Wisdom of Champions - Samantha Ronci
Sami’s SendOffs
Samantha Ronci is the founder of Sami’s SendOffs. Sami started her organization when she was 15 years old, in honor of every child who has ever fought cancer, but originally for a girl named Emily Grace, from Virginia.
Emily was just two years old when she was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma. Not long after Sami sent Emily her first care package, at the age of six, Emily passed away. So Sami’s SendOffs honors her legacy by continuing to send care packages to children fighting cancer.
Fei Wu: Why is it so important for you to think that it's really important to remember her story? You know she's she's a little Angel among many others. What made you realize that it's important for the world to remember her legacy?
Samantha Ronci: She fought cancer multiple times and throughout her fight there was never a time where she wasn't smiling and I think just because it was my first real care package I ever sent out that really I grew so close with that family and I'm still so close with them. I talked to them daily so I call her my little guardian Angel. She's she just really planted a seed in my in my heart and really. Got me going in this organization.
Samantha Ronci: About two weeks ago I sent out eight packages in one day. And I left the post office with the biggest smile glued to my face and I was talking about it nonstop. I get the chills talking about it. It's such a blessing to be able to do what I do and to be able to help people and to be able to actually make a difference in people's lives. Like I could not ask for more.
The thoughts and feelings that Sami shares here echo those of Josh Ribeiro that we shared on a recent blog post:
https://www.childhoodcancerhall.com/blog/wisdom-of-champions-josh-ribeiro
The challenges of dealing with childhood cancer are immense and often overwhelming, but some people, some of the time, still find ways to find joy in their daily activities and have enough hope in their hearts to share encouragement with others.
The bonds that are forged working through these difficult times are bonds that could last a lifetime.
Even small gestures, such as sending a care package, can change the emotional level of the sender, but also the recipient’s family and circle of friends.
Samantha Ronci: So there was one little boy. I recently just met. His name is Johnny and he's from Newton, MA. He is just a ball of joy and I he's been fighting neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer, for five years now. Five years like that's his whole what he's 6 so like that's his whole life. I met him and just to see his mom and his sister so happy and so thankful for what I do. He was so excited to have opened his gifts and to have seen he gave me a high five. We got the cutest picture of us giving each other a high 5. I loved it and you can really see the struggle that these families have been through and you think about it. Five years is a long time. Five years of hospital visits, needles and I don't know about you, but I don't like needles.
Samantha Ronci: There's surgeries, he's had countless surgeries and they're still smiling like every day they smile everyday. They keep moving on. They keep, they keep going and that was like that hit me. I was like wow like there are so many people who make the best out of so many ugly situations and it's amazing. To see that unfold right before my eyes.
Sami also shares that the feelings of fulfillment she gets from this work she does last long after these “high five” moments have passed.
Samantha Ronci: Five years ago I was wanting to do this like I was wanting to change the world in some way and now I'm finally here and I'm like I'm like, just so overflowing with joy it's so amazing. I go to bed, smiling of course thinking of all the warriors that aren't here today. But I go to bed smiling and I wake up just so grateful that I'm able to live life every day to the. Totally 100% to the fullest I'm able to live life for these kids.
Written by Adam Leffert