Say Something. Do Something.
Have you driven by the building in Silver Lake (it's painted blue and says "pablove one another")? What is Pablove?
"Love has no age, no limit; and no death."
- John Galsworthy from The Forsyte Saga
Pablove is a foundation dedicated to the memory of Pablo, son of Jeff Castelaz and Jo Ann Thrailkill.. Pablo passed away on June 27, 2009, he was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms' Tumor, and he lived his life as he left it, with hope. Pablo had just celebrated his sixth birthday when he died.
Jo Ann and Jeff's love for Pablo turned grief into a mandate to change and to enrich the lives of other children with cancer. During Pablo's stay at the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, they put themselves into action by helping make the lives of the patients, their families and the staff a little easier. These small moments made the children's daily experiences more normal.
Say Something. Do Something. All you have to do is ask.
A child's hospital stay can last weeks - with endless free time between treatments without much to do besides watch DVDs and visit the playroom*. There were few DVDs available at the hospital and children had to return borrowed DVDs each evening, which meant that if they were in therapy, they would not have a chance to watch them. Jo Ann put herself into action by calling on her network of friends in the industry and she received boxes of DVDs, enough that the children could keep them out overnight. What was surprising about the donations, was not the amount but the reaction of the donors, "Nobody asked us for this before".
"Love knows not distance; it hath no continent; its eyes are for the stars . . ."
- Gilbert Parker
From the Beginning to the End to the Beginning
Jeff began an online chronicle of Pablo's journey. It became a cathartic place for friends and family to support Pablo and to share his life.
The first post was titled "Hello from Childrens Hospital Room 434B". People have reached out to the Castelazs and the foundation to offer help, it became a place for friends and family to check in on Pablo, to send love, to lend support. As word of the blog spread, people started to connect with Jeff's writing and with Pablo. The blog became a cathartic experience for the writer and the audience. A journey that rode on undulating waves of emotions - the cool medium of the internet found a heartbeat, a pulse that was real and three dimensional. And now that medium is beating stronger with the determination to make life joyful for children with cancer.
As Jeff's chronicle of his son's journey reached people around the world, it left a great mark in our community. People separated only by few miles now have made contact with the Castelaz's and the foundation to offer help, and those of us who drove by the Childrens Hospital now take note of it as a place that is real, because Jo Ann and Jeff made it real by giving it a heart, Pablo's heart.
About Pablove:
Pablove.org
Their mission: The mission of The Pablove Foundation is to fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, educate and empower cancer families, and improve the quality of life for children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs. * The Pablove Foundation has donated to keep the CHLA Playroom open on weekends, whereas before it was closed, even though children stay through the week.
Links:
Donate
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Pablog
email: info@pablove.org
Images: Pablo Castelaz, Dangerbird Records
