THE STORY OF MISSION REMISSION

By Vanessa Velez

Behind each person is a gathering of people, who lay the groundwork, through aid and encouragement, for the foundations of a life. They manage to, brick by brick and block by block, build a city based upon the steady frames of friendship. At the 6th Annual 4th Street Arts and Music Festival, you will see this city thriving.

"Mission: Remission" is about people who are held together by the same ideals and beliefs; uniting together under the canopy of a shared vision, who are willing to contribute their best talents to a single cause. As Jeanne Caldwell, the inspiration behind this foundation, said, “Its about having empathy for people in the same situation, and sometimes the best possible way to countermeasure the fear is by individuals gathering together to create a positive environment for a negative situation.” "It's always been about friends helping friends" says, her son, Jesse Caldwell, "helping friends, where ever and when ever."


Only a few years ago, Jeanne was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. When asked about the subject, all Jesse could state was “I’m frightened.” However, according to Jeanne, when it comes to her condition, there is nothing to fear. "You must face the things you fear the most and overcome them," she states in her blog, cancerwhatelseisnew.blogspot.com. "Everyone's life is scary sometimes. But try when you can to just look at what you fear. Look at it right in the eye and spit."

A career nurse familiar with the toll a threatening disease can take on a family, she has been an active participant in Race for the Cure, a member of Gilda's Club, and a guest panelist on local New Jersey talk shows alongside interim Governor Cody. When asked about how she wants her children to feel about her condition, Jeanne states "I want my children to feel strong and secure. They need to acknowledge the fear and insecurity that this disease brings out in everyone, but like me, I want them to be strong and not let their emotions take over. I want my children to feel empathy for anyone who is going through what we are going through and have the strength to help others in the same situation if and when they can."

As we all know, the Caldwells are not alone in their struggle. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2008 alone, 745,180 men and 692,000 women were diagnosed with some form of cancer within the United States. Behind each one of those individuals is a family—a Jeanne Caldwell persevering through the challenge, despite the condemning statistics, and a Jesse trying to help and ease the situation in anyway possible.

“Mission: Remission” began as nothing but an idea proposed by Jesse in the Fall of 2008, after attending the 4th Street Arts and Music Festival in downtown Jersey City. There he found a community of artists, musicians, and local businesses who united for one weekend in October to celebrate the people who have transformed the area into a hub of sub-cultural diversity. "To me, personally, it was amazing," he states. “I spent my day surrounded by local artists, vendors, musicians, skaters, and friends. It was a beautiful and inspiring day for me."

Now, in 2009, “Mission: Remission” has come into full-form, created to celebrate and support the people who have transformed our own lives who have fallen victim to a cancer, a disease that every health official says is incurable. But daunting statements such as these have not stopped the people behind “Mission: Remission” from searching for their own solutions to the problem. Jesse and his wife, Stephanie Caldwell, have developed their own antidote when an actual cure for cancer seems hidden far off in the glare of the future's horizon.

Through outstanding efforts on the part of the Caldwells, as well as the community of downtown Jersey City, the once seed of an idea has grown into a collective enterprise. During this summer alone, over 50 local artists have contributed their work to the silent auction hosted by “Mission: Remission” for the 4th Street Arts and Music Festival. A Mac and Cheese Bake-Off hosted by 58 Gallery and organized by Marc Caterina and the Caldwells for “Mission: Remission”, as well as the festival itself, also brought in almost $2000 in donations.All proceeds from the fundraiser during the festival will be donated to supporting Gilda's Club (www.gildasclub.org), a foundation which focuses on helping people with cancer, as well as their family and friends, learn how to live with the disease, the Maureen Fund (http://www.humcfoundation.com/site/PageServer?pagename=SpotlightMaureenFund), a fund which focuses on the prevention and early detection of ovarian cancer hosted by Hackensack University Medical Center, and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.ocrf.org/), which is the largest privately funded agency dedicated to the research of ovarian cancer.



This year’s 4th Street Arts and Music Festival is just a cornerstone for “Mission: Remission”. In the years to come, you will be sure to hear more about the new ways the people involved have come up with to bring awareness of the disease to the general public. The foundation welcomes everyone, from friends to families, to join in a day of celebration for the brave souls who live day to day with this condition. A solution for cancer doesn't necessarily have to come in the form of a pill or an injection, nor in the shape of the blade of a knife gleaming under a blinding operating room lamp. We can create our own cure through our own personal ingenuity and efforts by bringing happiness to all the people affected by the disease and uniting in solidarity with their families to remind them that we, as people of this city, are here to help them in pursuit of a cure.