctors, nurses and technicians returned her life to her. Their care and kindness inspired our commitment to raise money for the hospital’s oncology unit.

 

Tory played field hockey all four years in high school and rallied her teammates to join in raising money for Children’s National annual Race for Every Child. She was responsible for raising about $50,000 while in high school.  

 

Tory is now 20 and a student at Cornell University. She wears her scars proudly — they show the world what the body can do if given the right medical care and emotional support. Her experience at Children’s National inspired her to focus her studies on health care.

 

Tory is the person she is today because of the care she received at Children’s National. When she was a little girl in the hospital, we would walk up and down a hallway filled with stories of survivors. I’m convinced that these stories remain in her heart. She saw — at a young age — the possibilities for her future, giving her the power to achieve her own positive outcome. When I think about Children’s National, I don’t think of sickness and surgery, I think of life and living.