Patient to Purpose
A journey that came full circle—now helping children and families feel less afraid of what’s ahead.
During treatment – 2013
Back at the same hospital—13 years later
What I thought was the flu became a life-changing diagnosis.
13 years later, I returned to the same hospital—this time holding my granddaughter.
This journey is why I write—
Mari Mitchelson is a cancer survivor, mother, grandmother, and founder of Bound For a Cure Publishing—a mission-driven brand created to support children and families navigating serious illness.
What began as what she thought was a simple illness quickly became a life-changing diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. In an instant, Mari was taken from her everyday life—her children, their sports, her friends, her tennis team, her career—and placed into a hospital bed for nearly a year.
During that time, Mari began writing as a way to process the emotions of being suddenly removed from everything she loved. Her stories were born from real experiences—what it felt like to face the unknown, to lose control, and to find strength in the most unexpected ways.
The Secret Side of Being Bald was inspired by her own experience with hair loss—something she surprisingly never felt bad about. Instead, she found confidence, strength, and even a sense of empowerment in it.
Get Down, Dr. Brown was written as a tribute to the doctors and nurses who became her world during treatment. They were more than caregivers—they were her social life, her confidants, and her friends. Their compassion, energy, and dedication left a lasting impact, and she remains deeply grateful for the role they played in saving her life.
Although the stories are written through the voice of a child, that voice came naturally. Inspired by a lifelong love of storytelling—especially the rhythm and imagination of Dr. Seuss—Mari found a way to express complex experiences in a simple, comforting, and approachable way.
Years later, Mari returned to the same hospital—not as a patient, but holding her newborn granddaughter. That full-circle moment continues to fuel her purpose and her mission.
Today, Mari donates her books to local children’s hospitals in the Portland area, with a goal of one day reaching children across the country. Her hope is that each child receives a book early in their diagnosis—before entering the hospital—so they can better understand what lies ahead and feel a sense of comfort from the very beginning.
Her mission is simple: to ensure no child faces illness without support, reassurance, and hope.