Update on "Sahara's Law" Senate Bill 35 in Missouri!

Amy and Shannon Aldridge with a photo of their daughter, Sahara.

(Photo Courtesy of Jamie Holcomb)

Last March, I blogged about an incredible meeting that took place between my friend, Amy Aldridge, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri and State Senator Wayne Wallingford. In that meeting, Wayne graciously listened to Amy as she spoke about her late daughter, Sahara. Tragically, Sahara passed away at age 13 from complications of a malignant Glioblastoma brain stem tumor. She fought it valiantly for 17-months, and captured the hearts of many thousands of people nationwide with her sweet personality. Since that time, Amy and her husband, Shannon, have worked tirelessly to help fund pediatric cancer research. At the conclusion of their meeting, Wayne asked Amy to send him any information she could about Sahara's story. Out of this conversation, a wonderful House Bill has emerged!

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On Tuesday of this week, Senator Wallingford's office notified Amy that "Sahara's Law" (Senate Bill 35) will be introduced to the Senate Ways and Means Committee in Missouri, on either January 24th or 31st. If passed, this legislation will allow a check box to appear on Missouri State Income Tax Returns that will allow Missourians to donate $1 of their refund to pediatric cancer research. All funds will go to Cure Search-The National Childhood Cancer Foundation. This funding initiative is a wonderful way to honor Sahara's memory. However, Amy needs our help.  

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 Senator Wayne Wallingford
(Photo: Courtesy of Southeast Missouri State University)

A Simple Way to Help

To those of you who may be reading this post from another district in Missouri, please e-mail your local Senators to support this bill, as well. Although I do not live in Missouri, I'd like to encourage you to join me in sending an e-mail to Representative Wayne Wallingford at: wayne.wallingford@senate.mo.gov.

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Please thank him for his help, and let him know that you believe in and support this legislation. This urgent issue crosses all party lines. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent. Research costs money, and pediatric cancer research funding is falling woefully short of the mark! It's important to demonstrate how many people are behind this worthwhile effort. For this reason, the passage of House Bill 35 will go a long way to help uncover the causes and cures for pediatric cancer.

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Sahara Aldridge

Sahara Aldridge was born in 1994. She was 12 years of age when I first learned about her during a CNN Headline News broadcast in late October, 2006--as I recall. Back then, CNN was still using the "scrolling line of script" along the bottom of the television screen during newscasts. The script simultaneously posted news, in addition to stories being presented live on camera by the network's news anchors. It was here that I first noticed Rick's name, a phenomenal guitarist whom I've always admired. Rick had met Sahara at one of his Las Vegas performances several years earlier. He described meeting the five year-old in his highly detailed Memoir, "Late, Late At Night". During a meet-and-greet with Rick after one of his shows in Las Vegas, Sahara bound in and out of the lengthy line of fans backstage, who fell for her instantly. Noticing Sahara's excitement, fans stepped back to allow her to run forward and meet Rick. As it turned out, Sahara's mother, Amy, had been a fan of Rick's from the time she was Sahara's age. When the news of Sahara's medical diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor reached Rick, he responded by organizing a powerful fund raising concert with his band in Sahara's hometown to help defray her medical costs. In the days that followed, I was merely one of many hundreds of thousands (if not more) who learned about this precious little girl on Rick's website. Stories were shared about how she could light up a room with her infectious smile, energy and laughter. Sahara earned the nickname of "Hoops" from her love of playing basketball. Local residents at Rick's "A Concert for Sahara" in her hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri shared stories with me of a sensitive and caring girl who was wise beyond her years. During a hospital stay in Houston, Sahara dispatched her father, Shannon, to purchase crayons and coloring books for other "sick kids" on the hospital unit, using her own birthday money. This was the sweet little girl we fans came to know. Sahara loved her parents and enjoyed cats, dogs, shopping, cheesecake and whenever possible--attending Rick Springfield concerts--especially in Las Vegas, with her mother, Amy. Over the years, the Australian rock legend remained friends with Sahara and her family. In late 2007, Sahara died of complications from her brain stem tumor. 

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 Amy, Rick Springfield and Shannon at "Hoops for Life" Concert, 2012

(Photos Courtesy of Jamie Holcomb) 

Rick Springfield continues to honor Sahara's memory, and appeared in concert last summer at the Annual "Hoops for Life" 5K Walk/ Run, an event organized by The Aldridge's to raise funds for childhood brain cancer research.

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 Sahara Aldridge's Basketball Jersey Number

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Days from now, Representative Wallingford will stand on the Missouri State Senate floor to introduce  "Sahara's Law". Amy Aldridge will testify before the committee as well. Let's stand with her.

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