North East Breeze Paper of PA
November 5th, 2000
By Jerry Bush
Organizations Help Children with Life-Threatening Diseases
Joseph Steuart lived with his parents, Kim and Vickie in the town of Lakewood, Colo. He lost his battle with leukemia and passed away in January of this year, at the young age of 14. He retained a tremendous smile, even throughout his battle with the fatal disease. Joseph possessed unselfish characteristics, always concerned with the mental and physical condition of the other children with whom he shared the hospital. The boy also loved hunting, fishing, camping, and just about everything else about the outdoors. He held hopes of becoming a park ranger. Though an accomplished sportsman for his age, the youngster did not feel a need to harvest an animal to enjoy his expeditions.
His father had taught him to respect the outdoors, and to savor his hunting and fishing experiences. To leave you with some idea of how accomplished he was, you only need to examine the results of his last fishing trip. With his physician’s consent, he accompanied his father, Kim, to Wolford Reservoir near Kremmling, Colo. Joseph was so ill that his father needed to bait the hook for him. Still, the young angler was the only person in the party to catch his limit that day. As stated he relished outdoor experiences. His father shared with me a story of yet a different fishing trip.
The boy was separated from his father, but still within eye sight, (dads are like that), and the elder Steuart observed Joseph, bent over and scatting about, moving one direction and then another. Upon curious observation, the father soon discovered that his son had come across a small bird, somehow tangled in the fishing line left by a careless angler. The bird initiated quite a chase, not knowing that Joseph intended no harm. It took a while, but the boy eventually captured and released the ensnared fledgling. While Joseph battled the leukemia, he inquired of his father the possibility of the two of them participating in a hunt for caribou, Kim immediately said yes, feeling this would be a great motivational tool to spur the healing process of his young son, who needed to undergo a bone marrow transplant. The long-suffering boy began to plan, imagining moment by moment what this hunt of a life-time would be like.
Unfortunately, he would not be granted that earthly experience. Kim was later to discover just how important the trip was to Joseph. Upon searching through some of his son’s possessions, he stumbled onto a cigar box. Inside the box he found $50.25 and a note designating the money was intended to be used for the "caribou hunt with dad." Today, Vickie and Kim operate a non-profit organization, established in memory of their deceased son. The organization, "Joseph’s Journey" offers children, battling life-threatening diseases, the opportunity of participating on guided hunting and fishing trips. The organization hopes to provide service for as many young people under the age of 21 as possible. They use experienced guides to fulfill the dreams of these children.
The group reports great support from doctors and social workers, and the staff at Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo. In fact, as I interviewed Kim he informed me that several physicians serve on the Joseph’s Journey board of directors. In talking with Kim, I was shocked to find that the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America opposes granting children this opportunity. He supplied me with a memorandum form the major organization, stating its refusal to sponsor hunting adventures. The national performance standards of this note-worthy organization states that they "shall not grant wishes involving the use of, or gift of firearms or other weapons designed to cause injury."
As an outdoorsman I feel this is an unfortunate stance to foster, yet because of all the good this organization provides, I will resist the temptation to stand on a soap box and scream. Another organization located in Harborcreek shares a similar story. A young man by the name of Matthew Pattison was fighting Hodgkin’s disease, a battle he unfortunately lost in April of 1999. His wish involved participating in a moose hunt with his father. Matt’s health was not the only obstacle for the family. The hunt would be a costly venture, to say the least. His mother Tina was also saddened to discover that other charity services would not sponsor a hunting adventure for her terminally ill son.
An outfitter and a Canadian guide service donated and all-expense-paid moose hunt for Matt and his father, Chet. Matt harvested a fine animal and Tina was so inspired by their generosity, she founded the "Hunt-Of-A-Lifetime" organization. You can contact "Hunt-Of-A-Lifetime" by writing to 6297 Buffalo Rd, Harborcreek, Pa. 16421. Joseph’s Journey can be written to at PO Box 150453 Lakewood, CO. 80215-0453 or reach them by email at josephsjourney@aol.com. The time for organizations such as "Joseph’s Journey" and "Hunt-Of-A-Lifetime" is here. Why shouldn’t a child battling a fatal illness be free to choose their personal dream, providing it is legally and morally correct?
If you can, please consider relinquishing a tax-deductible donation to
both of these organizations. Equally important - if you know guides or
outfitters that could donate service to these groups, contact them and
request their support. Thankfully, I’m still healthy enough to pursue
my dream hunting and fishing trips. It is time for all of us to offer
support for those less fortunate.
