// Google Map car

On my way to Easton, PA the Google Map car past me three times. I didn't think anything of it at the time but then a friend said, "Maybe it caught a picture of you." His comment piqued my curiosity; within five minutes I found pictures of me on the highway.

// Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) and our commitment to St.Jude

Proton therapy allows doctors to precisely target tumors with high doses of radiation while sparing nearby healthy tissue and organs. This new therapy offers a huge benefit for children with brain tumors and other cancers in sensitive areas like the eye, because it reduces harm to the developing body and lessens the risk of secondary tumors later in life. St. Jude estimates that within five years 80 percent of the pediatric patients needing radiation will receive proton therapy.

The proton therapy center is the first in the nation dedicated solely to children and designed specifically to meet the needs of young patients. The center includes three treatment rooms, treatment preparation and recovery rooms for patients, plus a musical staircase that leads to a rain forest-inspired waiting room. The multidisciplinary staff comprises specialists from oncology, radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, nursing, child life and others.

// Visiting St.Jude Chilren's Research Hospital

As many of you already know for the last seven months I've been walking across the United States to raise money for St.Jude Children's Research Hospital. This holiday I had the opportunity to take a tour of St.Jude and it was a truly amazing experience. What do they goes beyond treating catastrophic pediatric illnesses. A great of effort has gone into making sure that the children receiving medical care at St.Jude don't feel like they're in a typical hospital environment, which even as adults we know can be a little scary. Everything from the floors to the ceilings is designed to create a pleasant atmosphere for the children. The halls throughout have different themes. Just like my walk, I passed through spring, summer, fall, and winter. The floors were tiled to look like various things like parks or winter wonderlands, and in some places the ceilings had clouds. I felt like a big kid while I was on the tour. Our tour-guide Eva was very knowledgable and I learned a lot.

I discovered that the hospital has school so children can continue getting their education while undergoing treatment. It's not part of the regular tour, however the tour guide offered to show it to me so naturally I said yes. I got meet the principal and she explained to me how the school at St.Jude works. They really have thought of everything there. In fact they even have prom.

Visiting St.Jude, talking with staff, and seeing some of the children undergoing treatment moved me in such a way that I can't even begin to describe.