For those of you checking this website for updates on the upcoming and past events–I am so sorry to have slacked!

We had a great turnout for the Mt. Ararat Silent Auction/Benefit Concert/Lasagna Supper.  The music was wonderful–food was delicious, and people dug deep into their collective pockets for Jacob.  We raised another $3,053, so for those of you keeping track, we have officially hit the $10,000 mark from our fundraising efforts at the Empire Dine and Dance, the Frontier Cafe and Mt. Ararat Middle School.

The next event is scheduled for March 9th at the Montgomery Theater in Bath (Morse High School).  There will be ANOTHER silent auction and more live music.

Also, there was a video made of the Empire event.  You can view it on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WPbHbB2WeM  It is TOTALLY worth a watch, whether you were there or not!

Also, thanks to our Family Friend Kaitlyn Sawyer, we also have an online auction going.  Check it out at: http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=jacobcuff

Loving you all–

Jessica

So, big news!  Jacob was finally able to obtain insurance, retroactive as of January 3rd!  This was always the goal, so we are so relieved to have reached it.  As we push forward with the fundraising, the focus will be to cover the bills that accumulated between December 27th and January 3rd, as well as living expenses for Jacob while he continues to receive chemo.

The donations that have been received thus far add up to almost $20,000!  That covers the emergency room bill and about 30 minutes in the Anschutz Medical Center, which, by the way, is the best place to be when you get really sick with any type of cancer.  Evidently, that is why it is so unfathomably expensive, or, as Christian puts it, “like wizard spells.”

We will keep working on helping our brother out any way we can, and we will continue to be eternally grateful for each and every one of you following our story and lending a hand.

Jess

Took me a few days to say it, but—THE FRONTIER WAS A MAJOR SUCCESS! The cash haul rivals what we made at the Empire–and we only had 100 people! I say only-HA! Thanks so much to Aaron Morse and Yellow Roman Candles, Jeff Lemons and Justin Lantrip for coming out to support the cause with their talent! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Our next event planned is February 4th 7-10pm at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick, Maine. We are having another silent auction and concert with lots of artwork, jewelry and handmade goods, as well as music from Jeff Lemons, Justin Lantripp and Yellow Roman Candles.  Join us!

The first two events in the Leukema-pa-looza series were this past weekend: the first at the Empire Dine and Dance in Portland and the second at Loaded Joe’s in Avon, Colorado.  Both were a SMASHING success.  All together we have raised over $13,000 for Jacob’s medical expenses, and the donations keep coming in.

As far as the events themselves, to quote Jacob, we are “Staging a Siege” against cancer, and the outcome is staggering.  Over 300 people total crowded into the Empire to feel the love, listen to the music and spend money.  Thank you to the Empire staff (Brian-you da’ man), Lyle Divinsky and Model Airplane and the band Anna.  If you were there, you know what a memorable experience it was.  If you weren’t, try to make it to the FRONTIER this Saturday, February 4th at 7pm.  We are doing it all over again.

Much love and appreciation to each one of you reading these words-

The Cuff Family

Once again, all, I cannot express how grateful I am to all of you for all your help. Your support has made my life comfortable and possible during this uh.. difficult time.
As far as news goes, unfortunately the first round of chemo didn’t quite do the trick, so I’ll be going back for another month of “bed-goes-up-bed-goes-down” and abusing my call button for ice cream. Once again, your support means the world to me, and, once again, I’ll be totally fine. It’ll just be a little longer than we thought. Xoxo

Early morning and we’re packing up to bring Jake back to Denver for another biopsy, but he is no longer neutropenic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutropenia) so he got to come home for a couple days and that had to do him some good. The hope is that after this biopsy he’ll get cleared and we can start setting up for the outpatient treatment. That’ll be 3 days a week, and one full week a month…so it’s not exactly a sniffle and a pill, but at least he get’s to be home as much as he’s there.

To update everybody on the fundraising- you folks are incredible. We passed the $10,000 mark after the Portland Empire benefit, then I flew back here just in time for the Avon, Colorado Benefit, which raised another $2,200. Bam, what now cancer?

Again, they’re really aren’t words, and I love words; and the coming up with of them, to express the gratitude that our family, friends, and I have for everyone who has helped us out through this. There were two big face slaps a month ago, but it’s has been humbling in a lot of ways, and not the least of which has been being shown the generosity of our extended community. Thank you.

-Christian