The Mother’s Day Reason One More Moment Exists
• Jason Pohlonski, Founder & Executive Director

The Mother’s Day Reason One More Moment Exists

Mother’s Day has a way of bringing certain memories closer.

For some people, it is a day of flowers, brunch, phone calls, cards, and family photos. For others, it is a quieter day. A day where the absence is louder than the celebration.

For me, Mother’s Day is deeply connected to the reason One More Moment exists.

One More Moment was created in memory of my mother, and it came from a feeling I will never forget: the feeling of wishing I had one more ordinary moment with her.

Not one more grand trip.
Not one more perfect day.
Not something expensive or elaborate.

Just one more simple moment.

One more conversation.
One more cup of coffee.
One more chance to sit together without rushing.
One more memory that did not have to be big to matter.

When someone you love is facing cancer, the things that matter most often become very clear. Time feels different. A simple visit can mean everything. A familiar place can feel like a gift. A meal together, a drive, a game, a lake view, a quiet afternoon, or one more chance to be surrounded by family can become the memory everyone holds onto.

That is the heart behind One More Moment.

Why One More Moment Was Created

One More Moment exists to help adults in Michigan who are facing Stage IV, advanced, or metastatic cancer experience meaningful Moments with the people they love.

We use the word “Moment” intentionally.

A Moment does not have to be extravagant. It does not have to look like a vacation or a once-in-a-lifetime event. Sometimes it is something simple that cancer, cost, timing, transportation, fatigue, or logistics have made difficult.

It might be one more family dinner.
One more visit to a favorite place.
One more day near the water.
One more sporting event.
One more chance to see someone important.
One more quiet experience together.

The size of the Moment is not the point.

The meaning is.

When my mother was sick, I learned how much those moments matter. I also learned how quickly they can become hard to create. Life does not pause because someone is sick. Families are tired. Decisions are overwhelming. Medical appointments take over the calendar. Finances get stretched. And sometimes, by the time everyone realizes what they wish they could have done, the window has already started to close.

One More Moment was created to help families before that window closes.

Mother’s Day and the Gift of Time

Mother’s Day is often about gratitude. It is about honoring the women who shaped us, loved us, raised us, supported us, challenged us, and gave us pieces of who we are.

But for families facing late-stage cancer, Mother’s Day can also be a reminder that time is not guaranteed.

That does not mean the day has to be defined by sadness. In many ways, it can be the opposite. It can be a reminder to be present. To say the thing. To make the call. To take the picture. To create the memory while there is still time.

That is what One More Moment is trying to protect.

Not just experiences.

Time.
Presence.
Connection.
Dignity.
Memory.

Because when families look back, they rarely talk about how perfect everything was. They remember who showed up. They remember the sound of someone’s voice. They remember the laughter. They remember the quiet ride home. They remember the way it felt to be together.

What a Moment Can Mean

One of the most important things for people to understand is that a Moment does not have to be complicated.

For an adult facing advanced cancer, a meaningful wish may be as simple as removing the barrier between a family and something they deeply want to do together.

That may mean helping with travel.
It may mean coordinating an experience.
It may mean helping family members gather.
It may mean making a favorite outing possible.
It may mean creating one peaceful day that feels less like treatment and more like life.

Every request is different because every person is different.

The common thread is that the Moment is meaningful to the person and family receiving it.

That is why One More Moment is not built around a checklist of impressive experiences. It is built around people.

A Renewed Mission

This Mother’s Day also marks a renewed season for One More Moment.

We recently refreshed our website to make the mission clearer and make it easier for people to request a Moment, donate, partner with us, or share the organization with someone who may need it.

That matters because One More Moment cannot do this work alone.

We need families to know this resource exists.
We need oncology teams, hospice workers, social workers, churches, and community members to know they can refer someone.
We need donors who believe that one meaningful memory is worth protecting.
We need businesses and partners willing to help create these Moments across Michigan.

Most of all, we need people to understand that adults facing late-stage cancer deserve meaningful wishes, too.

Children’s wish organizations are widely known, and they do beautiful work. But adults facing cancer often have wishes that are just as meaningful and families who are just as desperate for one more memory together.

One More Moment exists for them.

Why This Matters to Me

This work is personal.

It will always be personal.

I did not start One More Moment because I wanted to create another organization. I started it because I know what it feels like to wish for one more ordinary day with someone you love.

I know what it feels like to look back and realize that the small moments were never small.

That is why this mission matters so much to me.

If One More Moment can help another family create the memory they will one day be grateful they had, then the work is worth it.

If we can help someone with late-stage cancer feel seen, honored, and surrounded by love, then the work is worth it.

If we can help a family have one more story to tell, one more photo to hold, one more day that felt like theirs again, then the work is worth it.

This Mother’s Day, Help Create One More Moment

This Mother’s Day, I am thinking about my mom.

I am thinking about the moments I had with her, the moments I wish I had, and the families right now who are trying to make the most of the time they have.

That is why One More Moment exists.

If this mission speaks to you, there are a few simple ways to help.

You can share One More Moment with a family who may need us.
You can refer someone facing Stage IV, advanced, or metastatic cancer.
You can make a donation to help fund a future Moment.
You can partner with us if your business, organization, or community group wants to help.

A Moment does not have to be big to be unforgettable.

Sometimes, one more simple day together is everything.

Request a Moment
Who Qualifies
Donate to One More Moment
Partner With Us
Contact One More Moment

About the Author

Jason Pohlonski is the Founder and Executive Director of One More Moment, a Michigan-based nonprofit created to help adults facing Stage IV, advanced, or metastatic cancer experience meaningful Moments with the people they love.

One More Moment was inspired by Jason’s personal experience with his mother’s cancer journey and the realization that, near the end of life, even a simple moment together can mean everything. Through One More Moment, Jason and the organization work to provide dignity, connection, and meaningful experiences for adults and families navigating late-stage cancer.

About One More Moment

One More Moment grants meaningful wish experiences for adults in Michigan who are facing Stage IV, advanced, or metastatic cancer and who lack the resources to create that Moment on their own.

Every request is reviewed with care. Eligibility may include Michigan residency, a qualifying cancer diagnosis, financial or logistical need, and confirmation from an oncology provider.

Nonprofit Verification

One More Moment is a registered nonprofit organization. Visitors can verify the organization through official nonprofit resources, including the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and Candid/GuideStar.

Privacy and Medical Information

One More Moment respects the privacy of every applicant, family, and referral partner. Medical and personal information submitted through a Moment request is used only to review eligibility and coordinate the request.

For more details, please review our Privacy Policy.

Contact

One More Moment
Founder & Executive Director: Jason Pohlonski
Website: https://www.onemoremoment.org