Champion Celebration Breakfast

Wow! What an incredible day it has been already and the festivities are just beginning! We enjoyed a fabulous breakfast spread and then got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. Asher soaked it all in and I could tell he was loving every minute of it. We also got to meet Katie Stam, Miss America 2009 who is as sweet as she is beautiful. Of course, Asher's 16 year old brother stood in line twice to have his picture taken with her! John Schneider (yes, Bo Duke!) was wonderful and shared his reasons for starting the CMN Foundation over 20 years ago. Oh, and HE is still as gorgeous as ever, too! Country singer, Mark Wills and his family were there as well. I love his song, "19 Something..." and his generous heart is obvious as he clowned around and posed for pictures with everyone.

The atmosphere was so joyful and upbeat. We heard from a few of CMN's sponsors like WalMart and Sam's Club and the Foresters who actually thanked the Champion families - it should be the other way around! Those folks work so hard to raise MILLIONS of dollars for our children and others. It is US who are grateful.

One of the best parts about this morning was the opportunity to meet other Champions and their families. It's clear that we all share a common unspoken bond.

After a relaxing day by the pool, we are looking forward to tonights activities with great anticipation. More to come!

Asher with his friend, Mary, who raised over $3000 last year for Children's Miracle Network. Mom and WalMart GM, Bob Hart, are proud, too!

WalMart Launch Event

We just returned home from a wonderful celebration at our local WalMart. Asher was introduced as Florida's CMN Champion and honored by the store's General Manager and our Mayor. We were also interviewed by our local television station who will run a story about Asher and CMN tonight and tomorrow.

The best part about the event was the opportunity to thank the associates from WalMart for their dedication to CMN. Now they have had a chance to meet Asher, their efforts to raise money through CMN balloons is even more real. They got a chance to hear exactly how all those balloons that paper the store have a direct impact on children right in their neighborhood.

I wasn't sure how Asher would react to all the attention. He has a tendency to shy away from a lot of noise and activity , but he took every bit of it in stride, like a true Champion! The store arranged a surprise visit from Mickey, Minnie, and Buzz Lightyear. Again, I wasn't sure how Asher would respond. He LOVED it! In fact, he was completely enamored with Minnie and he was a complete ham for all the pictures. I was glad to have a chance to see him in this kind of environment before next week's big events. His reaction was perfect and he really enjoyed the morning.

A Real Honor

Asher's medical complexities make him a frequent visitor to our local CMN affiliate hospital, Sacred Heart. The dedication and unsurpassed expertise of the staff and the hospital's commitment to the latest technological advances mean that children like my son will always have the best care. They have honestly saved his life on more than one occasion.

When Sacred Heart Hospital approached me about submitting Asher as their patient story, I was honored. The hospital has done so much for Asher and our family I was more than willing to do whatever they asked.

A few months later, Asher was chosen to represent Florida as a CMN Champion. We didn't fully comprehend what had been bestowed upon us at first. However, as we get closer to the Celebration event, the responsibility of what we are a part of is becoming more clear. We welcome the opportunity to share our experiences with others so they might be inspired to offer generous support of CMN hospitals in their communities.

Asher's Story

Asher Chmiel
Age 7
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
Dandy Walker Malformation

The first thing most people notice about Asher Chmiel is his beautiful thick, brown, curly hair. No one has ever walked up to him without running their hands through it. And he loves it. This brings out the next things people notice about Asher—his huge infectious smile and bubbly laugh. And although Asher is non-verbal, he communicates through the universal language of happiness and acceptance.

Asher’s contagious personality may be surprising to some given all he’s been through. Asher was born with Dandy Walker Malformation, an underdeveloped cerebellum, which delays development and prevents him from walking or talking. Asher has also been diagnosed with autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

Since birth, 7-year-old Asher has been treated at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, where doctors and nurses have worked tirelessly to give him a normal life. When he’s in the hospital, he works his “magic,” charming his doctors and nurses and lifting the spirits of those who come to visit him. They see his spirit and joy and in turn are inspired.

About Walmart and Sam's Club

Wal-Mart has supported Children’s Miracle Network since 1987. Since then, Children’s Miracle Network and Wal-Mart have worked tirelessly together to help children by raising money for children’s hospitals. Walmart and Sam’s Club associates, customers and members have raised more than $460 million for children’s hospitals during the relationship. This is the first year Walmart and Sam’s Club have sponsored the Champions Across America program.

Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam's Club

Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club is a Children's Miracle Network program that brings attention to the important work being done at children’s hospitals by honoring remarkable children who have faced severe medical challenges.

The Champions Across America program designates a Champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2009 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including brittle bone disease, brain tumors and cerebral palsy, as well as surviving car accidents and plane crashes.

As part of Champions Across America, the Champions travel for a week – first to Florida to meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsors, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort. The group will then travel to Washington, D.C., where Champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to The White House.