Like I’ve said for a few months now, on the second of every month this year, I’m going to be asking you, my readers, to do something. It’s nothing that will drastically change your life in any way, or your financial situation, but it will help others. And potentially, in some cases help to save a life, to bring people together, to provide soldiers with things that will comfort them in war zones, provide a safe place for animals until they’re adopted (if ever), help the children and families of police officers killed in the line of duty, to help someone get through a difficult period in their lives when they need it the most. Which is what this month’s charity will do.

Every month in 2010, as you can see here, my GENEROUS & BIG HEARTED friend Yoyo is donating 100% of one days’ profits in her webstore to a different charity. January was the Villalobos Rescue Center, February was the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, March was Mollie’s Fund, April was Let’s Bring ‘Em Home at LBEH.org, May was Soldier’s Angels, June was Green Beans Coffee, July was Adopt-A-Bull, August was Just A Dog, and September was the NYC PBA Widow’s and Children’s fund (which was an important charity close to my heart) and last month Yoyo donated to the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program again, in honor of my mom. This month it’s Delaney’s Dream.

My friend Becky knows a little girl named Delaney. Delaney is a little girl who has Neuroblastoma. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a rare extracranial childhood cancer. According to Wikipedia:

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid cancer in childhood and the most common cancer in infancy, with an annual incidence of about 650 new cases per year in the US.^[1] Close to 50 percent of neuroblastoma cases occur in children younger than two years old.^[2] It is a neuroendocrine tumor, arising from any neural crest element of the sympathetic nervous system or SNS. It most frequently originates in one of the adrenal glands, but can also develop in nerve tissues in the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis.

Neuroblastoma is one of the few human malignancies known to demonstrate spontaneous regression from an undifferentiated state to a completely benign cellular appearance.^[3] It is a disease exhibiting extreme heterogeneity, and is stratified into three risk categories: low, intermediate, and high risk. Low-risk disease is most common in infants and good outcomes are common with observation only or surgery, whereas high-risk disease is difficult to treat successfully even with the most intensive multi-modal therapies available.^[4]

Note: Esthesioneuroblastoma, also known as olfactory neuroblastoma, is believed to arise from the olfactory epithelium and its classification remains controversial. However, since it is not a sympathetic nervous system malignancy it is a distinct clinical entity and is not to be confused with neuroblastoma.^[5][6]

About 20-50% of cases do not respond to high-dose chemotherapy and relapse is common. Other treatments are available, but all in all the outcome remains poor. Delaney turns 4 today, and while she’s considered NED (no evidence of disease), like I said relapse is common. She’s in a trial vaccine to prevent that from happening, and hopefully that’ll work, for more information on little Delaney, check out Becky’s post about her and the donation day today. And then please buy something and help her family pay for her medical bills and get her the treatment she needs. She’s a miracle of a little girl, and deserves to have a happy 4th birthday, and many many more.

So again, what am I asking of you?

I’m asking you to buy something from TOPSTITCH on November 1st. That’s TODAY. You have one whole day to make a purchase. It doesn’t have to be a big purchase… even a small $2.00 order can mean a lot to an organization that needs money to help people who need it. So go check out what TOPSTITCH has to offer and then tomorrow, don’t forget to go back and buy something! Yoyo always has a ton of awesome, unique, handmade one of a kind merchandise in her store-  crayon rolls, hobo bags, pouches, mini-pouches, key fobs, wristlets, APRONS, even catnip toys for your kitty! The inventory cycles and not everything I listed might be in stock tomorrow, but it doesn’t matter. Anything you buy is going to be awesome. Everything is very well made and even better, made with love. The bigger pouches are great for carrying your makeup in your bag everyday or for using as a small purse to just run to the store with, and the smaller pouches are the perfect size for personal items & “unmentionables.” Although the small ones can also fit a camera or iPod too. I definitely have been making my contributions each month, and so has Brianne! So then should you. She has plenty of affordable items, and they’re all one-of-a-kind and well made. So please think about contributing to this cause and in return getting an awesome handmade item! What could be better than helping people and getting something unique in return?

Not only that, but you’ll be helping to comfort someone who needs it, maybe give a little girl an extra chance at life, and give her parents some peace of mind. Think of children you know… and if they’re healthy, be thankful. And then lend a hand to a child who isn’t. Pay it forward.

And- get this- anyone who mentions me by name or mentions ‘Cupcake Rehab’ when ordering gets extra goodies!

And don’t just shop at TOPSTITCH today, shop there everyday. Because we should all support our local artisans and craftspeople! Buy handmade!