My Fundraising Page

I created this team in order to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). It is an organization that helps patients and their families with informative and psychological resources, as well as, medical guidance.

We'll be walking on October 21st, 2010, in the Light the Night event. It is a fundraising event organized for the LLS, where survivors, supporters, and their families get together for the cause.

All donations made through the Team Click and Help Fundraising Page will go directly to the LLS!

All of those who donate through the Team Click and Help Page will get a free pass for our Fall Mini Photo Session, which will be held on Saturday October 16th, 2010.

Also, you will be placed in a raffle for a Christmas Photo Session* (1-hour Photo Session, online private gallery, 1 8x10 print, 1 5x7 print and 3 4x6).

How can you participate?

Click and Get!

Just visit our page and donate

After your donation, please email me to clongarte@gmail.com with your information: Name, Phone, and email, in order to send you the address and detalis about the Fall Mini Session.

What will you get?

A 15-min Mini Session, Fall Style, your online private gallery, and a (1) 5x7 print, which will be mailed to your home (or if you prefer, you can choose to receive it by email in high resolution).

*Christmas session can be for children or families up to 4 persons, but also for a couple celebrating their Engagement or a Sexy Boudoir Session in a Holidays Style... You name it!

Session will be held in the Miami-Dade area.

Please visit my LLS Fundraising page (http://pages.lightthenight.org/sfl/Merrick10/cinthyamar) and help me to spread the word!

In memory of Migdalia Morao de Longarte <3

A lovely mom... a fighter for life.

On April 2001 my mom started to feel very weak and had flu-like symptoms. We thought that she caught a very strong virus that made her stay in bed for 3 days, but on the 4th day, we started to worry.

A week before she seemed very healthy... In fact, the previous Sunday we went to a park. We were jogging and doing our exercises as always. So, in one week her deterioration was so progressive that we decided to go to the doctor, who hospitalized her immediately. Three days later she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia with 90% of her bone marrow affected. We couldn't believe it... A week before we were running and laughing, even celebrating my birthday.

She started with a very strong chemotherapy treatment that weakened her immune system, but the chemo didn't work, so the doctor told us that her only alternative was trying an experimental medicine, similar to chemo. Thank God she had a good physical condition that helped her with this process, and that the treatment started to work.

After two months of being hospitalized and living in the "bubble" (that's how we called the room where she was, which was a sterilized environment), she had a remission and was again at home. Two months of nightmares, prayers, and tears, finally ended and she recovered her humor and smile. We continued to keep the sterilized environment at home. Her immune system was recovering to the point that almost everything came back to normal. She started to work again, and checked her blood weekly.

Of course, she still needed something very important. She needed a marrow transplant to make sure that her marrow didn't fail again. All of our family was tested to see if one of us was compatible, but no one was... Then our worries increased because Venezuela, where we are from, does NOT have a marrow bank. Therefore, we began contacting the US marrow bank and started the arrangements to travel in case we would find a donor.

It was now December 2001, and we were a complete family. Our Christmas with mom was the real first Christmas for us because we were one. We loved each other more than ever... We were praying and fighting this illness together. But on January 2nd, 2002, mom started to feel weak again. I remember looking into my dad's eyes and reading his expression... It is back.

Next day, we went to the doctor's office, and she said that the marrow was starting to fail again and that my mom needed chemotherapy ASAP. Sadly, her body was not as strong as her soul. On February 5th, she had a crisis and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. The very next day, she left us with a hole in our hearts and souls from that day on.

That's why I ask you to join the National Marrow Bank (www.bethematch.com for more info) and maybe be the one who saves a life. Being a marrow donor doesn't mean that you have to cut an arm and give it to other... You can be a donor by giving part of your blood through a transfusion or giving part of your marrow through an outpatient procedure. If you want to break the myths about being a marrow donor please click here.

And finally, I ask you to please help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). It is an organization that helps patients and their families with informative and psychological help, as well as, medical guidance.

I'll be walking on October 21st, 2010, in the Light the Night Walk, a fundraising event of the LLS. If you want to join me, please email me to clongarte@gmail.com, and help me to raise funds through my page and spread the word.

For you mom, because we will continue fighting together.

I love you forever...

Photographers for a Cause!

Welcome to my Light The Night Walk homepage.

Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's evening walk and fundraising event. It is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) funds lifesaving research that has contributed to major advances in the treatment of blood cancers and treatments for other types of cancer, such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. New targeted therapies that kill cancer cells without harming normal tissue are providing drugs and procedures that are improving quality of life.

In fact, in 2009 alone, LLS researchers were conducting more than 90 clinical trials, a critical step in the development of new treatments and cures that will help patients live better, longer lives.

• A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.
• A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.
• A donation of $100 helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.
• A donation of $1,000 makes possible one- on-one conversations with health care specialists who provide patients with information about their disease, treatment options, and helps prepare them with questions for their health care team.

Please make a donation to support my participation in the Light The Night Walk and help save lives. Be sure to check my Web site frequently to see my progress, and thanks for your support!