Hi, my name is Scott.  Earlier this year, following a random brain seizure and ongoing medical tests at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, I was diagnosed with brain cancer (or "anaplastic astrocytoma" to give it a fancier title).  I've since had brain surgery, undergone 6 weeks of radiation therapy, and am now undergoing 12 months of chemotherapy to keep this cancer dormant for as long as possible.  

When I awoke within the ICU department of The Alfred two days after my seizure with my wife and family by my side, my mind turned towards my two children, Henry and Sadie, and how it would have been explained to them where I was, had I not been fortunate enough to wake up (which at the time, was a harsh reality).  

The following few days saw more tests, more specialists, more surgeons, and more grim realities of the path we were being dragged down.  It was then that I started to research what materials are out there that could explain to my 3 and 1 year old children, where I was had I not made it through.  And more importantly, how many other children out there who lose their Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Uncle, Auntie, Grandparent (the list goes on) so unexpectantly and don't have the means to comprehend or understand the sudden departure of their closest people.

Reading is big in our family.  Mostly through great children's literature and illustrations, but also sometimes after a long day at work, Henry would give me some topics and characters and I would pluck a story out of the depths of our imagination and make it up as we went along.  

So that's where I got to this point.  I wrote a story.  A story that both my children could not only have read to them and understand that Daddy has an Important New Job, but through the detail of the words and the bright illustrations, that they could "see" me in everyday occurances such as the birds singing, waves crashing, the fluffiness of the clouds, the rain etc.  It was always about knowing that I'm, and in other children's cases, their loved ones are / am still with them, they just have an important job to do.

I then sought out an illustrator via 99designs, found one that could bring my words to life, worked with Corenlia for 3 months and once completed, had my first hardcopy produced and saved as a lasting legacy for my kids.  But then I thought, could this help anyone else?  Surely there are other children, parents, and families that are reeling from the sudden or unexpected loss of a loved one that this book could serve a purpose to.  Would it hurt to put it out there and see? So I sought a quote for 1,000 copies to be produced.  I now have a quote, and that's where Pozible comes into play.  If there's enough support, I could go ahead with the production and distribute this book to the many families out there (both here and overseas) that could benefit from explaining to children one of the hardest things to explain, in a big, bold, easy to read book.

Who knows, maybe there's a need for more stories to be written.  Stories about Grandparents, Brothers, Sisters, pets, etc.  I'll leave it up to you to tell me your story.

Please note, there are two options.  You can choose to just donate to getting the book published (any amount you choose), or you can order a copy for yourself or someone you know.

My focus right now is on my health for the sake of my family, and I'm confident I can keep fighting this, and I'm hopeful that one day we can live in a cancer-free world.

Thanks for your support.

My goal is to have 380 books pledged at $25 each.  This will enable me to move ahead with the 1,000 book order.  If I reach 635 books sold, I will then request each purchaser to nominate a charity of their choice that is close to their hearts, and I will dontate $10 from every one of these 635 books sold to their chosen charity (let's face it, cancer isn't the only killer of our loved ones).  Should the purchaser not wish to nominate a charity, I will collect all of these donations and donate to Carries Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, The Andrew Love Cancer Centre, and Peace of Mind Foundation Geelong.

So when processing your pledge, please ensure you include your email address and your nominated charity, should we reach the second goal of 635 books.

The only obstacles I foresee is that there will be not enough pledges to facilitate the full print order.  If that is the case, then I will fully accept that this project is for my children only as a lasting legacy for them.