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Warmest,

A.

Love, Laughter, and Hope

Hey Everyone,

As I type away at our blog, one of the first entries of our new website, I’m sitting in the playroom at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. My boys are playing together while Isaac receives his weekly Enzyme infusion, a treatment we worked so hard for him to get, and something that is keeping him afloat until we can find a cure.

The boys are tired after a long night in Toronto. John Mayer was in town to launch his latest album, Battle Studies, and Isaac was anxious to reconnect with his hero, friend, and favourite musician. We contacted John and he arranged for our family to have some guest passes to watch the show and say hello before he took the stage.

Since hearing the news last week, Isaac and Gabriel have been VERY excited! They worked away at making a card for him, and then spent the night before the show before putting together a special craft that they could give to him as thanks for taking the time to say hello.

Since the new CD came out, the boys have been taking every opportunity to listen to the new music. They were thrilled to watch the online concert from New York last week and they jumped around and sang for the entire concert! Their favourite song is “Half of My Heart”, a song that, of course, features Taylor Swift, another of the boys’ favourite singers. When Mayer sang the song during his online concert, Isaac was puzzled to learn that Taylor Swift would not be there to sing her part. “Well, who will sing it?” was the question he kept asking. He decided that he would be the best candidate to replace Taylor Swift and proceeded to make his card for John with that very picture inside, with John singing his part and Isaac singing Taylor’s part.

Isaac and Gabriel also thought it was pretty funny to see John standing on a carpet while he was playing his guitar onstage, which provided the inspiration for their craft. They worked hard to make a pop-up card for him. When the card is opened, John, Isaac, and Gabriel pop up on stage. Of course, all three of them are singing and playing guitar on their very own carpet. To say the least, it was an exciting week and fun week at home during the lead up to the show.

Heading into the show, we didn’t really know what to expect. The last experience for Isaac was incredible, and Mayer was so kind and caring that it was hard not to think about how disappointing it could be for him if he didn’t get the same warm reception this time around. We fully understood that John is a busy person, and this concert was the kick-off to his new album in Canada, so we prepared Isaac that John might not have that much time to spend with him and even a quick hello would be very special. But once again, John showed how truly caring and compassionate he is and gave Isaac (and Gabriel!) another life-long memory.

Walking backstage, we joined the rest of the Meet and Greet winners and waited for everyone to be finished with their photo-op with John. Isaac and Gabriel stood at the back of the room and watched with huge smiles on their faces as Mayer posed for a picture with each group. When John spotted Isaac at the back of the room, he flashed a bright smile before returning his attention to the Meet and Greet group. He took the opportunity to sneak another smile and wave at Isaac before it was our turn and, upon seeing this, Isaac went running across the room to Mayer and gave him a big hug. It was, perhaps, one of the sweetest things I have seen in a long time! Gabriel soon joined them and the boys presented John with their cards and craft.

Mayer spent a lot of time talking with Isaac, joking around, and genuinely enjoying the visit and the opportunity he was providing our young son. And Isaac finally got to ask him what he was going to do for Taylor Swift’s part during “Half of My Heart”! John responded that he was going to let someone else in the band sing the part which, I thought, would disappoint Isaac. But, Isaac being Isaac, he brought us all to hysterics when he responded, “Well. Maybe we should unplug their microphone so nobody can hear them and I could come in and sing the Taylor Swift part instead!” After the laughter subsided, John invited Isaac to his soundcheck in February to sing the song with him on stage; a truly generous offer. He then started singing the song, with Isaac filling in Swift’s part. This will be a memory we will cherish forever. I quickly snapped a photo with my cell phone, which I’ve posted on the right. As show time approached, our visit ended and John headed to the stage. Our family headed up to the VIP section to watch the show - Gabriel made it through 1/2 of it, Isaac watched it all, including the final song of “Friends, Lovers, or Nothing”, which was dedicated to Isaac. The marvellous show capped off an incredible night.

For me, the most special part of the evening was when Mayer remarked on how healthy Isaac is looking. And he’s right. Isaac is as healthy as he has ever been and we are thankful every day for that. Not a moment goes by when we don’t realize how lucky we are to have him in our life and to understand how far he has come since we began this battle. But we’re also very careful not to get too comfortable - you never know what the next doctor’s appointment will bring, or what the next test will say. We’ve gotten too comfortable before, and the pain comes back that much quicker if you forget what you’re fighting. We were able to tell John about the exciting research we are funding in Australia and New York City and our hope that one of them will lead to a cure.

I was very impressed with John Mayer last night. He took the time and effort to provide Isaac with another positive life experience and showed us that he is an incredibly caring and compassionate person. He made our son feel special and showed us why he truly is a role-model we can be proud of for our kids. Say what you want about John Mayer (and many of you will), but from what we have seen of him shows us that he is nothing but one of the kindest, sweetest, caring people we know. Tabloids and newspapers seldom write about the good in people; I guess it’s not what the world wants to hear. But John Mayer is more than what you see on TV or what your read about in magazines - he’s a kind, caring, man who has made a dramatic difference in our lives.

For Ellen and I, his kindness reminded us that we still have Hope for a cure. We’re a small family, working at a small charity, raising small amounts of money, but we’re fighting the war of our life. Sometimes we forget how far we’ve come and the inroads we’ve made in order to make a difference in Isaac’s life and find a cure for him. Seeing how loving John was with Isaac reminds us that we’re not alone - we have others dreaming for the same thing we are, and I know that John will be there with us along the way to help make those dreams come true.

Our motto at The Isaac Foundation is “Love, Laughter, and Hope”. Last night we saw and felt all three in John Mayer, and it couldn’t have been better. Thanks John.

And Thank you, as always, for your support.

- Andrew

Mayer Revisited

Hey All,

Sorry it's been so long since our last update. We had a long summer on the election trail and are just settling back into a normal routine now.

This will also be a quick post to let you know we will be re-launching our website this weekend and we are quite excited about it!

On Tuesday, Isaac and Gabriel will have the opportunity to say hello to their hero, John Mayer, in Toronto again. They are thrilled! As I type away, they are watching the online webcast of his live concert from New York. We'll be sure to update after the show on Tuesday.

Thank you for staying with us over the years. Your support has helped us make a difference in Isaac's life and we can't thank you enough.

See you this weekend,

Andrew

THANKS!

Hey Folks,

Very quick post today, just wanted to extend a sincere thank you to two students from Kingston, Ontario for their kind, caring, and sincere effort to help find a cure for Isaac.  Kelvin and Alex took a week away from their recess breaks (the best time at school for kids!) to sell books that they made.  All proceeds went directly towards The Isaac Foundation.

Empathy is the most difficult emotion for children to understand.  It's clear that Kelvin and Alex truly understand.  Thanks, boys!

Best,

A.

An Update, with Thanks.

As I type away at this long overdue blog entry, I am sitting on a plane to Vancouver, eager to take my place as a delegate at the Federal Liberal Convention.  The time alone, the dim lights of the airplane, and the beautiful view out my window have finally allowed me time to look back at the past few months and reflect on where we are on this long journey and look forward, just a little, to see what the future holds for us.

Thankfully, Isaac continues to be in excellent health and is, perhaps, as healthy as he has ever been.  He continues to grow, his joints appear stable, his heart condition has improved and his breathing sounds less laboured.  He continues to thrive in his Kindergarten class, under the watchful eye of his wonderful teacher, Ms. Rutherford.  Isaac craves knowledge, and he enjoys the people that feed that craving.  His love for life is very evident and his laughter infectious.  Watching him play with his brother, his best friend Gabriel, inspires us and warms our hearts. 

There isn’t a day that passes when we aren’t thankful for everything that we have in our lives.  While this journey has been incredibly difficult, it has also been a rewarding experience that we cherish.  We have been able to learn valuable lessons about ourselves and bond as a family in ways I had previously never imagined possible, and we learn more and more each day.

The past few months have been busy as far as Foundation work goes.  We worked hard on our Christmas mail-out campaign and were blessed by many generous donations to our organization and our fight for Isaac.  We appreciated all the kind notes that came our way and enjoyed the opportunity to update our supporters about Isaac and our fight for a cure.  In addition, we continued to grow our support base, inform the public about MPS VI and advocate and support families across the world that are, unfortunately, beginning the battle we are now fully entrenched in.

We fully recognize that it is harder to manage this fight for our son without the support of our friends, family, and the broader community around us.  Our volunteers have been instrumental in keeping our momentum moving forward and, as National Volunteer Week kicks off, we would like to thank all of you that have worked so hard to keep us going.  The long nights and early mornings spent planning and implementing our fundraising events are made easier with your involvement.  From the marathon runners and family walkers at our RUN FOR ISAAC! event, to our dedicated team at the celebrity golf tournament, to my group of grade 8 envelope stuffers, please understand how much we appreciate the impact you have on our lives.  I wish we could recognize you more for the work that you do and we look forward to celebrating with you when we finally find a cure for our son.

Special thanks needs to be extended to two such volunteers, Alix Hall and Jasmine Ma., for their efforts organizing the Victoria Hall Charity Run for Isaac this past March.  The event was an incredible success, thanks in large part to the dedicated efforts of Alix and Jasmine.  Because of their determination, their small event turned into a large gathering of support for The Isaac Foundation.   Their efforts helped to raise over $1700 and help us pave the way to fund more innovative research into finding a cure.  Both Isaac and Gabriel attended the event, cheered on the runners, and charmed their way into the hearts of many new supporters.  I won’t soon forget the beautiful image of my two boys running to meet Ellen as she raced towards the finish line.  Thank you Alix, and thank you Jasmine for your work, for your drive, and for your desire to make a difference.  It may be overdue but please understand how heartfelt our appreciation is.

Our recap of the first quarter of 2009 cannot be complete without recognizing the tremendous support we received from Toronto Blue Jays Ace and Major League All-Star Roy Halladay, and his compassionate wife Brandy.   Roy was selected as the Toronto Sun Sportsman of the Year for his generous work in the community.  Part of his award was a donation to the charity of his choice and he selflessly selected The Isaac Foundation.

We were fortunate to meet Roy and Brandy during our 2008 visit to Doc’s Box, a private suite at the Roger’s Center that the Halladay family provides to kids from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.   They have renovated the suite specifically for the benefit of the children and both Roy and Brandy work hard to ensure that sick children are able to escape reality of the harsh world around them for a few hours and watch the Blue Jays play from the comfort of their box.  Roy ensures he takes the time to visit the children and their families before game time, signs balls for the kids, and answers their questions about his life in the the Big Leagues.  Brandy, ever patient, kind, and considerate, watches the baseball game with the families and ensures that she provides a warm and comforting environment for all of her visitors. 

During our trip in July 2008, Brandy and Roy were able to provide our family with some much needed downtime in their suite.  We had just finished our week-long stay in the hospital and received our invitation to watch the game from Doc’s Box.  It was here that both Brandy and Roy made a special connection with Isaac and Gabriel and it was here that the Halladay’s support of The Isaac Foundation began.  From here, Brandy and Roy advocated for our son and our organization, vowing to bring awareness to our cause and our tireless hope for a cure.  Brandy worked to promote The Isaac Foundation during telecasts of the baseball games and stayed in contact throughout the ball season in order to get updates on Isaac’s health.  At the same time, Roy became a hero for Isaac and Gabriel as they watched him pitch on the television screen.  The look up to him and enjoy seeing him play baseball and they pretend they are both “Roy Holiday” as they learn to throw and catch a ball of their own.

Roy has, in my eyes, also become a mentor, but not because of the magic he works from the pitcher’s mound.  While he is, undeniably, the best pitcher in the Major Leagues, and he has won countless awards during his illustrious career, it needs to be remembered that there have been many “best pitchers” before Roy Halladay and there will be many more “best pitchers” after him.  He has, like so many others, left his mark on the game of baseball but it is the impact that he has had on the life of our son, the example he sets for those around him, and the perspective he has on life that I truly respect.

Roy and Brandy work to bring joy to those that surround them and they endeavour to provide opportunities to countless people less fortunate then themselves.  They are giving of their time and patient with those in need.  Most importantly, they are parents themselves and they truly work hard to teach their children through the examples they set. They take joy in helping others and pride in their efforts to make this world a better place. They are kind, and caring, and compassionate; they are empathetic and loving, and they encompass all the positive qualities that any parent would want to share with their children.  They have perspective, and they recognize the important things in life.

This was evident for our family during our visit to the Roger’s Center for a special presentation to The Isaac Foundation before the game on April 7^th, 2009.  Roy was receiving his Sportsman of the Year Award and asked us to be on hand to celebrate with him.  The sheer joy that came from him as he saw Isaac and Gabriel running toward him is something I will never forget.  The kindness he showed them, the love he gave them, and the genuine excitement he had while interacting with them all stand out vividly in my mind.   Roy Halladay, the person, was being celebrated on that night, and he ensured that our children got to share in the celebration with him.  He took the time to visit with the boys and scooped both of them up in his arms during the video presentation to the crowd.  He truly cared about our children and vowed to fight for our son alongside our family.

Long after his Major League Baseball career has come and gone, Roy Halladay can look back on his accomplishments and have every reason to be proud.  The Cy Young Awards, the records, the strike-outs, and wins will mark his history and his place in the game.  But it will be his accomplishments off the field, the love he has shown their children, the example he has set for them, the lives he’s worked to impact and, hopefully, the part he played in finding a cure for Isaac, that he will forever be defined by.   I’ll take a good person over a good baseball player as a hero in my life any day.  In Roy Halladay, I have both.

Well, plane is now landing and I’m realizing that I’ve been typing for far too long.  This weekend will bring me incredible joy as I follow my dream of standing for public office and follow my passion for advocating for those in need.  I’m glad I’ve had this time to reflect on the past few months and I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to dream again about our future.

I’ll try to update more regularly.   Thanks, as always, for your support.

With Love,

The Isaac Foundation

Doc Delivers As Role Model - Donates Prize to The Isaac Foundation!

From The Toronto Sun - December 2008

The trophies sit alongside a stairway inside the Halladay household.

The 2003 American League Cy Young Award presented to ... Roy Halladay.

In front of it stands a silver horse, the American Quarter Horse Association Rookie of the Year trophy presented to ... Brandy Halladay.

The Halladay house of honour in Odessa, Fla., now has another award.

Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays' ace right-hander, is the winner of the fifth annual George Gross/Toronto Sun Sportsperson of the Year award. The award goes to the athlete judged to have had the most impact on the Toronto sports scene in 2008. A $1,000 donation will be made in Halladay's name to the charity of his choice.

Halladay was selected over nominees Mats Sundin of the Maple Leafs, Chris Bosh of the Raptors, Daniel Nestor, a doubles winner at Wimbledon, Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada and Jays manager Cito Gaston.

Previous winners are Mike (Pinball) Clemons of the Argos; the Toronto Rock lacrosse team; Cassie Campbell, captain of Canada's gold-medal winning Olympic women's hockey team; and Bryan Colangelo, Raptors general manager.

"Wow, it's good company. Both the past winners and the people in contention this year, have all done a lot for sports in Toronto and Canada," Halladay said of the list of names. "Obviously, getting picked is an honour. It's nice to be associated with all those names."

Halladay has been a mainstay of the Jays for a decade, since bursting into prominence as a 21-year-old in 1998.

In his second career start, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers.

That game was no fluke. He won his Cy Young five years later and, this past season, was a 20-game winner for the second time. A workaholic on a "don't stop until you drop" program, his fitness enabled him to throw 246 innings and finish as the runner-up in Cy Young voting to Cleveland Indians lefty Cliff Lee.

Halladay's rise has not come without its setbacks. He has a career record of 131-66 -- 113-49 since he was demoted from the major leagues back to class-A Dunedin in the spring of 2001 to re-invent himself as a pitcher.

"A lot of things changed for me then," Halladay said.

But it is not just on the ball field where the 6-foot-6, 225-pound star shines. He and his wife Brandy are known for their involvement in the community, and especially their work with children. If there is a role model in sports definitely worth emulating, Halladay is your man.

"I try to be as helpful as I can, be a good person," Halladay said this week when informed of his most recent accolade. "I feel it is more important to be a good person than a good pitcher. I had to get to the point where I liked the person I was, regardless of what happened on the field.

"You play for a short period, substance is more important. It's more important that you are a good father, a good husband and a good person in the community. That really defines who you are."

Besides pitching every fifth day and trying to go nine innings, Halladay and his wife entertain 10 to 15 children from the Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in a Rogers Centre Skybox on Sundays.

"We go up, say hi, take pictures," Halladay said. "We're trying to move forward in other ways. They've upgraded and updated a lot of rooms at the hospital. Some still need more, we're trying to improve some of their treatment rooms."

Halladay went 20-11 in 33 starts this past season, his 11th with the Jays -- and first since age 12 without mentor Bus Campbell. Spring training 2008 began with a flight from Tampa to Denver for Campbell's funeral.

For years, Campbell, having charted pitches after watching on the satellite dish that Halladay had purchased for him, would call his former pupil.

"This year was different, I was used to being able to talk to him," Halladay said. "With the people we had in Toronto (pitching coach Brad Arnsberg), unless it got drastic, we were pretty good at fixing things."

Halladay fits the sexy tag of franchise player, despite talk that the rebuilding Jays should deal him for three or four players.

"Playing my whole career with the same organization is something I'd like to do, something everyone would like to do," Halladay said. "The hard thing is it takes two parties to agree on it."

Halladay is humble, as one friend says: "Humble enough to be mistaken for a Canadian."

"I don't need much," he answers when asked if he gets the proper credit. "People in Toronto are grateful -- any time I run into someone they are very complimentary."

Growing up in Arvada, Colo., one of Halladay's role models was two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves.

"I could not tell you any of Dale Murphy's stats but I know how great a man he was, what a family man, a father and what he did in the community," Halladay said.

So, how is Halladay a great father to his sons Braden, 8, and Ryan, 4?

"On the day they move out of our house, I want them to know that they got the best from me; that it wasn't about me, it was about them," the proud papa said. "I'd rather be their friend first."

And how is he a great husband, aside from allowing Brandy to take a turn at the TV remote control when his favourite show, Survivor, is playing?

"My wife has to take the back seat most of the season and put off some of her hobbies. It's easy, sometimes, in baseball, where everyone is talking about you, to forget," Halladay said. "I try to do more for her during the winter and put baseball on the back-burner."

Brandy has three quarter-horses -- Colby, Mutt and Certs -- boarded 15 minutes away at Showcase Farm in Lutz, Fla. She competes in English and Western riding disciplines at competitions around the Tampa Bay area.

Halladay's off-season support begins with him taking the kids off mom's hands on competition weekends.

A year ago, Brandy broke through with four wins at the Tampa Fairgrounds. The five judges gave their results with riders atop horses inside the ring, as husbands, children and boosters nervously waited.

"It was cool," said Halladay, who stood and cheered when Brandy got her first first-place finish. "It took her a while before there was a seventh (out of a field of 45) or an eighth. Then, that one weekend, Brandy had four (firsts)."

Brandy didn't receive a phone call from the AQHA secretary when she claimed the rookie of the year -- as Halladay did from Baseball Writers' Association of America secretary Jack O'Connell when he won his Cy Young.

"They base (his wife's award) on a point system and put it on the website, not a lot fanfare," Halladay said.

Provided Colby's tendons are 100%, Brandy will ride at competitions in Florida and South Carolina next month. She also hopes to make the All-American Quarter-Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio in 2010.

With husband supporting wife, with wife supporting husband, this is an award-inning household.

Braden Halladay, a ferocious 58-pound nose tackle, played for the East Lake Eagles in the Little League Super Bowl. Games are played at 8 a.m., so that means a 6:30 weigh-in for the under-60 pound division.

The mighty Eagles got off the final play with nine seconds remaining and scored the only touchdown with zero time on the clock to beat the Countryside Cougars 6-0.

"The parents went crazy at the end, not me," said Halladay, who cheered on the Eagles.

East Lake was given a trophy and all the players received a medal.

And where is Braden's medal now, hanging over the stallion's head alongside the stairway?

"Actually," Doc said, "it is."