Why Parkie Strong?
Mission
Parker was taken from us in a way that was both abrupt and prolonged. What is driving Parkie Strong is both our need to see her live on and our belief that she taught us a lot. We feel strongly that these values that are worth sharing and there is an opportunity to create impact through community.
Vision
Adversity tests our spirit, challenges our assumptions, and reveals our character. It can break us or bind us together. Since the sweet isn’t as sweet without the sour, living a full life cannot be done without adversity. Learning from Parker can help us live a sweeter life than we would have otherwise.
Values
Live with strength.
Every day for 7 weeks we saw Parker put up a fight for her life that required strength, bravery and perseverance. Seeing what was required of her put into perspective what is required of us. We would love this fight to inspire others to take on new challenges of their own and to share those that they’ve overcome. Do something new that you’ve been waiting to do. Do something tough and bold. We want to hear about it and we think others will too.
Live with gratitude.
As parents one of the toughest things has been coming to terms with the reality that our vision for our family’s future is not the one we will live. I think like most people, we were taking this future for granted. While by Parker’s side, we realized this was true of just SO much in the life we had built. Showing gratitude can be a reflective experience or an active one. We won’t define it, but we’d love to be part of any practice that forces you to slow down and think about what you have right NOW. Share your stories.
Embrace community.
“What can I do to help?” is probably the most common question we’ve heard since Parker got sick, and also a question we were terrible at answering. Without much in the way of direction we had family mobilize from across the country to help with our daughter at home, comfort us, and spend time with Parker. Some of our friends rearranged their weeknights to be with us at the hospital, and others took flights on weekends so that our daughter could play with her best friends. The reality is that we needed help on multiple fronts even if we couldn’t express it. But now we are prepared with some answers of how you can help. Whether big or small, a donation will help kids like Parker or their families.
