Memphis Revival

I have been letting my work take control of my life. My personal life was comprimised and more importantly my blog was compromised...

I headed to Memphis last weekend and before I had left I decided that this would be my "revival".

The main reason for my Memphis trip was created because my brother, Kevin, had suggested to my sisters, parents, and I that the St Jude's Childrens Research hospital was looking for donations. In return for a donation, you were provided a brick in the garden at the hospital in honor/memory of someone/something. We did in honor of my brother, Michael, who died of a brain tumor. The donation was made last year and earlier this year Kevin received a letter inviting the donors to come down and see the unveiling of the garden. My parents, Kevin and me headed down there for the ceremony.

Additionally, I was able to visit the great city of Memphis. The trip turned out to be very fulfilling in several ways. It helped me realize 1) The importance of family 2) Enjoy life while you are alive and 3) Adding value to what you can provide while you are alive.

My parents are normal people who provided plenty to my brothers and sisters along with less fortunate people in their lives whether it has been through the church or the clubs they belong to or the money/time they have provided throughout their life. I cannot even imagine what they had went through losing a child to a brain tumor at the early age of seven. But their faith had kept them strong. And I'm sure through the tough times that they had once my brother became sick until he passed, they maintained the strength that kept my brother (and his sisters) positive. Not to undermine anything else that they have (or will do) in their life, but this above all has defined their character, and has made them very strong role models to me.

Now that I have made my peace with that, let me tell you a little about Memphis. I had a great time there. The food was unbelieveable, whether it was the wonderful spin that Felicia Suzanne's did on southern cooking, the ribs at the Rendezvous, Blues City Cafe, or Corky's BBQ, and the great little Italian place, Conte's, or the sandwiches at Huey's. There were great bands like the Great Dempsey's or Freeworld. Beale street is great place full of life and great bars that hosted these great blues band and probably is only comparable to Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

And of course no trip to Memphis would be complete without a trip to Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum. I've only recently been into Elvis and his music, but the guy was a great entertainer and his house was kept the same since the 70s. It was quite a spectacle! The civil rights museum helps you realize the plight that people had taken on knowing that even though it would possibly cause immediately pain and repurcussions, knew that there strife would provide future generations a better life. Memphis was a great place and I would like it make it back there, possibly when my children can see the legacy that the Cansiani's provided to the St Jude Research hospital.

I will be posting plenty of pictures. Some will tell of my tale. Some will be from my walk through St Jude's. I hope it pushes you to donate to a wonderful cause for some children who did nothing other than to be born with a disease that was not any cause of their life, only a mutation of their cells or their genetic DNA. I'll leave you with one statistic and the St Jude website. When the St Jude Hospital was founded by Danny Thomas and ALSAC, the survival rate of most of their patient was about 15% in the 1960s. Due to their research and other advances for scientists around the world (and a little hope), the survival rate is now over 75%! Only 25% more to go...