First, we want to thank everyone for the wonderful response we had on this post. We have the best readers! My heart was warmed as I read your comments, and as I saw how many of you purchased cookbooks for the Fish family. Not to mention all the people who posted links on facebook and pinterest! Experiences like this remind me of how many good people there are in the world. Thank you!
The Winner of the “Blogging for Fishes” Cookbook is:
#53 Jennifer (There is a prayer in my heart for your step daughter).
Please email us at [email protected] with your address, and we’ll send you your new cookbook first thing Monday morning!
Today I write for you in the role of a mother more than that of a food blogger. I know that my effort to help this sweet family is really as a blogger. I have not even met any of them. But my mother’s heart aches for them, and the mother in me wants to fight for them! Ali at Lemon Poppy contacted The Sisters Cafe and asked us to join forces with 40+ bloggers to create a cookbook of our very favorite recipes in an effort to help mitigate the huge costs incurred by the treatment of two of the Fish daughters. They have a rare gene dysfunction called Leaky SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency). Here is their story in their own words:
I know that there are many in the world who need help and the Fishes are not the only ones fighting uphill battles. But my family and myself are healthy and strong, and we want to join forces with the world to help as many as we can!
“Blogging for Fishes” is not just a throw-away charity cookbook either. It really is a good cookbook. It is jam packed with tried and true favorite recipes of bloggers, as well as several of the Fish family favorites. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful picture, and the pages are coated so that you can actually use this cookbook in the kitchen and not worry about little spills wrecking it. The cookbook is available in printed form or as an ebook. You can purchase it HERE.
You can also visit the family blog HERE to donate in other ways.
We are offering one of the “Blogging for Fishes” printed cookbooks as a giveaway. Normally we share a recipe from the cookbook we are highlighting, but I didn’t want to detract from the story of this family. Just know that the recipes really are wonderful! Leave a comment to be entered, and we will announce the winner this weekend.
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
My sister shared their story last week with me…not sure how she found out about it. I think your efforts are to be commended, what a great way to serve others.
What a great way to serve others. You should be commended for joining forces in behalf of others.
What a great way to serve others – it is inspiring to come across others with tender hearts.
Wow, I cried through that entire video. I am so glad to have an opportunity to help them.
My heart & prayers go out to the Fish family. I applaud you for you kindness and willingness to help those in need.
What an incredible family. So very inspiring and heartbreaking. And what special children they have!
What a moving video and story. It makes me so thankful for my own healthy family and makes my heart ache for them. What a great way to help them! Thanks mindy for sharing this opportunity with us all!
Thank you for sharing this story. This is a very moving story and my heart goes out to the Fish family.
I am so happy to be a part of this! I will be getting a few copies for gifts. I love that video–it makes me cry–but I also feel so impressed with the grace and patience of the Fish family as they shoulder this burden and heartache. Nothing is worse than watching your children suffer. I will keep those sweet girls and family in my prayers! Thanks Mindy for sharing this!
I’ll be buying these for Christmas gifts. (Is it too early to say that??) What a great way to help, happy to do it.
What a nice thing for you and the other contributors to do! Such a touching story!
Best wishes for the family and their kids.
I, too, will purchase this cookbook to give at Christmas – my heart goes out to the family
It’s hard having a sick child, can’t imagine what its like to have two.
Thank you for sharing so we can help.
What a neat way to help a family in need. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you being a part of helping this family and sharing the information with us. It makes me take a second look at all of the blessings I have.
I cannot imagine! My heart is sad, but full of hope at the same time from everyone’s generosity and love.
Such an amazing family! My heart goes out to them. I’ll be purchasing some whether I win the giveaway or not! Thank you for sharing!
How heart wrenching. Love and prayers going out for this family.
What a great way to spread the word.
What a sweet family! My heart and prayers go out to them! Thank you for sharing the video with us!
I saw this on lemon poppy and it makes me so happy to see people come together and help someone in need. Amazing. It looks wonderful. Thank you for helping with this.
Thank you for sharing this story. My heart aches for any one who has to watch there little angels suffer. As I sit here with tears in my eyes I am grateful for the health of my children and for a Loving Heavenly Father who I know has been holding those little girls through this process. I will be buying a few books to help this cause. Thank you again for sharing and for having such an amazing blog, you and your sisters must be super awesome and special ladies. :-)
I heard this cookbook is awesome. Thanks for sharing the story.
What a great family!
What a great family- prayers for them.
What a great way to help a sweet family.
This is a wonderful cause. Thank you for contributing your recipes to it.
What a cute book and a great idea to help out!
Thanks for sharing about this family!
Thanks for sharing about this family.
Wishing this family well!
Thanks for sharing this story.
My heart aches for those sweet girls and their family. Hoping this helps them a little bit.
What a beautiful and touching way to honor and help a deserving family!
I just cried through this whole video. I kept thinking of my own sweet baby Piper and how I would feel if she had to endure the pain that these 2 beautiful girls have had to and it made my heart hurt. I hope to win this, but if I do not, I will be purchasing one to support this wonderful little family. Oh and I have to mention how my heart ached for that sweet little boy who is giving so much to his sister…what a heroic little man! He also made me think of my little guy!
A touching story and a wonderful cause!
Wow. What an amazing family. And that son is a true hero. Thanks for sharing their story.
What an amazing story — you are so great to help get their story out –I am so heart sad for this family. What amazing faith they have.
Thank you for sharing their story with us. What a true testament of faith!!
What a great idea. I definitley will be getting one of these cook books. Thanks for sharing their amazing story.
What a great giveaway! It is such a heartbreaking story. Thanks for sharing.
My goodness! So heartbreaking! What a great thing to do for this family.
What a wonderful cause….many prayers to the family.
I can’t even imagine. What a great way to help.
Best wishes to this family
Thanks for sharing this story on your blog. I will keep this sweet family in my prayers and post it on facebook and pinterest!
There are so many families with rough medical needs. This is a great way to support them.
I will certainly be praying for this sweet family!
Thank you for sharing! There is so much good we can do if we all pull together.
There is so much good we can do if we all pull together. Thanks for telling us all about it.
I am in tears. Although I will never come close to knowing or beginning to understand what this family has endured, I have seen a glimpse. My step-daughter has a rare form of Muscular Dystropy called Lamber Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome. Not long after she turned 12, she began falling a lot and having vision problems. They thought she had a brain tumor. After numerous tests, the diagnosis was LEMS. Common colds ceased to be common, weakness became her friend and hospital stays were always lurking around the corner. Every year, watching the Labor Day Telethon, you wonder what it’s like for those parents — and then you become one. All of a sudden, life was completely different. She is 17 now. Those beautiful girls and their family will experience something many of us never will — what it truly means to be strong. There is a tremendous love they have for each other; I can hear it in the father’s voice. He is resolved to what God has allowed and cherishes every second he’s given. What they sacrifice is nothing compared to what they will gain from the privilege of having these little girls in their lives. The risk is worth the unconditional love they have and how much better they will all be because of it. Be grateful for your blessings and never take them for granted. Because life can change in the blink of an eye. Please support this family and if you can do nothing else, pray for them.
Best wishes to the Fishes…
They will be in my prayers.
What a strong family…I hope things will get better for them.
This is so sad! My heart just goes out to them!
Having a family member that has had cancer for over 10 years, it really helps to know that there are so many supporting you and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with this family.
My heart is breaking for the Fish family. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to watch your sweet children go through all of this. What a wonderful family! Such strong children! I love the idea of making a cookbook for charity. That is awesome! I will be ordering one for sure.
Wow! I too could not get through watching that without bawling. My husband wanted to know why I was crying so hard. I wish I was rich and could do more than buy a copy of the book, but for now that will have to do and I will share links and pray. What a strong family. And selfless. I want to hug Blair(name?), the little boy-what an angel. 20 years from now they will look back and see why they are a strong and blessed family. Thank you for sharing! What a special family.
I am saying a very humble thank you. Not necessarily for me winning a cookbook but for how gracious and selfless you are to do your part in helping this family and giving your readers a chance to do the same. Winning the cookbook would have been lagniappe — I commented because, not that I know anything near what it’s like for the Fish family, but that my heart feels their hurt. My prayers are with them.
I just found this story, how heart wrenching to think about all that these little girls are going thru. I purchased the book and can’t wait for it to ship.
Thank you for posting this story, I hope they raise loads of money.
Karen XO