Interview with San Fransico MC Kanetic Source Showing Loving Support for his son Noah

February 15, 2011

A few weeks ago I wrote about enjoying the live rhythms of Ozomatli grooving with one of my favorite musicians, Kanetic Source. Stoked to see him on stage again — six years had passed since the last showing — joy was short lived…he was joining the jam session with Ozo to increase awareness for his incredibly-cute kid, Noah, whom recently was diagnosed with stage 3 Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

Finding out his diagnosis, the family is moving forward and bringing in the best treatment they can find for Noah. With FDA approval, Noah is skipping the horrid and sickly radiation therapy process and working, instead, with world-renowned physician and scientist, Doctor Burzynski. Located in Houston Texas, the Burzynski Clinic is a beautiful example of collaboration between a man whom dedicated his life to battling cancer and others committed to implementing all healing modalities that help the individual survive the disease.

Obviously, working with the best doesn’t erase the devastating challenge that is a day to day reality for this wonderful family.

How can we help?

Kanetic kindly took the time to chat with me about his boy, the effects of a debilitating illness, and where assistance is most needed. Here is what he had to say…

Please give us a little information about Noah…what kind of kid is he?

Noah is a very intelligent outgoing 4 year old who loves music and dancing, most especially he loves playing the drums. He has been with me on stage and in the studio since he could walk and talk. My son is just like any 4 year old except,and I’m not just saying this cause he’s my son but, he was putting full sentences together since he was two, and he plays a five piece drum set, which trips me out by the way. He is just very lovable and anyone who meets him I mean, anyone, they fall in love with him and his cheeks!!

Do you have a favorite story that exemplifies the joy that Noah has brought into your life?

He was my first born, and he was a boy!!!! That’s a fathers dream….

Can you share with us how you discovered Noah was sick?

Well, I was taking a nap in the family room and my wife was in the kitchen. I heard him calling me for help and we play like that sometimes but then the help turned into a cry for help, a cry that I had never heard before. I turned and saw he was on the floor not moving, right next to me, and so I picked him up thinking he was okay…just had a little fall jumping off the couch as most kids his age do, he said he couldn’t move his legs. So my wife came in and tried to stand him up and he fell right to the ground again and was crying more and more. We both thought he had a slight concusion because he would not let neither one of us touch his head to see if he was bleeding or what. Noah was screaming by then saying his head hurts, so we rushed to the San Jose Regional Hospital and they checked him out. The physicians said that he still walks with a little imbalance but they wanted to do a CT Scan to be sure. The Doctor came in and told us that they saw some abnormalities on his brain stem and they needed to do an MRI to see it more clearly. Once again my wife and I were terrified, because up until then our son had no symptoms of any sort no dizziness, etc., and we didn’t know what the Doctors were seeing. Then they came in and told us that our son had a fairly large size Tumor on his brain stem, which to any parent, that is the last thing you would expect to hear about your child. Noah was playing his five piece drum set the night before without any complications, a normal 4 year old. So at around midnight they informed us that he would have to be rushed to Stanford Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital because they are more advanced in this type of diagnosis. On December 28th 2010, a day after Noah’s fall the Doctors confirmed our worst nightmare that our son, Noah Chauncey Stout, has a malignant brain tumor on his brain stem that was inoperable and non-curable called DIPG ( Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma). Please visit IHeartNoah.org to read more on this.

The worst part of all this is when the Doctor tells you and your spouse that they have some bad news, and it’s like wow what could be worse….. well it was worse. They informed us that our son only had within 12-14 months to live! What a way to start the new year right?

Most definitely. In saying that, how has Noah being sick shifted your life?

Well, it has shifted not only my life and my wifes but it has shifted everyone who knows us and knows my son Noah’s life forever!!! I think that now we look at how much we took time for granted and all the little things that we as humans overlook. I mean just little things like eye movement and being able to smile and show joy and laughing. Some of the symptoms of this cancer are your coordination goes like eye movement and your speech goes, some kids lose the ability to even smile so they have no expression to respond to joy or pain. Thank God my son, up till now, has had none of those symptoms, and he still plays his drums and Rock Band etc.; he’s still Noah.

It was only after he had a biopsy to know exactly what this Cancer was that he had a little trouble moving his eyes to the left without moving his head…… it was at that moment my wife and I realized that it was just those types of little things that most people don’t realize are so precious and a blessing to be able to do.

How can we help?

What we really need is more media attention to raise funds for our son’s clinical trials and treatments. They are going to be very, very expensive and even though we are getting donations now, we need a lot more so that he will continue and finish the treatments and is cancer free!!!!

We need all the support we can get and every dollar adds up. One dollar or 1,000 dollars, doesn’t matter so long as it’s from the heart and the funds keep coming in. My wife works and I work as well, I am organizing with my musician brethren from all over the United States to help me put on benefits and fundraisers, but we still need to keep funds coming in outside of that. I pray that our story is heard and felt by many news stations and radio , etc. Thank you for this opportunity to let the world know about our Noah.

Thank you to the Stout family and Kanetic for taking the time to let us into your life during this ordeal. My thoughts and positive prayers are with you all.

For those that would like to help and enjoy music too, there is a benefit concert for Noah on February 24th in San Fransisco, $5.00 cover charge.




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Posted by Shanie Matthews

Help Exploited 1-800-Flowers Workers by Voicing Your Concern for their Rights

February 8, 2011

Valentine’s Day, which accounts for 40% of fresh flower sales annually, is fast approaching.

If you’re planning to order a bouquet from 1-800-Flowers — the world’s largest florist — you should know where most of those flowers really come from.

At flower farms in Ecuador and Colombia — the countries that export the most to the U.S. — two-thirds of the workers are women. These women are routinely subjected to harassment and even rape from their male supervisors. They suffer eye infections and miscarriages from consistent contact with dangerous pesticides.

In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, they’re routinely forced to work 80-hour weeks with no overtime pay. Attempts to form a union are met with opposition by police and armed forces.

Many retailers — such as Whole Foods and Stop & Shop — have taken the important first step of offering Fair Trade flowers to consumers who want no part of these abuses. Fair Trade certified farms must adhere to strict standards for workers’ rights, which prevents the abuses described above.

1-800-Flowers is the largest florist in the world. Yet they offer no Fair Trade flowers at all.

Please let your voice be heard that 1-800-Flowers must join other major retailers in offering Fair Trade flowers.

1-800-Flowers uses a certifying agency called Florverde, which ensures that its flower farms measure up to certain environmental standards — this is a good thing. But Florverde has almost no labor standards: A farm can be certified even if it uses forced labor.

This is the week before Valentine’s Day — more people will purchase flowers during the next seven days than any other week this year. This is our best collective opportunity to demand a promise from 1-800-Flowers to join its competitors in offering Fair Trade flowers.

One way to get involved is to sign a petition. Please share the message widely and post on Facebook — do everything you can to pressure 1-800-Flowers to show a little respect for the women who toil in unbearable circumstances. The women without whom they’d have no flowers to sell.

And to know your voice makes a difference…since Change.org began this campaign, the company has contacted them, expressing that it will post more information on its website about the farms that supply their flowers. Obviously this is a far cry from selling fair trade products

Thanks for taking action and doing your part in ensuring employees globally are protected — especially during the most favored floral gift period of the year.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

SkiDUCK: A Favorite Nonprofit Helping Underprivilidged Kids Ski Free

February 1, 2011

I am certain that I am living the quality of life that I am living for one reason alone: my passion for skiing.

Coming from a middle class family, it was a sport that if I wanted to do it I would need to find a way to get up the hill, a way to buy a ticket, and a means to having good winter gear. Luckily, my parents helped on the clothing and equipment part, but the rest was up to me. To make it happen, I got a job at 12 at the local ski area and bummed rides from fellow employees or family friends that were heading to the mountain. It was a fabulous experience for me, it helped me grow as a person; learning a strong work ethic, independence, reliance on self, and above all a means to learning self-love that stopped me from being attracted to a life that would of left me in whole-lotta trouble, in jail or dead.

So when I look back upon my 33 years of skiing, I am so grateful for what the sport brought into my life. But I am sad also…because I know that there are thousands of children that could also have an access to a positive outlet, yet are left behind due to lack of cash.

It is no joke that skiing is one of the most expensive sports around, but there is a great non-profit based out of Lake Tahoe that is helping youth connect with a soul sport for free…SkiDUCK. I had an inspiring interview with founder, Clint Lunde, awhile back. Since that chat, the organization has gotten over 200 kids on the slopes.

With all certainty, SkiDUCK will positively affect the life of at least one child, making their life much better for the long term.

Here’s a video from a recent event they had at Tahoe Donner:

If you live in California and would like to get involved, SkiDUCK is always looking for volunteers, helpful funding or winter gear. For those that can share some time on the hill, SkiDUCK will give you a free lift ticket in gratitude for your collaboration in helping underprivileged children feel the wonder and stoked-ness of being out in the mountains.

Contact SkiDUCK for more information.

See ya on the hill!

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

WITIA Members Step Forward with Flood Relief Initiatives in Australia

January 19, 2011

Queensland, Australia: Members of Women in Tourism International Alliance (WITIA), headquartered in Gold Coast, Queensland, are wasting no time in coming to the assistance of victims of unprecedented flooding in the state of Queensland. While the tourism-dependent regions of the Gold Coast, Whitsunday Islands and Cairns have escaped flooding and are all open for business, state capital Brisbane and central Queensland were hard hit. These areas are beginning the slow process of recovery.

Within hours of WITIA’s first emailed appeal, local area members came forward to volunteer for humanitarian and clean-up efforts that assist flood victims. According to Beryl Ley, WITIA Communications Director, no WITIA members were directly affected by the floods. “However our members were in the first wave to pitch in with the huge task of cleaning up. Even before flood waters began to recede, we had members raising money for victims through spontaneous street gatherings organized on the Gold Coast. On ‘Salvation Saturday,” our members joined an estimated 12,000 residents unaffected by flooding to travel to Brisbane by bus as part of a massive mop and bucket brigade. Other members have been sorting and packing needed supplies such as non-perishable food, toiletries, clothing, bedding and toys to be distributed to evacuation centers.”

Beyond immediate aid, WITIA members are setting up programs to provide needed funds for the long recovery period. One outstanding example is WITIA member Louise Kearney of Sydney-based Accommodation Auctions On Line. Kearney has solicited donations of vacation packages from properties in Australia, Bali, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Thailand that will go on auction during February 2011. One hundred percent of the auction proceeds will be donated to the floods appeal. Kearney expects to raise between AUD $30,000 – $50,000 with this initiative.

Says Kearney, “We need everyone’s help to make this a real success. We urge you to donate or recommend donors of accommodations, tours, attractions, cruises, flights and transfers – whatever items can attract bids at auction. Furthermore, donors whose solicitations sell at auction will receive a donation receipt made out to them from the Queensland government. Accommodation Auctions is donating our systems and programs to make this happen efficiently and fairly.”

To offer assistance or to get more information, contact Kearney at sales@accommodationauctions.com. As her website is international, this opportunity is open to WITIA members and other tourism businesses around the globe.

WITIA President Mary Mahon Jones adds, “It is heart-warming to see WITIA members respond so quickly. Adelaide member Gudrun Tamandl of Cruise Connection started the ball rolling with an offer of free accommodations for a displaced family. WITIA itself has made a monetary donation. Our call continues to our global membership – be generous in using the power of tourism to help victims in calamitous circumstances, whether in Queensland or other stricken areas.”

Women in Tourism International Alliance (WITIA) is a global networking association for people in travel, tourism, hospitality and related industries. WITIA works to promote and enhance business opportunities and promotes the value of tourism to foster cultural understanding and peace worldwide. It supports charitable causes that offer care and protection to women and children, assists young people in the industry and contributes to the protection of the planet’s natural resources.

For more information, please contact Anne Isaacson, Secretary, at secretary@witia.org.

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

Former MC of Ozomatli, Kanetic Source, Needs Our Help for His Sick Child Fighting Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma

January 18, 2011

As a huge and loving fan of Ozomatli, a funky, world-music dance band from Los Angeles, one of my favorite aspects to the band in the early days was watching their MC Kanetic shake his booty…the man can dance, and with his big, contagious smile, it was hard not to follow his lead. After a few years Kanetic left the band. I often wondered what happened to my and my husband’s dancing coach.

Kanetic and I a few years ago

Well, the other night at an Ozomatli show (our first since coming back to the States, and oh-so-great to experience) Kanetic came out for a surprise appearance. But his stage time was not for fun and laughs…it was, instead, to help bring awareness to his son’s plight for a happy life…

Kanetic’s four year old son, Noah Stout, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma on December 27, 2010 at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital (Stanford) in Palo Alto, California. Noah is a sweet and loving little four year old boy who was playing at home when suddenly he fell and was unable to stand up. His parent’s rushed him to Regional Hospital where the ER doctors decided to do a CT and MRI to ensure he had no major head injuries. To everyone’s surprise, they found a tumor and rushed Noah in an ambulance to Stanford Children’s Hospital. The Stanford Neuro Oncologists reviewed his MRI where he was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

Here’s a message from the Stout Family:

Your help will support our son’s fight as well as give hope to parents who are dealing with this illness. All proceeds will be, not only for the benefit of our son Noah, but all children who are in this fight. We hope that if it’s Gods will, that we will cure our son and be the miracle that so many parents around the world have been waiting for. God is everything and the most merciful. Thank you for taking the time to read about our beautiful son, Noah. God Bless.

Sincerely,
The Stout Family

Please help this adorable little boy…The Stout Family has set up a web page and a link to donate via PayPal. For more information, please visit IHeartNoah.org. You can also join the “I Heart Noah” Facebook fanpage.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 19th, little Noah is scheduled for a biopsy at UCSF Childrens Hospital. The family is asking for healing energy and vibe to be sent their way for the procedure.

Family Stout, my thoughts are with you.

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

Supporting High Fives Foundation in their Support of our Tahoe Community

January 11, 2011

Today is a day of celebration for a nonprofit close to my heart.

1/11/11 is a calenderial fiesta because of the five ones equaling the name that the 501c embraced, High Fives Foundation.

An organization brought together to show support and love for those members of our ski and snowboard tribe that are injured or paralyzed, the Tahoe foundation is helping dampened dreams glimmer with hope. Not only am I close to some of those that the nonprofit assists, I also consider myself lucky to be one of those they are not helping.

15 years ago I sustained a fracture to C5. It all happened in an instant. I was skiing down a silly run — it was low snow year and a group of friends and I were tucking…racing to the bottom…enjoying our mountain playground. There happened to be a jump at the bottom that offered a great right hand airplane turn. Coming into it with speed, I launched into the air only to meet another person — a 350 pound German man — coming out of the woods at the exact same moment. It was neither one of our faults, but nonetheless the collision was a huge blow. It knocked everything off of me…my gloves, hat, goggles, skis, poles…and it changed the course of my life forever.

Prior to that I had dreams of being a ski star. I had the gumption. I had the will. I had the drive. And I adored the sport. But breaking my neck brought that all to a screeching hault. Another fall of great magnitude could leave me wheelchair bound; a future that I took to heart, changing the way I looked at the mountain and the way I skied.

So, there you have it. High Fives is a foundation near and dear to my dreams and adorations in life. I applaud their efforts and am here as a steward of their good will. I ask you to do the same…

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

“I Am Only A Child” Youtube Video Example that Children Know More than Our Governments

December 21, 2010

Why is it that a young girl can speak so eloquently about global challenges that we as adults stumble over?

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

Surfrider Foundation Teams Up with Protect Our Winters

December 14, 2010

The Surfrider Foundation, the leading name in beach and coastal protection, has teamed up with Protect Our Winters, the top non-profit from the world of snow sports to offer a combined membership that will allow boardsports enthusiasts to protect where they play.

Founded three short years ago, Protect Our Winters has quickly established itself as the leading environmental voice in the snow sports industry. During that time the group has successfully worked to place several solar energy projects in rural communities, appeared before Congress on Capital Hill, and inspired the environmentally-themed film project “Generations.”

For over twenty-five years the Surfrider Foundation has led in beach and coastal protection.  As the original and largest non-profit in the action sports community, Surfrider Foundation has been instrumental in keeping our coastal waters clean through their Blue Water Task Force program, and protecting world-class beaches and breaks such as Trestles from development.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be teaming up with Protect Our Winters,” says Surfrider Foundation CEO Jim Moriarty. “This is a great opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to support two great organizations in protecting our playgrounds, be they sea or summit.”

To be a part of the action, Protect Our Winters / Surfrider Foundation is offering a dual membership for just $40 annually – a $5 savings off buying both memberships separately.

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

Bu Dongwei, Former Prisoner of Conscience, Asks All to Write For Other’s Rights and Help Prevent Torture

December 4, 2010

In the evening of May 19, 2006, six to seven police suddenly broke into my home. They searched everywhere. But all they found were several books – words on paper.

These books were used as “evidence” against my activities as a practitioner of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which is banned in China.

Possession of these books led to my torture and persecution inside a Chinese labor camp for two and a half years.

The Chinese government tried to use these words on paper to imprison me, but it was your words on paper that helped set me free.

Your letters will stay in my heart forever.

Send a letter of hope and make a difference in someone else’s life, as many of you did in mine.

My personal case is a witness – your letters make a difference.

I felt the attitude of the guards change toward me for the better when your letters came in. Although I did not see the letters when I was in the labor camp, I knew that I was not alone. The guards knew that Amnesty International and its supporters stood behind me.

From my experience, I know that the attention and pressure from the international community can help improve the conditions of jailed people.

Write for Rights is an important action. Only through the joined efforts of upright and kind people, like you, can we stop the injustice in the world.

Please say that you’ll Write for Rights now. Your words can open prison doors. They can stop torture and prevent executions. Your words can make a difference.

Thank You,

Bu Dongwei
Former prisoner of conscience

**Amnesty International is asking that people send the letters between December 4 – 12 to make a collaborative statement.

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

High Fives Sponsored Athlete Grant Korgan in the Mountains Again After 7 Months of Healing

November 23, 2010

A little inspiration…

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Posted by Shanie Matthews

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