Ordinarily I don’t hock anything on this site…no ads and no links unless the proceeds benefit charity. This charity, in support of children facing leukemia, is one that I couldn’t get posted fast enough. A friend of mine related a moving story to me of what her family was facing and the foundation that it led her create in support of other families facing similar circumstances. Please read on to learn more about her cause, and the fund-raising cook book which I was fortunate to be able to contribute to.

The following is copyrighted material reproduced with permission from the website Dominick’s Foundation:

My brother and sister-in-law, Ronnie and Tracy, have set up a foundation in Dominick’s name to help other parents who suddenly find themselves faced with an unexpected and long hospital stay.

The goal of the foundation is to add a new branch to the family’s support system where there might otherwise not be any support. Your dollars will help Ronnie, Tracy and Dominick sponsor care packages of comfort items to families when they first get admitted to the hospital and give them an opportunity to reach out to them.

Their story is a moving one, and to hear Tracy tell you how that morning he was diagnosed she was trying to decide what kind of Christmas cookies to make and that night they were being told their son had leukemia and would probably spend the next 6 months in the hospital is unimaginable. They went in for some tests because Dominick had been losing weight, wasn’t feeling well and his color was wrong. With her nursing background, she knew something was wrong, but never in a million years expected them to tell her that her son had leukemia.

The shock of being admitted to the hospital and the days that ensued turned their lives upside down…the emotions, the questions that would forever be unanswered – “Why us, Lord?” And then faced with a 6 month hospital stay when you didn’t even bring a suitcase with you to the appointment, much less any toys for the child or comforts from home. Ronnie and Tracy have said that the things they missed the most while learning to live in the hospital were every day creature comforts that we usually take for granted: a cup of good coffee; a hot meal that doesn’t come from the cafeteria; a movie or care package…some books, games or snacks for the child who is inevitably scared to death about what is going on and bored from having nothing to do in a hospital room all day.

Ronnie, Tracy and Dominick were fortunate to have a strong support system of people who would bring a tray of sandwiches by or leave a cup of Starbucks on the counter for Tracy when she would wake up…friends and family who sent care packages with homemade cookies or a webcam so Dominick could Skype with his friends and classmates who weren’t allowed to come visit him in the hospital – particularly since he can’t make a long distance call from the phone in the hospital room. Dominick spent that Christmas in the hospital and just having people send in little decorations and cards helped keep his spirits alive as he battled the side effects of the chemo.

Ronnie and Tracy have felt so blessed by the support system of family and friends and repeatedly say that it has been because of this type of support and prayers from family and friends that helped them get through when they couldn’t feel anything but numb. But they know that not everyone has this type of support system and that is why they developed the foundation – they want to give back. To help be that support system for other families during their initial admittance for a long hospital stay.

100% of the proceeds from these cookbooks will go to the foundation to help provide small comforts to other families as they make the life changing transition from shock, grief and numbness to acceptance as they learn to adjust to their new circumstances.

The cookbooks are $20 each, but please consider buying extras for family, friends or gifts. Please also consider a donation above and beyond the $20 to help kickstart the foundation.

^©2011 All Rights Reserved The Dominick Moye Foundation

Click here to check out the book…the recipe for the white chocolate bread pudding is worth the cost alone and supports a great cause.