Have You Met...Andrea Hutchinson and The Brian Parks Foundation?

Andrea Hutchinson's 20-year-old son Brian, passed away in February from a Glioblastoma Multiforme brain tumor. When Brian passed away,  lost their hero and an entire community still misses this young man's incredible presence.

Despite insurmountable devastation and loss, Brian's mother Andrea has found a way to keep Brian's inspiration an active and very useful force in the community. She established the Brian Parks Foundation because she knows first-hand, the extreme difficulties of managing family life in the face of an all-consuming disease such as cancer.

"Brian’s battle began his senior year of high school," said Parks.

"He fought it for two and a half years and remained an inspiration to many, because during this tragic time in his life he always kept a smile on his face. There were times that Brian would go to school after being sick that same morning, and he was so appreciative of the opportunity. His goal was to finish high school. He attended South Forsyth High School as a senior for two plus, years trying to graduate. Radiation, hospital stays, and illness would keep him away for one entire year. But he bounced back and was still attending at age 20. Brian was accepted in to the Art Institute of Atlanta where he planned to major in Audio Production. Music was his passion," she said.

"Superman" was his nickname, because Brian was strong and steadfast in his spirit throughout his battle with caner. 

Andrea recalls her daily life during Brian's battle:

"Families that experience pediatric cancer live in a different world. When you are told that your child has cancer your life changes. You see life differently. Things that mattered to you don’t matter as much as they once did. Often times parents feel like they are trapped in a bubble, screaming and can’t get out," says Parks.

"There is nothing that will ease the pain of the experience, unless perhaps if you are told that your child has great chances for survival. But for parents of many children, every day is a constant fight to keep your child alive, you are their medical advocate, you are their doctor away from the hospital. Unless you have walked closely with a family devastated by pediatric cancer you can't come close to fathoming the huge amount of stress this puts on a family."

"In a two parent household, one parent has to stay home and care for the child. Frequently employers don’t sympathize with families and parents do lose their jobs. What do you do when you have to travel miles and miles to a hospital for radiation therapy for six or eight weeks? As the daily burdens and emotional stress continue to pile up the divorce rate for these families increases tremendously," explains Parks.

Here's where the Brian Parks Foundation comes to lend a helping hand. The Foundation offers scholarships and care projects to help families ease the burdens both financially and emotionally from their journey through cancer. 

At South Forsyth High School, Mrs. Pniewski's marketing classes are heading up the first annual fun run to raise money for the Brian Park's Foundation and Blue Skies Ministries.

This highly anticipated event takes place at the South Forsyth High School track on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 8 a.m. Call 678-437-5305 or visit Active.com to register.

If you can't join the fun run, you can take part in the Brian Park's Foundation Christmas Care Project 2011, please contact Andrea Hutchinson at 678-437-5305 or by e-mail at careprojects@brianparksfoundation.org