❤️💗Thank you to February's Candlelighters Cares Sponsor @prevu_move & @moveresourcegroup for spoiling our partner healthcare providers at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital and Texas Children's Cancer Center. We're still looking for companies to partner with us for July, August, October and November of this year! Contact our Family Development Coordinator, Opal at [email protected] if you're interested! Bonus points if you're interested in supporting the Texas Children's campuses in Katy or The Woodlands!

🍹Don't forget to RSVP to join us Tuesday, February 22 for FREE margaritas and appetizers at El Tiempo Cantina - Richmond Ave! We'll be there from 5:30-7:30 and everyone who attends will be entered to win tickets to the 14th Annual Margarita Taste Off on Saturday, April 9th. 📩RSVP to ehaines at candle.org by Friday at noon 🥳Did you catch our "hint, hint - wink wink" about #NationalMargaritaDay?! Whether or not you can join us for the Happy Hour on the 22nd - tickets to the Margarita Taste Off will be $80 ($100 regularly) for ONE DAY ONLY - to celebrate our favorite holiday. We'll share purchasing instructions next week!

💛For our families of children with cancer, a small gesture can make a huge impact. During this Month of Love, the best gift is the opportunity to have even just one burden lifted from their shoulders, so they can focus on spending quality time with their loved ones. YOU can make that happen. 📆This year, on the 15th of each month (yes we're a day late this month because we needed to recognize International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day yesterday!), we'll ask you to give directly to our Hospital Parking Fund which will help alleviate this cost for childhood cancer families. Whatever you can give, know that every $15 makes a difference. 💵Candlelighters receives 100% of donations received through Instagram - see stories for donate button. You can also set up a recurring monthly gift on our website. 🎗Thank you for giving to our largest service for childhood cancer families.

🎗International Childhood Cancer Day - Mariana’s Story 2020 was a year that I would describe as a roller coaster for my daughter Mariana and for all our family. Not only was she diagnosed with Leukemia but we had to move from Guatemala, Central America to Houston, Texas. We arrived in Houston and were immediately put on an ambulance and were dropped off at the emergency room at the MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital (MDACCH). From that moment the Pediatric Oncology team came down to meet with us and everything was great. We felt at home. The team of doctors and nurses at MDACCH made this challenge easier, by being spectacular with us. One of the nurses helped us get settled. She even helped cut my daughter’s hair since everything was closed because of covid. She was the one who talked to me about Candlelighters. It took me a few months to settle in Houston but finally I reached out to this amazing organization. Since then I have met the most incredible people. I have been helped in so many ways by this organization that it is hard to describe. In our weekly meetings we talk, laugh, cry and have fun. We have received so many details that really make our life better and not only that, they make us want to help others. Every week we do different things, projects, games, or just talk; but overall these activities bring joy into our lives. As an international family facing a hard battle this last 2 years, Candlelighters and MDACCH have made it an amazing experience. We thank God for the opportunity to be here and be part of these incredible organizations - they are our family and home away from home 💛

❤️💗Happy Valentine’s Day from Candlelighters - and all our little warriors! Thank you to all our families, donors, sponsors, and volunteers for showing us the love all year round 💛 🎗💪🏼Shout out to artist extraordinaire and brain tumor conqueror Avelyn, for designing this year’s Valentine card 🥰

Thanks to our favorite pro-footballer Justin Reid - we got to be a part of sending Candlelighters parents to the LVI Super Bowl! While our team may not be playing, they’re enjoying this experience and keeping their son’s love of football alive🎗 ❤️💙@justinqreid thank you for making this a possibility and always loving on our childhood cancer families💛 Special thanks to @bonnevietravel for assisting with travel accommodations! @nfl @houstontexans @texanscare #tonystrong #Super Bowl #lvisuperbowl #superbowllvi

☕️Mornings are better with coffee! 🎗Don't forget to join us for our Support Group Meetings today: 1️⃣1️⃣AM - MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital & Children's Memorial Hermann Families 1️⃣PM - Texas Children's Cancer Center Families Contact your Parent Consultant for the Zoom link 💛

👩‍🎓👨‍🎓Calling all 2022 graduating seniors! Candlelighters wants to celebrate YOU! 🎗If you are a registered Candlelighters family and have a graduating senior this year (patient, survivor, or sibling!) email our Family Development Coordinator, Opal Goodman, at [email protected] with the following information: 💛Senior's Name 💛Name of Senior's High School or College 💛Senior Picture (or recent picture) 💛Plans for Next Year 💛Senior's Achievements and/or Accomplishments you would like to celebrate 💛Current mailing address

Today is #worldcancerday 🎗 As we reflect on what that means to us here at Candlelighters - we’re grateful to partner with some of the BEST pediatric oncology centers in the world! 🌎 Because of their top notch care, our Candlelighters family extends internationally, and allows us to love on so many who are treated here, whether Houston is home or they’ve selected to come here for their treatment @mdandersoncancercenter, @texaschildrens, & @childrensmemorialhermann we’re honored to be your partners - loving on families through, and beyond childhood cancer 💪🏼💛

❄️Current Mood: Candlelighters beanie and hot chocolate ☕️ Stay warm friends and families!

🦦Is it just Groundhog Day or are we really planning another Margarita Taste Off already?! Trick question - the answer is BOTH 😂 ☀️We had our first committee meeting of the year last night @kirby_ice_house and let’s just say we’re excited to be back where we belong - kicking off patio season with a Springtime Margarita Taste Off! 🍹🧉We have 11 restaurants already dreaming up new recipes and we’ll start to share who they are soon… ‼️Hint: Did you know National Margarita Day is February 22nd?!😉

We put on our hats and boots and joined our friends in Crosby, TX on Saturday night for the 1️⃣0️⃣th Annual Bras for a Cause! 🎗We have been extremely fortunate to be chosen as a beneficiary since 2017 and absolutely love working with this group of people so passionate about providing support to families of children with cancer. 👏🏼👏🏼Special thanks to Board Member Jay Beasley for serving as the event’s emcee - and to camp counselor and volunteer, Andrew for being brave enough to model on behalf of Candlelighters this year! If you’re looking for a unique way to support - look no further! ➡️Just swipe over to see why this event is called Bras for the Cause 🤩