Meet Brielle

Meet Brielle:


First let me start by saying that I am honored to be able to share Brielle's story with the world (or at least with P.S. I Adore You Followers!). I hope that I can do it justice! The Beus family is a family of six, who will steal your heart! They are beautiful people - selfless, loving, faithful, devoted, and inspiring. I am truly honored to know them.



Brielle is the second of four girls. She has one older and two younger sisters who all adore her. Brielle was just 10 years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in September 2010. Just two months after she was diagnosed (in November 2010), Brielle's dad, Shawn, was also diagnosed with cancer. Shawn has Myeloma, which is also a blood cancer, but of the plasma cells. This family was in for the fight of their lives, but their attitudes remained positive. Brielle's mom (Kim) said this in a facebook update shortly after learning of her husbands cancer: "There are so many things we would like to do as a family to make memories and just be together. We are going to FIGHT with all we have in us that they both beat this. We LOVE you all!"

Brielle and her mom, KIm

Brielle and her Dad, Shawn


Brielle responded well to treatment and was in remission after her first round of chemotherapy. Four rounds of chemotherapy later, in January 2011, she received a bone marrow transplant. Her 5 year old sister was a perfect match and she was honored to be Brielle's donor.



Brielle and her sister (Brooklee) recovering together after the bone marrow transplant.  

After being in the hospital for over a month, Brielle was doing well and able to go home. They had to return weekly to check her blood and make sure she was doing well, but she was thriving! Home with her whole family together was just what she needed! This is an update from Kim on February 9, 2011: "Brielle is doing absolutely amazing at home. No nausea/vomiting, she has lots of energy and she has been eating since she has been home. We just have to go to Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) once a week and the doctors are so very pleased with how well she is doing and how good her labs look (her sister gave her powerful bone marrow). Brielle amazes me everyday with how well she is doing and her positive attitude."

In April, 2011, Brielle and her family celebrated 100 days post bone marrow transplant. That is a huge milestone and it was the beginning of Brielle getting back to normal. Brielle was feeling really well and the family celebrated this accomplishment! The year continued to go well. Months passed and the time was filled with great reminders of everything they had been through. In June, Brielle was honored at the SLC CureSearch Walk; in July, a HUGE fundraiser was held to sponsor Brielle so she could have a wish granted from the Utah Make a Wish Foundation; and in September, the Beus family put on a 5k run/walk called the Daddy/Daughter Cancer Walk. This was to honor Brielle's 1 year diagnosis date! What a year it had been!! October and November 2011 were filled with more 'normalcy' as Shawn was running for City Council. Sadly, the family was told that Brielle's cancer had returned a second time just hours before Shawn won the election.  The Doctor's told them that they would have to act fast as Brielle was very sick, she would need another bone marrow transplant. Here is Kim's post from November 9, 2011: "Thanks for voting for Shawn, he made it. We would be more excited had we not heard a few hours before that the results were in that a lump on Brielle's arm came back showing her cancer is back. We are headed to Primary's this morning for a bone marrow aspirate to make sure that it has not spread to the bone marrow. The plan is another bone marrow transplant, we should find out more today. I was not able to sleep last night and I have a horrible pit in my stomach. Please keep her in your prayers."  Fortunately, the cancer had not spread to Brielle's bone marrow. The family also felt fortunate because Shawn had not been experiencing many symptoms from his cancer. He was seen by some specialists at the Mayo Clinic and they told him that he was the healthiest Myeloma patient they had ever seen! It was not necessary for him to start any harsh treatments at that time, so he and Kim could focus on Brielle's new fight. 

In early December 2011, Brielle underwent her second bone marrow transplant. This time she received stem cells from umbilical cord blood. The transplant went well, but there was a lot of sadness over the next few weeks. Because Brielle was in the hospital for an extended time, the family had to cancel their long-awaited Make a Wish Trip to Walt Disney World. They also had to spend Christmas in the hospital. But, there were many happy times during these weeks as well - things like David Archuleta coming to the hospital to visit Brielle!!

David Archuleta visits Brielle in the hospital.

Brielle continued to do well and was able to go home shortly after Christmas. Just like before, the milestones were met and there were lots of great things happening for the Beus Family as their lives were beginning to return to normal again. Thanks to The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah, Brielle and her family were finally able to spend a wonderful vacation in Disney World just before Christmas 2012. 


The Beus family on their Make-A-Wish trip.

Unfortunately, their joy was short-lived.  On March 21, 2013 Brielle and her family found out that her cancer has returned. Brielle has always been such a fighter and she did very well throughout all of her treatments, but her body just cannot handle another bone marrow transplant.  They were heartbroken to learn that there isn't anything more the Doctors can do to save sweet Brielle.  Brielle has kept a very positive attitude through everything she has endured. You would be hard-pressed to find a picture of Brielle without a GIANT smile on her face. She is incredibly brave and she is a source of happiness and an inspiration to everyone around her. Brielle is so strong and so brave. Just this week she went to school and shared with her 6th grade class that she won't be here on Earth for much longer, we understand she was comforting all of her classmates and telling them it would be ok. She has an absolutely amazing spirit and attitude. You can't help but smile and be happy when you are around her.  At this time Brielle and her family have chosen to live each day to the fullest and enjoy every moment they have together.  This family is so devoted to one another.  You can feel the love radiating from each of them as they are there to strengthen each other. They are true examples of unconditional love.  We thank them for allowing us to share their story.  

(Brielle's story written by a fellow cancer mom and friend, Mystee Sudbury)

Suja Juice Giveaway!

Spring is here and the P.S. girls have been NEEDING a jumpstart into our healthy eating, detoxify our bodies of all the winter crap and get ready for swimsuit season!  We have heard so many wonderful things about Suja Juice so when they offered to send us cleanses to try we were FLOORED!  

Oh.. and guess what?  Suja wants to give YOU a 3-day cleanse too... read on!  






We LOVED everything about Suja and we had AMAZING results from our cleanses!  Each experience was a little different, but we all LOVED how it made us feel and we would HIGHLY recommend Suja!  Here are our individual accounts of our Suja Cleanses...

Whitney: I have nothing but good things to say about Suja Juice all around! I started my juice cleanse not really knowing what I would gain from it but was willing to give it 100% effort in hopes to gain more energy and kick my addiction to SUGAR! The biggest question that people would ask me is, are they good? Each day you are required to drink 6 juices, which was a bit of a challenge because I never felt hungry. Out of the 6 juices I LOVED 4 of them, tolerated 1 of them, and had to plug my nose for 1! Overall I had more energy, felt healthier, wasn’t craving sugar, and was sad to drink my last vanilla cloud on day 3. Did you know Suja is stocked in most Whole Foods stores? I have already stocked up with my favorites to drink as meal replacements on those days when I just don’t have the time to make a healthy meal! I would highly recommend Suja Juice to everybody. If you are looking for a little pick-me-up and a jump-start to a healthier lifestyle then Suja Juice is definitely for you.

Ashley: I am going to be honest here. I was so excited to do this cleanse to see how my body would feel. A bit of history from me… I was super healthy for the most part  and very active before I had my 2 girls. After my first baby I got really sick and was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. Tried all the natural stuff but was too far gone so was put on medication for the rest of my life to keep me regulated. After my 2nd baby I got worse than the 1st time around basically pregnancy does a number on my body. My body has hurt ever since I had Stevie. She was so worth it but my energy and body are just not the same.  When I heard about Suja and the results from it I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to try it out! I was a bit worried because I had never done a cleanse before. The first day I won't lie, There was a few that were harder to get down than others. Glow & Purify was my least favorite but the 2nd day I liked them more. I usually am exhausted by 6p.m. I had so much energy while drinking these.  I was not that hungry I did have a 1/2 of avocado each night.The 2nd day I felt so great. It was easy to get out of bed, my body didn't hurt as bad. I felt like I did before my 2nd baby!  I am thrilled with the results of how my body feels. I would recommend this to all of you. I lost a few lbs but that was not my goal. I Love that the only foods that sound good to me are healthy fruits vegetables and salads.  I look forward to the future and how much better I feel all around. Now that the cleanse is over, I will continue to have 1 juice for either breakfast lunch or dinner. This has helped me ease into a healthier lifestyle for my family and I.  Thank you suja for the cleanse! I appreciate more than you know!

Chelsea: I started my cleanse a little later than the other girls.  Honestly, I was a little nervous about not really eating any whole foods and I was sure I would be HUNGRY for 3 days straight, but the have juices kept me quite full and I honestly look forward to drinking most of them!  One of them is not my favorite, but I know it has elements in it that my body really needs...so I drink it!  I have noticed my skin is clearer and I am not craving sugar as much as I used to... which for me is HUGE!  I am excited to continue this journey and I will update you all as the days progress!  Thanks Suja Juice.. I KNOW your juice will remain a part of my life forever!  


Now that you've read our reviews.. we KNOW you want to try a cleanse for yourself.  Make sure to enter our giveaway!  YOU could win your own 3-day cleanse from Suja... a $162 value!  



Swanky Jane's


Check out this article written by Debbie Balzotti for the Daily Herald:
SPRINGVILLE -- Blythe Gifford is a creative 15-year-old who started designing and making dolls with her mother Jill. The Giffords brought an old sewing machine, purchased at a thrift store, in from the garage and sat it on the kitchen table.
"We looked at the sewing machine and decided to make a doll together," Jill said. "Blythe had recently been diagnosed with chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome. We were looking for something we could do together. Something creative and something that wasn't too exhausting for Blythe."
They decided to start with something they call a double doll or a topsy-turvy doll. The doll is 18 inches tall and has a stuffed cotton torso, head and arms. The long skirt flips over to reveal another doll, which allows a child to play with two dolls. The hair is two different colors of crinkled yarn and there are two hand-painted faces.
"My little sister Grace is 3 and she had a double doll, but it wasn't very cute or good quality," Blythe explained. "We looked at it and then designed our own pattern in May 2012. We set up an Etsy shop called SwankyJanes and started making more dolls. Every doll is different. It takes us more than 10 hours to make a doll but it's really fun. We lay fabric out on the floor and we decide which ones will look good together. We have other doll designs now like Itty Bittys, Whimsy Dolls, Swanky Dolls and Gracie Dolls. Our favorite doll though is the doll we make and donate to cancer kids. It's called the Just Like Me Doll."
The Giffords started making dolls for children with cancer after they were contacted by Whitney Holland who features a child fighting cancer every month on her website, www.psiadoreyou.com. Holland asked the doll makers if they would make a doll to go in the basket they give to the selected child. Another mom involved with PS I Adore You is Chelsea Carver, who selects the child to receive the gift basket.
"We just feel so fortunate to have crossed paths with the Giffords," Carver said. "They have brought a lot of sunshine into the lives of these kids. I'm a cancer mom and when my daughter was diagnosed it was just devastating. When we deliver our gift basket with a Just Like Me Doll those kids love it and it cheers them up. The Giffords have gone above and beyond. They even made another doll for the older sister of a baby girl with cancer. I know from experience that the siblings suffer too, so to see those two little girls immediately start playing with the dolls was so sweet. It still brings tears to my eyes when I talk about it."
"We thought about what we could do to make a special doll for these special kids," Jill Gifford said. "We came up with the just Like Me Doll where we would find out about the child and make the doll like her. If she had brown hair or blue eyes we would make the doll with those things. We found out her favorite color too so we could use that. The doll has hair that can be removed and comes with a knit hat similar to what many children wear during cancer treatment. We also write a story with pictures of the doll searching for someone like her."
The Giffords also have a Just Like Me Buddy designed for boys who could use a special friend to comfort them during their cancer treatments. So far, the mother-daughter team has made four dolls. One of the first ones they made went to Millie Flamm, who many people read about when Justin Bieber visited her recently.
To donate funds or fabric to help the Gifford's make a Just Like Me Doll for a child with cancer, contact the Giffords at www.swankyjanes.com or Chelsea Carver at psiadoreyou.com.


Photo's by James Roh:

Blythe Gifford draws a face on a doll at her home in Springville on Tuesday,
 March 12, 2013. Blythe, along with her mother Jill Gifford are working with P.S. I Adore You
 to provide children diagnosed with cancer a doll of themselves. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald




Cure the KIDS with Fox Paws!

We are so excited to announce our second vendor participating in our Cure the KIDS campaign!
If you don't know what this campaign is about... read this post first!

We are THRILLED that...
is joining us in our Cure the KIDS campaign!  

Just look at the gorgeous shoes they are offering at a discount...
Not only are they DISCOUNTING their shoes for you, but together with PS, they will be donating $5 from each pair sold to CureSearch for childhood cancer research!  We are beyond thrilled!  

These shoes will be available from March 11th-15th, but HURRY... 
sizes are limited and WILL sell out!  
Go to P.S. I Adore You to order NOW!


Thank you to all of you who are truly making a difference in all these kids lives!


(the children above are little cancer fighters who have all received treatment under the COG supported by CureSearch)



Hello Spring!



PRESENTS....

Hello Spring giveaway!  
P.S is teaming up with some of our favorite vendors to bring you this amazing giveaway!  
One person will win over $ in prizes!  

One lucky winner will take home: 
2 Luv Luxx turbans, 1 Mint Hollow head wrap, 1 Avenue Lou sunglasses case, a P.S. I Adore You polkadot scarf, a Gertie and Baxter chevron clutch, a Brina's Boutique renegade bracelet, heart necklace and to the moon and back necklace, an Apple of my eye rope bracelet, a Love Fox Shop chevron necklace.  

Just look at all this stuff you could win...


Here's a close-up of the jewelry!  

and here's all the accessories you could win!


A HUGE thank you to all these fabulous vendors for joining with us to bring you this giveaway!









a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Skyler!

Meet Skyler and his mom Crystal!  I wish I could put into words the amount of love I have for our next featured family.  I mean, I truly love each of our featured families, but this was a family who was diagnosed just one week after my Cami.  They had the same diagnosis, they were in the same hospital, had the same Doctors, and they were both put on the same treatment plan.  Unfortunately, Skyler's battle was much more difficult...



Read his story (written by his amazing mom, Crystal):

By the summer of 2010 I thought I knew was heartache was.  My little boy had been sick on and off most of his life with chronic ear infections and croup.  It seemed that Skyler could not go longer than 5 weeks without getting croup which meant alot of ER trips, steriods and breathing treatments.  And during the summer of 2010 he even underwent two surgeries to remove a mass off of his jaw.  To top it off I lost my husband, Skyler's daddy, a couple years before to a heart tumor.  That was such a tough and painful time of my life, but nothing can ever compare to the pure pain, sadness and heartache I felt when the doctors told me that my sweet innocent little boy had cancer.  My world stopped at that moment and came crashing down around me.  As a mother nothing is worse than having to watch your child suffer and know that there is nothing you can do to make it better.

August 17th 2010 was the start of a new life for us.  A life filled with doctors, hospitals, pokes, pain and alot of tears.  That was the day Skyler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  He was supposed to spend a week inpatient getting chemo and then spend the next three and a half years getting outpatient chemo, but that one week turned into five long months inpatient.  Most of those months were spent in the pediatric ICU on life support in a medically induced coma.  Everything that could go wrong did.  Skyler soon developed tumor lysis which completely shut down his kidneys putting him in renal failure and on dialysis.  He also developed an invasive fungal infection that started out in his sinuses and soon spread throughout his whole little body and put him into multisystem organ failure with five of his organ systems failing at once.  He underwent countless surgeries including the removal of his spleen.  He also had many transfusions. To this day Skyler has had a total of 186 blood and platelet transfusions.  I was told one night that I would most likely have to say my goodbyes.  That he probably wasnt going to make it.  But Skyler did what he does best and surprised everyone by beating the odds and surviving. 




It has now been over two years and Skyler is still here with us and fighting.  He is a true superhero in every sense of the word.  He has had to overcome many obsticles including learning how to walk again and hear with the use of hearing aids due to hearing loss from his medications.  He still has a long road ahead of him with a year left of chemotherapy treatments, but I know he will continue to fight with the same courage and strength that he has shown since the beginning!

This video is a MUST see!  Just watch all this amazing child has been though.  
Oh, how we love you styler!