Never in a Million Years Would I have Thought

Daily I sit here at my dinning room table on my laptop computer waiting to hear the next “ding” of my computer indicating an email has arrived. Some of the emails are those of support and prayers which I truly value and some of the emails are titled “Dear Liz Martocci Lung Cancer Foundation a Donation has been received”. Today I am waiting the hear a ding indicating the latter. As I mentioned in my previous blog we need to be gifted another $4800 by Tuesday. I gave my mom my word the PET scan and Brain scan were already taken care of. At this very moment I am hoping for a miracle, yet inside me I know it is just going to happen if I allow it to.

Just before I started to type this blog one of those “dings” did happen. It was an email from PayPal requesting a bunch more paperwork we do not currently have. Again we are left waiting by the government. Once the 501c3 paperwork is complete and sent to the IRS is can take 3-6 months to get approval. If you don’t believe me do a search on the net or just visit http://www.501c3solutions.us/faq.htm You may also notice on that site the number of hours that are required to complete the paperwork. Let’s just say to complete the paperwork (if you are a pro) you would need to work on it non-stop for 5 days. That means no sleep for 5 days. Thankfully I hired a company to do the paperwork for us so I can spend my time building the website and getting the word out.

I have always known if you put your mind to something you can do it. I have walked over 1200 degree coals with the instruction of the same teacher that took Diane Sawyer over 1200 degree coals in time square. When you think about that it is pretty amazing, what a blessed life I have.

I sit here at my dinning room table knowing I can walk on fire wondering how we as a family, a foundation, with a board of directors, wondering how we are going to raise the funds needed with such little time. I continually look up at the clock thinking last night we need to average $50 an hour and now it about $67 and hour, and nothing has come in today. With each hour that passes the amount per hour needed goes up. Do I fear it will not happen? No I do not. Again I stay focused on the end result and somehow someway it will happen. As I reflect back on previous times in my life that have been a challenge I think about all the times my mom has said “don’t worry baby it will all work out for you it always does”. You know what it has always worked out for me, but this time it is not about me, it is about her. That makes this challenge even greater.

I am going to close this blog with one thing I truly believe in, thoughts become things. What you think about you bring about. I can already see the $6900 dollars in the bank account on Tuesday to cover her PET scan and Brain scan, after all we already have $2100 in there.

May god and the universe bless you and those around you!

Until next time,

Dan Hart

What a difference a Day makes

So if you stumbled across my blog you most likely know the story of what is going on in my life at the moment. If not please visit my moms website www.LizMartocciLungCancerFoundation.org to read about it. Anyway today has been pretty amazing. We hit the first of many records in our fund raising. In one day we received more donations than my mom used to make in two weeks and in 5 days we have raised more than she used to make in a month. I find it amazing yet sad it takes something like lung cancer to make people unite and pull together during tough times.

I do have to say thank you to everyone that has helped get the word out as well as to those that have donated money. Money is wonderful and money is needed, however one of our goals as a foundation is to bring more awareness to lung cancer. As I type this I am reflecting on what the Liz Martocci Lung Cancer Foundation has committed to do every day, and I am very proud to say again we have accomplished our goals, our vision. These are the goals we strive for each and every day. They are posted on the first page of our website.

•Financially Support those without help insurance so they receive the medical care they so deserve as quickly as possible.

•Address the informational needs of people living with lung cancer and their loved ones.

•Provide compassion and support to those facing the many challenges of lung cancer.

•Increase lung cancer awareness

•Bring optimism to families living with lung cancer

I can say these will never change, everyday we will achieve each one of these bullet points, and I know we will add to the list. As the foundation grows, with the help of wonderful people, we will continue to grow personally and professionally.

Now is it easy to achieve these goals each day? I have to be honest and say NO. Today for example I thought I had all of the 501c3 paperwork to make us a “real” no profit complete and ready. I had a go to guy that was going to take care of it. Well he did, not exactly. My vision was he was going to say ya Dan I can take care of it for you. Instead what he told me is that 501c3’s are not his specialty and he offered me advice as to how I could get it done, and what questions to ask along the way. At first I felt disappointed, then I realized I had just been given a gift. I was just about to learn more about corporate America than I ever cared to know. I read the sites he suggested and then I decided I just needed to “act” on it make the decision and get it done. So I used money that was set to pay my mortgage to hire a company to do all of the paperwork, filing, articles of incorporation and just get this project that is now going to be a life long passion. The awesome part is the company let me split it into 3 payments and my brother and sister both said they would take on a payment. Let me tell you, not one of the 3 of us has money. We are all one paycheck from foreclosure, yet we have a passion and with passion everything else will just fall into place.

I am going to close this blog with one thing. That one thing is “thoughts become things”. One week ago today this foundation was simply a thought. Less than one week into this we are already a six figure a year foundation and we have only just begun. We are going to pass this gift on to so many.

Ok so you know I rarely close with one thing. Almost a month ago, I broke and arrow with my throat, bent rebar with the soft spot in my neck and walked over 1200 degree coals 7 times. After doing all of those things I was left wondering what do I do next? Well my calling has come and it is the Liz Martocci Lung Cancer Foundation.

May god and the universe bless you and those around you,

Dan Hart