Hal Eisner's Blog

You know from watching television every news story is different in nature and presentation. The pictures -- the sound -- the mood. They can make us think, laugh -- cry. Sometimes a story just does one of those things -- sometimes, all three!

This story was the result of looking at a brochure. My news director Jose Rios telling me he got the brochure in the mail about holiday cards made by kids with cancer designed to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. He asked me to check it out. I did. It didn’t take long to realize there was a big story behind this little brochure.

Last month photographer Ollin Martinez and I traveled to Irvine to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. When we get there, outside the PCRF offices, we’re met by some parents, a little boy on a skateboard and others waiting for us to arrive. We would soon learn about the program’s holiday cards. The organization celebrating its 25th anniversary had sold these kid-created cards for 21 years. But, what would follow over the next few days and weeks would test even my own emotions.

While interviewing 4 of the programs young people, some of their parents and PCRF Executives, I put a call out to Joe Sachen. Joe’s daughter Savannah made a card to help in the fight against pediatric cancer. She never got to see her card sold. She died May 18th.

The card -- so cute. “Merry Kissmas,” it reads. Savannah’s drawing? Santa and Mrs. Clause stealing a smooch. But there would be no return calls .. not until almost midnight. “Hal, it’s Joe Sachen. I just got back from Hawaii and got your message.” He was just back from the big island where he, his wife Lisa and their kids scattered Savannah’s ashes off the coast of Kona. Joe and I made plans to speak the next day.

The next day, while he wasn’t sure he wanted to go public, Joe Sachen was sure he wanted to do whatever he could to fight pediatric cancer. He had even created a website in his daughter’s name called SavannahsOrganicRanch.com. We made plans to meet the next week.

As photographer Sean Lewis and I headed for the Sachen’s Orange County home, I thought our interview would be an element of the bigger piece we had already shot, but it was quite the opposite, the element was powerful. Joe and Lisa, so candid, they shared not only their feelings of losing a daughter while trying to keep her from feeling fear, but also the last video ever made of Savannah. It was a Mothers Day gift. The little girl’s smile .. a gift to behold.

This was supposed to be an interesting story about kids making cards to raise money to help fund research to save the lives of kids with cancer. It was now that and a story of where that cancer leads when it comes to children. A tough story to write afterall Peyton, Natalie, Meta and Andrew were so uplifting. Savannah’s story … so sad.

What we ultimately shared on television, and now this website, is a presentation of tragedy vs. bravery - a tragedy from pediatric cancer by a child who, with others, are trying to do something very positive – helping other kids by raising money for more research.

Click here to watch the story, called "Kids Helping Kids by Making Cards to Fund Cancer Research."

Click here to watch the Web Extra on the story. Nancy Franks, Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, and Scott Evans, Director of Development, show us some of the cards in this year’s holiday card collection, ornaments and other items made by kids with cancer.

Click here to find out where you can find the cards, and how you can be a part of this inspiring story yourself!