Los Angeles, California (April 5, 2007)—It is always comforting to see one person show compassion to another. To see it given without motive, unselfishly and without hesitation is too often unseen. For Brittiana Henderson, compassion, kindness and generosity were a way of life. It was for these reasons, in the midst of her own battle against bone cancer, she thought not of her own struggles but of how she could help other children, by launching BrittiCares International.
In her poem entitled, “Where I’m From” Brittiana said, “Where I’m from doubt was not in my vocabulary, for all I have is faith and belief. Where I’m from, your own situation became less important than those around you. Where I’m from, through it all you manage to keep a smile on your face because to have life is a joy. Where I’m from you never give up. Where I’m from, you don’t use your situation as your handicap. Where I’m from, is where I’ve been and where I’ve been is a journey like no other.” To say that Brittiana was wise beyond her years would be a vast understatement.
In 2004 at the age of 10, Brittiana was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma (bone cancer) of which she successfully fought and went into remission for 14 months. However, in March 2006, Brittiana was diagnosed with Leukemia, which transpired from her previous cancer treatment. During her ordeal, “Britt” spent countless hours at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, where she would always visit with other children. When Brittiana was having a bad day she would say, “Mommy, I need to go talk to the other kids”, recalls her mother Shirell Henderson. It comes as no surprise that these visits were not for her benefit, but for that of others. “Mommy, I think they need a hug” she would say. Such selfless acts of kindness and generosity caught the attention of the Today Show for a segment they entitled, “Inspiring a Nation” which can be viewed at http://video.msn.com/
During the developing stages of BrittiCares International, Brittiana’s main passion was to put smiles on children’s faces. By generating donations through fund-raisers such as, “Smile for Life 5k walk/run”, BrittiCares International has been able to provide children with, “Imagine Me” personalized room makeovers, fulfill birthday wishes and provide financial assistance as needed. In addition, BCI makes donations to established cancer research and development organizations.
On Wednesday; January 31, 2007 Brittiana Henderson’s challenge with Leukemia ended, but her journey will continue, because she has passed on the torch to BrittiCares International to carryon the fight against childhood cancer. It is in Brittiana’s memory that BCI spreads the message that every child deserves the opportunity to smile.
For more information on BrittiCares International or to make a donation please contact: Shirell Henderson at P.O. Box 43504, Los Angeles, CA 90043 (323) 292-8527. You can also visit www.BrittiCares.org
