IHOP National Pancake Day

Sammi and I with a Children's Hospital patient and cancer survivor

February 28, 2012 was IHOP's National Pancake Day. On this day IHOP produces many short stacks of pancakes to give to customers free of charge, with the intention that those customers will donate the money they would have spent on dinner to the Children's Miracle Network. Since 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $8 million with their National Pancake Day. IHOP's goal for this year's National Pancake Day was $2.7 million! Although I had to work during the day, my boss and I visited the Bloomington IHOP for lunch and after work I met up with Miss Coon Rapids, Samantha Phillippi to talk with customers at the Coon Rapids IHOP. We had so much fun talking to guests about CMN and also hearing some families personal stories. There were many individuals who had received care at either Gillette or Children's Hospitals. There was one family that we spent a particularly long time talking to, for there son was near death just a couple years ago. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at a young age. His mother told us that for the longest time doctor's didn't know what was wrong. After having a fever for too long they took him to Children's were he was later diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He has now been cancer free for two years! He was such an inspiring individual to talk to and remind us why we love having CMN as our national platform!

Sammi and I with part of the IHOP crew