Maria’s Field of Hope
I have heard about Maria’s Field of Hope for a few years and I have always wanted to see what it was all about, well this year we did. It was the most emotional and beautiful walk I have ever taken.
This is how they raise some money for brain cancer.
This sign is at the beginning of the trail and the beautiful little girl, Maria, was the inspiration behind this organization.
Children that have passed away from cancer have their pictures placed all through the sunflower field in the walkway. This is only a few of them.
There are message like these tied to the sunflowers all through the sunflower field in the walkway.
Did you know that once the sunflowers are mature they always face East?
There were so many sunflowers.
I hope you enjoyed Maria’s Field of Hope as much as I did. If you want to learn more about the organization check out their website @ http://www.PrayersFromMaria.org.
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
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Amazing initiative
Yes it definitely is, thank you for reading. 🌻
What a wonderful concept. The pictures with the dates and all the notes were very touching but also stand as a fitting and lovely way to remember those who were taken too early. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Lori it is a day I will never forget! 🌻
Maria’s Field of Hope is really beautiful with the photographs of those innocent children who died of venomous disease. Thanks a lot for sharing.Take care.🌹👍🙏
Thank you! There were so many children’s pictures throughout the walk and we made sure to notice them all. 🌻
Yes,the photographs of children has made the post really unique.Most welcome.🌹👍🙏
Once again I can’t connect to your site. Send me your site and I will put it in my favorites so I have it.
https://amessiah.blog
Thank you!
Most welcome.🌹👍🙏
Most welcome madam.🌹👍🙏
Thank you very much madam.🌹👍🙏
Thank you for sharing this. Looks like a great organization!
I think so too Melea! Thank you for reading about it. 🌻
Awesome post! 🌻
Thank you Lena it was an emotional day. 🌻
this is amazing and such a lasting tribute. my nephew passed away from a pediatric cancer, i’d love to place his picture there one day
I’m sure you could find out on their website. I didn’t know much about it until we went last week. It’s so hard to lose a loved one but a child, no words can say! I’m so sorry about your nephew!
Thank you
Nice topic you have handle.
Thank you it was a very emotional walk. 🌼
It’s nice you have turned your way for a while.
What a moving experience that must have been!
Yes it was and one I am glad I experienced. Thank you! 🌻
You are most welcome
Sad, but a beautiful way to honor the memory of a loved one. This bought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing and bringing awareness of such a beautiful memorial of those precious children.👣
Well said Georgetta! I will never forget that field! 🌼
😇👣
This is heartbreakingly beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Diane <3
Yes I can’t tell you how we felt when we left. The grandkids kept taking about it too. 🌼
My dear mother in law died of brain cancer—she gave her body to research. 🙏🏻
Wishing you well, Diane😊
I’m so sorry it sounds like she had a good heart to do that! Stay safe and healthy! 🌼
How wonderful
What a beautiful idea. Thank you, dear Diane – amitiés de tout coeur 🙂
You are very welcome. It really touched my heart and I had to share it.
Beautiful, Diane. Thank you for sharing this joy and hope.
Blue Rock Horses Frederick County, Virginia bluerockhorses.com
Your welcome Mitzy. I will never look at a sunflower the same again. 🌼
Me either, Diane!
Oh wow! This is so beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time! It’s wonderful that they are doing that, though.
Yes a great fundraiser for brain cancer and a way for the families to have some closure. 🌼🌼🌼
Beautiful. We need more of this.
I agree Matt! It reinforces the good in this world. 🌼
Such a beautiful tribute to these precious little ones. Thank you for sharing it.
I agree and you’re welcome. 🌼
What a special place. I have a close family member who is a survivor of brain cancer. Amazing medicine and lots of prayers for all. Thanks for sharing.
What a lucky and blessed family member Betty! It sounds like brain cancer is a tough one to survive according to what I read on their sign and website. Prayers to your family member for continued success!
I’m crying as I read. Thank you for sharing! I would love to see this soon too.
As sad as it was to see the children that have passed and the touching messages, it was almost calming knowing they didn’t die in vain. Hopefully, someday, the money that is raised will save the lives of other children.
I pray it will. Thank you for being part of the awareness for this organization.
I hadn’t heard of this before but after looking at your pictures and reading your blog it I am so touched. What a special place
I honestly had no idea either other than it had to do with cancer but that was it. We were so moved after viewing this.
Beautiful 🌻
It really was Ally, thank you!
Where was this? I would love to go. The one in North Ridgeville, Ohio did not get planted this year. I was hoping that this charity was still in existence. Thank you for sharing!
Your captures are gorgeous!
Thank you Nancy! They put it right off of the Cedar Point causeway. You can’t miss it.
This is soooo beautiful and makes me want to go!!! thanks for sharing!!!
It really was Cindy and the meaning behind it was even more beautiful than the sunflowers.
I can definately see why. those beautiful faces were really something to see.. ❤️
Gorgeous photos Diane and a lovely message of hope. We have something similar here in memory of a 2year old who died of a brain tumor, but I have not been yet. I did not know that about them facing east.
They said as they grow they follow the sun but once mature they stay facing east. Thank you Joni!
What an incredible – and emotional! – experience. Thank you so much for sharing 🌻
It definitely left an impact on me. Thank you Cate! 🌻
This is beautiful Diane – both the field of sunflowers and the concept behind it. It would be both sad and inspirational to go through. I got lost and didn’t make it to the sunflower festival last year, but have another one in mind to try – it is just an empty field where Ford Motor Company planted sunflower seeds. You can visit, but not pick them. There’s no admittance fee, etc., it is just a place to gaze at the field of sunflowers. I Googled around as it is not an event, I can’t find any info. I was hoping to go Sunday if it doesn’t rain. I did not know they all faced the East when mature. That is amazing. Thanks for sharing these pictures.
It deserves being shared as it is such a great cause. I hope you get to go and I can’t wait to see your pictures!
Yes, it is a good cause. Ford Motor Company had a field of sunflowers years ago when I went to school in Dearborn near Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. It was along the service drive of the expressway and I had to pass it every night. I took the service drive home as less traffic. I took my mom to see it and I don’t know why we didn’t take photos of the sunflowers – they took up the equivalent of a city block. But they cleared the field and paved it over and made a AAA Insurance Company building there instead. I Googled around last year and discovered they have another one – it’s been there for about 7 years – not sure if it is still there or not. I wrote to the City of Dearborn Facebook site as I did last year when I discovered it – they said they were done for the year. Asked this year as it is nearby – got no answer. Going to assume so and going to go tomorrow. The article is old but if it’s still there, I’ll get some photos. I’m backed up on photos … I was out for 3 1/2 hours today at Lake Erie Metropark. Ford plants these sunflowers just for the birds:
https://www.pressandguide.com/news/sunflower-fields-brighten-up-ford-world-headquarters-in-dearborn/article_7df7560f-7294-5430-b8e4-33a1eca09291.html
Wow I didn’t know they attracted things like fox etc. That is a wonderful thing Ford does for nature. Thank you for sharing the link! What a beautiful day to spend at the park. We took my MIL and grandson to visit my son’s family for a cookout. It was wonderful but hot.
I didn’t know that either Diane. I have my directions so off once it is light, while it is cooler. I wish it had stayed cooler. I hope they planted seeds this year – I will try both fields they mention.
Beautiful post, Diane! Thank you for sharing. 🌻💚
My pleasure Patty this was worth sharing. 🌻
Looks loke you figured it out….how did you get your photos in frames like that?
I clicked to corner and dragged each picture to the size I wanted. I never cared for the gigantic pictures of food.
ahhhhh
such an incredible and emotional experience! thanks for sharing with us!
Yes it was very emotional, thank you!🌻🌻🌻
This is such a beautiful way of honoring these kids.
I agree Kristen!🌻
Loved this heartwarming post, beautiful pics and lovely memories
Thank you it definitely left an impact on me. 🌻
What a beautiful and important place. Thank you for sharing the photos and your experience, Diane.
You’re welcome Linda.🌻
A beautiful post with some beautiful photos. I love the way sunflowers shine. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Barb! I will never forget the experience. 🌻🌻🌻
Awesome 🌻🌻
It is isn’t it? A very touching walk for sure. Thank you! 🌻🌻🌻
I did not know of this organization. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Laurel! 🌻
This is so very moving, Diane. Thank you for sharing this with us! A wonderful initiative. Death is always sad but I always find it especially more so when it’s young children who have their potential cut short.
I didn’t know that sunflowers always face East upon maturity. How interesting.
It was a walk I will never forget. It made me remember how lucky I am. Children should not die before the parents, so sad!
Yes they follow the sun all day while young then face East at maturity. Such a fun fact.
What a beautiful name for a beautiful field of sunflowers 🙂
I agree Margaret! Maria was such a beautiful little girl. Thank you 💕💕💕
You’re welcome Diane. Am on desktop today as cant access site on I phone!! Sorry, can’t send any hearts 🙂 🙂 🙂
Very emotional story, this. No child should ever know this pain. That is not what childhood is supposed to be for.
Amen!!!!
Well Diane, I drove to the sunflower farm – guess what? I had to drive through three construction areas (not fun) and it was 78 and humid when I got there and the sunflowers were only up to my hip, and the green leaves were not even unfurled to show the bud, let along being in bloom! What a disappointment. And I wore long pants and took along a lightweight shirt to put over my top in case there were bees (or other bugs) in the sunflowers. Not happy about that at all – I took 8 photos of the field and will use it in a post down the road (probably). On top of it, this was the 20-acre field and a good portion of it was sparse. There were no signs at all, just a “private property – do not trespass” sign. I am assuming they were the sunflowers since it was at Mercury Drive/Michigan Avenue but they looked no more like sunfflowers than I do. 🙂 When I was driving in the country two weeks ago, I stopped at a farmer’s field – he had a small garden with sunflowers planted there – maybe 8 or 10 of them. Not a lot in a corner of his property. Too some pics and will spin that into a Wordless Wednesday post. I wanted to see a field of them. Next year, I will try to find the place I was supposed to go to last year – with COVID issues, I won’t go this year.
Awww how disappointing Linda! Things are just so weird this year. Stick to the metroparks they bring so much joy.
I agree Diane – luckily I took a few shots in the farmer’s field when I was out in the country at Crosswinds Marsh, so I got a “mini-sunflower fix” … I will use those pictures in a post down the road. Then, on top of it there was a sign that said “private property – no trespassing” … I took a picture of that too, so it makes me wonder if people had somehow caused damage. There was a Ford building nearby and lots of cars in the parking lot- this is not a factory, administrative offices of some type and it surprised me the parking lot was that full on an early Sunday morning. You’re right – Metroparks bring joy … I spent 3 1/2 hours at Lake Erie Metropark Saturday morning.
So beautiful and moving. Thank you for sharing that inspired idea. It should be repeated in other places.
They have it in one other location but that is it. Thank you 🌻🌻🌻
I’ve never heard of the place… and what makes this post even more heartwarming is that the other day I saw a little bald girl (I’m assuming the baldness is cancer) and my heart just broke!
Have a nice week Diane <3
It is so hard to see kids suffer. Thank you for such heartfelt words. 🌻🌻🌻
What a beautiful field of sunflowers and great emotional message you shared here !! Thank you Diane !!💌
You’re welcome in left quite the impression on us. 🌻🌻🌻
A beautiful and very touching post. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you and you are so welcome. This was worth sharing.
How very touching.
It really was, thank you Tanja! 🌻🌻🌻
So beautiful and sad 🙁
I agree! 🌻🌻🌻
This is so perfect – what a beautiful farm and wonderful and touching concept.
Thank you for sharing … I hope to get some sunflowers going this summer!
Donna 🧚🏻♀️❤️🐝
https://donnadoesdresses.com
We were very emotional after walking through the sunflowers and seeing all the children that have died of cancer, so sad.
Your photos are incredible.
The signs of the children nearly made me cry. So young!!
Yes it was very touching and will stick with me forever! Thank you!
Yes me too! I will never forget that walk.
So beautiful and inspiring, though how sad that so many children have lost their lives this way.
It sure is Louise. I can’t imagine what their parents went through too! Nobody should ever have to bury a child.
Oh, I can only imagine how emotional this would be. My wonderful neighbour passed from Brain Cancer this summer, and although she is not a child, it was so sad to watch her suffer and go down hill. I am going to add this to my list of places to go that are not far from home. I really need to take a trip and just travel around Ohio, you have shown me so many places that I want to visit over the last few years Diane.
There is so much to do in Ohio. Have you visited the islands yet? Kelly’s Island and Put-n-Bay? You can catch the boat from Sandusky or Port Clinton.
No, I have not, but will add that to my list. I have been to Columbus, but basically just for a hockey game. I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but that is about it.
Kelly’s Island is pretty much just bars but it has a glacier. Put in Bay is the best island to visit. Perry’s Monument, Butterfly house, cave, winery etc. Lot’s of little shops and rent a golf cart to tour the island and see all the homes.
I have always heard of Put in Bay, but had no idea it had so much stuff to do. Thanks.
You’re welcome!