Happy New Year! What a wild start to 2026. Much of the world feels like it is on fire, and I am trying to focus on what I can control--how I can improve the lives of those I love.
In my social media posts, I know I have mentioned our 2 year-old nephew Teddy and his journey battling childhood cancer. January marks a full year from the day he was first admitted for cancer treatment for Neuroblastoma in 2025. His whole journey has been a rollercoaster - the rough first few weeks where he didn't understand what was happening, multiple life-flights to OHSU from their home in Southern Oregon, so many hospital stays and nurses and illnesses. Amidst all of that, his parents have been unable to work (due to having to travel so much for hospital stays and appointments), their life has been flipped upside down, and everyone had to adjust to this new normal, including his 4 year-old brother Kenny.
While there is good news - Teddy's scans are now showing that he is tumor-free, and we are all breathing a HUGE sigh of relief - he is still going through immunotherapy and other tests. For childhood cancer, these processes can last years, and a child has to show being cancer-free for a full 5 years before being considered "in remission". His family is looking at many years of compromised work, increased expenses, and elevated stress levels.
While the GoFundMe has raised a decent amount of funds, it is only about 25% of the total needed to guarantee a decent level of support for Teddy's family. So, at the beginning of this year I decided to create a collection specifically to fundraise for Teddy. Enter "The Bear Collection." Bears are the perfect symbol for Teddy, not just because of his name, but because he is very VERY bear-like. He growls, he lunges, he sometimes bites, he wrestles, and he suggles. He is a strong little dude, with the sweetest heart.
This first Bear Collection features bears big and small, polar and forest-dwelling, standing and sitting. This is a small collection to start, but I am already receiving a lot of interest in it, which is very exciting. All proceeds will be donated to Teddy's family.
I am aiming to release this collection on February 13, 2026. It will be comprised of necklaces, rings and a bracelet, with a later collection focusing more on earrings.
To learn more about Teddy's cancer journey, please visit the GoFundMe HERE.
To be alerted to when The Bear Collection is released and get first dibs, please sign up for my newsletter.
If you follow me on Instagram, you can find updates in my "Team Teddy" highlight!
Thank you for any support you can provide, even if that is simply sharing the collection and/or GoFundMe.
