A Night to Support Hannah Phelan

From Hannah's mom: 

My daughter, Hannah Phelan, 14 years old of Swampscott, Ma was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma on October 16th, 2013.  Hannah lives with me, her mom, in a quiet town, she is a bright, loving, smart and talented young girl.  

She loves school, a rarity at her age and she wants to attend college at Harvard like her Grammy.  She is a good student, not just in the sense of her grades, but her presence in school is felt by all, she brings laughter and smiles to her classmates and to her teachers.  

Hannah is a student at life, she loves to learn new things.  She sews, she makes jewelry, she is an artist at heart.  Hannah has the ability to find the good in everyone she meets and in every situation she is confronted with.  One of the first things Hannah wanted to do when she learned of her Cancer and of the fact that chemotherapy would make her hair fall out was to cut her beautiful, long hair and donate it to Locks of Love before it fell out.  This is our Hannah, giving and always thinking of others ahead of herself. 

Hannah has not had an easy road up to this point.  She was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at age 5 and went through many years of hard work to overcome her issues.  She encountered bullying and being ostracized by other children for being different and yet she continues to give everyone she meets her best smile, and the benefit of the doubt and she gives these unconditionally.  She holds no contempt or grudge, she forgives and moves forward. 

Hannah has been so brave.  Through scary tests, biopsies, and surgery, nausea and pain she still smiles, thanks the doctors and nurses, never complains and holds MY hand to assure me she is ok. 

Hannah knows in her heart she will be fine after this is over, that she will just move on to her next task as if this was just a bump in the road.  Her "bump in the road" will be a minimum 6 months of chemotherapy and then possibly radiation.  She will miss much of the school year and have tutors at home, which will be the hardest part for her as she LOVES school. 
 
Hannah is my daughter, she is the bravest and kindest person I have ever known.  As a single mom I can tell you the hardest part of this journey so far has been the worry of how to be in two places at once, with Hannah and at work.  It can not be done and this is why we need your help.  My job right now is to attend to Hannah and her medical and emotional needs.  So I ask you to help us in anyway you can, no amount is to small and no good deed goes unrecognized. 

If you can not give to our family, please just send her an encouraging note, it means so much to her that people care.  Thank you for reading Hannah's story and please keep following her story because she is going to do GREAT things!