5000 Miles for Maggie - it’s a beautiful country.

Maggie’s bucket list.

We found her list after she died. We believe it was written before she got sick. We wish she was here to ask her that question for so many obvious reasons but she isn’t. When we found it, we felt inspired to cross off at least some or all of her bucket list items.

This is her road trip...

After getting a late start on Sunday, June 30th, leaving at 9:30 from our home in Greenlawn, NY, we had a loose goal of making it somewhere near the area of Chicago. However, when a friend reached out via social media from Wisconsin offering us a place to stay, we pushed on through 1,100 miles of driving to end up near Marshfield, Wisconsin at around 2:15 a.m. central time. A tiring journey but nothing akin to Maggie’s journey with cancer.

We stayed two nights and are thankful for their friendship. It was nice to stay with people who had actually known Maggie and whom Maggie liked.

Despite not having a solid plan, things seem to be falling into place, perhaps Maggie is guiding us in some way. We’d like to believe she is. We visited the birthplace of Laura Ingalls in Pepin, Wisconsin. As a family, we would watch ‘Little House’ together. Maggie was enchanted with the show and the glimpse into the lives of another family living life so differently in a bygone era.

On our way to Laura’s birth place, we travelled a beautiful and remote backcountry road. We came across the majestic bald eagle shown above.

When Maggie was younger, probably the same age as Laura Ingalls in the early days of the TV show, she asked me for a time period dress. We got one on Etsy in time for Christmas. In that dress, Maggie volunteered with the local Historical Association at Gardiner’s Farm in Greenlawn. Gardiner’s Farm was built in the 1750s, over 100 years before Laura Ingalls was even born! Born in 1867, Laura lived to the ripe old age of 90.

Maggie and her mom hosted local school trips to Gardiner’s Farm. Maggie taught the children about what farm life was like, what children back then used as toys, and what they did for entertainment.

At the museum, we purchased a historical dress and bonnet. Donna modeled it today on our trip for fun, as well as to honor and embrace Maggie’s spirit.

Our stop for the night was in Renner, South Dakota in an adorable Airbnb cabin hosted by Pamela Hoffman. We are 15 minutes from Sioux Falls, SD. The view here is beautiful, with farmland as far as the eye can see.

We’ve logged around 1700 miles driving so far. Today, we set off for the Badlands National Park and Mt. Rushmore National Monument. Stay tuned for updates and more photos! Thanks for supporting us on this bittersweet road trip and our difficult journey without her. We miss you Maggie Schmidt.

Jack & Ben’s Lemonade Stand for Maggie's Mission

Jack & Ben’s lemonade stand raises nearly $1500 for children fighting cancer!

Neighborhood friends and family came together on what was a beautiful summer day to celebrate not only Jack’s birthday, but also their graduation from TJL elementary school in Harborfields.

Maggie’s Mission is grateful for the support of our community and would like to personally thank the Cammarota family for coordinating this event. Your support helps provide money for much needed research to find cures and offer financial assistance to Long Island families affected by childhood cancer.

Above is the Maldonado family, who also happen to be our close neighbors. Ashley is behind the “GO GOLD” sign, Sam is on the left holding his sign backwards, while Henry is on the right holding his “GIVE BACK” sign upside down. Their wonderful Dad, Mark, is in the middle.

Ben laid down some tracks for guests while snacks, lemonade, and official Maggie Gear was sold. There was dancing, games, and more!

Harborfields High School students also made a special appearance.

All in all, it was a great day to celebrate and come together for fundraising and some real “Cammaroterie”! Get it?

#TeamGabby comes home!

Welcome home Gabby, Audra and Dave Cava of #TeamGabby!

You’ve been through quite the tough journey down in Chapel Hill, NC and we are so happy to be able to provide assistance in your safe and hopefully smooth journey home.

For those who may not know, Gabby is 15 and is a local Harborfields High School girl like Maggie. Gabby was diagnosed with metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma in 2018 and has been undergoing chemo and surgery for the aggressive cancer ever since.

Gabby was intended to be our guest of honor at Maggie’s Mission Angelversary Gala in Montauk but Gabby needed more time in NC to recuperate. We were thankful and pleased that some of Gabby’s family members were able to attend the Gala - and by the looks of it, they had a good time! xoxoxo

After a period of 7 weeks, Gabby and her family have finally been able to return home from Gabby’s major HIPEC surgery done by Dr. Hayes Jordan at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC. It was a lifesaving procedure. You can read more about Gabby and her family’s journey with cancer here: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gabbycavabeatscancer

Maggie’s Mission knows the difficulties of traveling with a sick child and offered to help get Gabby, Audra and Dave back home by coordinating a private jet to a local Long Island airport today - June 11, 2019. Maggie’s uncle paid for their “Rockstar” limo service as they called it to the airport in NC and we paid for the fuel and pilots to get them the rest of the way. The jet itself was generously donated by Pete Ferrandino, a family friend to Maggie’s Mission.

Part of the money Maggie’s Mission raises from our events like the Gala are meant to fund special experiences like this and to make life easier on pediactric cancer patients and their families. Having gone through this ourselves, we know what it is like and have great empathy for those going through it. Thank you all for helping us help others.

Gabby’s mom Audra writes…

“The less glamorous side - Gabby doesn’t have to go through security in a wheel chair.

How would we have gotten all these medical supplies and Gabby’s new shower chair, aka plastic lawn chair, home without filling the entire cargo area and extra plane seats if this wasn’t a private jet? Answer: we would have had to spend hours culling and shipping. Thank you Maggie’s Mission!”

These are things no one thinks of, but yet doing something like this can really make a difference. We are glad to help.

WELCOME HOME TO GABBY AND THE CAVA FAMILY! Maggie’s Mission is proud to be a part of your journey, your lives and our community - a community of people coming together to help others!

#maggiegivesback

Maggie’s Mission Angelversary Gala 2019

On Friday, May 31st, 2019, over 240 people came together to celebrate Maggie’s life in a place Maggie loved - Montauk, NY. Together we raised $83,000! This event is aptly named Maggie’s Mission Angelversary Gala because it is held close to the day Maggie left us - June 1, 2017. On April 19th, Maggie would have turned 19. We love and miss her with everything we are and continue to honor her dying wish to help save other children.

The setting could not have been nicer. Held at Rick’s Crabby Cowboy Café on the waters of Lake Montauk, guests were treated to a beautiful evening under the stars and grand tent space filled with amazing food by Events by Peter Ambrose, great music by Anthony Cacioppo, professional photography by Christopher Appoldt, elegant floral arrangements by Sag Harbor Florist, and custom chocolate moussé cake by Sag Harbor Baking Co.

Angels walked around selling raffle tickets, sporting custom gold pediatric cancer ribbon tattoos donated by Tattly and angel wings. It was an uplifting event, meant to inspire hope to those suffering.

Gabby Cava, a Maggie’s Mission friend and local Harborfield’s High School student was intended to be our guest of honor for the evening but unfortunately, Gabby was in North Carolina still recuperating from extensive surgery to remove the signet ring cell carcinoma that had spread throughout her abdomen. We were so pleased that Gabby’s older sister Marianna, Gabby’s Grandmother, Grandfather and Step Grandmother were able to attend. They even walked away with a few winning raffle baskets. Marianna briefly took the mike and spoke about her younger sister Gabby and we were able to face time with her during the event. We wish Gabby a quick recovery and are hopeful Gabby and her Mom and Dad get to come home soon after spending over six weeks in the hospital.

This event would not have been possible were it not for the help of Michelle DeSousa, a Maggie’s Mission Board member who dove head first into planning this event with Maggie’s mom so it would be as successful as can be. That included planning the event, garnering donations, to working herself silly the night of the event. We are so happy and proud to call her our sister-in-law, dedicated Board Member, Aunt to Maggie Schmidt, and huge support to Maggie’s Mission. The sign she is holding “GIVE BACK” never meant more. Thank you Michelle!

Dr. Alex Kentsis, who is working on the Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor project at Memorial Sloan Kettering gave a brief speech which provided an update on the research we are funding at MSK Kids to find answers that will lead to cures on the rare and aggressive disease that stole Maggie’s life. A disease that mainly affects babies and young children.

Maggie’s brother Steven spoke about who Maggie was, how much we miss her and about her dying wish to save other children. He introduced Maggie’s boyfriend Mathew Polcer who was a tremendous, loving source of support during her illness. Matt sung a song titled “Angel Rays” by Trevor Hall for Maggie while a tribute video of Maggie’s life was displayed in the background.

Guests were treated to specialty cocktail drinks, locally sourced oysters, lobster rolls, champagne, Long Island wines and more! While most arrived by car, there were a few who came by boat! The boat above proudly displays the Maggie’s Mission logo. Word is getting around in all ways possible about the wonderful and exciting work we are doing!

Please take some time to view our tribute video to Maggie and her life. Maggie’s Mission is proud to carry on her wonderful spirit and dying wish to help other children. We love you Maggie and miss you more and more each day!

Special thanks to all of our gold sponsors, Structure Tek, Marine Bulkheading, Charles & Helen Reichert Family Foundation, New York Community Bank, Triad Metals, American Capital Partners, Inc., and JD Fields & Company, Inc.

We appreciate our Board of Directors, our family and every single volunteer and merchant who donated their time, services, and more. We couldn’t have done this event without all of you!

Valet parking services donated by Unique Parking. All wines & prosecco donated by Cellier Wines Distributing Inc. Beer donated by Montauk Brewery. Rum donated by Diplomatica Rum. Vodka donated by Sagg Pond Distillery. Whiskey donated by Montauk Hard Label. Tequila donated by Casamigos Tequila. Palm trees donated by Island Wide Palm Trees. Event banners provided by Evan Schulman of Display Design & Development Corp.

Find photos here.

#maggiegivesback