Emily Swallow Instagram – Blame the jet lag for my 11th hour #thisisthewaywednesday post, but I have been wanting to tell you about the brilliant @helena.h4ndbasket for quite some time. Her dad won my raffle for @voicesagainstcancer at @fanexpochicago last year and told me how special it was for him because his daughter survived pediatric cancer. Not only did Helena survive, but she took on the fight for countless others. Alarmed by the difficulty to access successful treatments and the lack of funding going specifically to pediatric cancer research in Canada, she started @helenashope. Helena was still a kid when she started using her voice to speak to government officials and advocating for better access to cancer treatment, but that didn’t limit her impact. She walked the way then and, even though she is now cancer-free, she walks The Way now in dedicating herself to helping others who still fight this fight. She has lost friends to cancer, and she fights to honor their legacy. But here’s the thing- you don’t have to start an entirely new foundation to have an impact. Helena and I both encourage you to start with the people around you. I have heard so many uplifting stories from y’all about the friend who brought you dinner when you were sick and exhausted, or the one who gave you a ride to a doctor’s appointment, or the one who let you cry on their shoulder when you got a bad diagnosis. No one should go through challenging times alone, so this Wednesday and every day I encourage you to offer something specific to help that friend who is dealing with difficulty. I’ll be posting more about Helena’s story on my YouTube channel, so be on the lookout. #thisistheway #givekidsavoice #pediatriccancer #lovethyneighbor #beatcancer #pediatriccancerawareness #helenashope