Hello There!

I hope everyone is getting into the school year ok! Now I am back into ChemoMoms in full swing since I have time again! haha

So I had some ideas and would like some input...

I would like to sponsor a Movie Night at the local children's hospital. Maybe play a DVD and have some movie type snacks just for the kids to get out of the rooms and maybe free up the
parents for a little while? It would even be cool to have the parents a special room set up with grown up appetizers and maybe a massage person?

Also, I have asked about the Thanksgiving plans around the hospital. I would LOVE to set up a nice dinner, complete with tablecloths, centerpieces and FRIED TURKEY! I have gone to a local mission to serve dinner to the homeless on Thanksgiving, but why not do it at the hospital?!! I am excited about this idea!

Let me know what you think! You can just post a comment below, or email me at chemomoms@yahoo.com

Check back later for more information!
With HOPE,
Tammy

Fourth of July Was a SUCCESS!

Thanks to everyone who donated to the party for USA Children's & Women's Hospital! The kids stayed in there with us more than 2 hours! I heard that one of the kids never leaves her room, but she hung out the WHOLE TIME with us!

We had ice cream sundaes/banana splits, cheeseburgers from McD's, watermelon, you name it! After the 2 hrs of crafts and music, we took the remaining crafts and balloons and cokes and burgers around the halls to all the folks who were unable to come to the party. It was really awesome to see them, all tucked in for the evening at 7:30 pm (that's just how it is inpatient) and we show up at the door with a stars and stripes balloon, drinks, and goodies! I wish I could do that every day!

I took pictures, but due to privacy issues, we can't post them online. I did learn that next time, I will get releases signed by the parents, then I can post them! We are already thinking forward to next year's party, to be held in a bigger room at the hospital. I am sure we will have a bigger turnout next year!

Please don't forget to donate. I have not needed a basket but I do have enough to get a couple made. I am sure we will be hearing from 2 families who are doing their pre-transplant workup right now. They will need gas money and food money, since they live 30 minutes past Mobile, and will be going to Children's in Birmingham. (This is the child I mentioned earlier, the one who stayed at the party the whole time.)


With HOPE,
Tammy

4th of July Party for kids!

So I am planning a July 4th party for the kids who are inpatient on Wednesday!

I still need your help to get everything finalized...
I plan to have banana splits, I have all the stuff except the bananas and ice cream
I would like to see if someone would donate a watermelon, the bananas and ice cream

I plan to get by Hobby Lobby on Monday or Tuesday to see if the manager will donate or give us a discount on some decorations or some red/white/blue leis or beads or ANYTHING! Whatever I buy will have to come out of my pocket, so the cheaper the better!

I have a few teens who said they would help at the hospital that afternoon. I plan to have the party at 5:30 pm. Since Jason is off that day, I hope we can get everything done early that afternoon. Since I can't drive and won't even be able to walk until the end of July, I need as much help as possible!

Can you help? Email me or call me if you can! 406-5820

With HOPE (for some volunteers and donated goodies)..
Tammy

ChemoMom in a Wheelchair!

Well I decided I needed some attention so I thought I would break my ankle and fibula! haha I actually was at youth camp in Talladega, AL, and stepped off a 4-inch sidewalk in the dark and broke my right leg. Talk about pain!!!

I am home now, but I can't walk on my foot for about 4 weeks. I had a 3-hour surgery on Thursday, so I am pretty much down for a while.

I have received 3 calls for ChemoMoms baskets at the local hospital! yay! I have enough to make 2 baskets but I haven't received any new supplies in a while. In fact, I will have to buy some shampoo/conditioner, some body wash, hand sanitizer and some Lysol antibacterial wipes.

If anyone would like to help, you can make a donation to my paypal account. I now have a debit card to use for that account so I can purchase ChemoMoms stuff separately. Even $10 would help me buy everything I need to finish the 3rd basket and possibly do 2 or 3 more!

Also, you can purchase items yourself and mail them to me. If you want my home mailing address, please email me and I will be more than happy to give it to you!

Thanks again!
With HOPE,
Tammy

Yahoo!!

We are finally back online again!!!

To get you caught up, we have only received $25 in donations since March! That means that I am still operating on my own extra money (which is basically non-existent) and donated items! HOWEVER, we HAVE received enough donated items that I have given away almost TEN baskets!!! whoo hoo! And I need to get a couple more up to the hospital because I took 3 last week and they were all used in the same day!

My next project is to create a Movie Night Bucket. I need donations of movie theater popcorn buckets and if you can't find that, please ask your local KFC for a couple of clean buckets. I can cover the outside with black movie paper or filmstrip designed paper (thanks to cool scrapbook stores) and then I also would ask for donations of new DVDs and movie-style candy. You can get a lot of those at Dollar Tree Stores, just please check the expiration dates. I want to have candy, a new DVD for the whole family, but with the child in mind, and popcorn and a 2-liter of coke or something like that. Wrap it up and it is a great thing to look forward to just to make that one night a little bit different.

Another thing I have done is to create a ChemoMoms Supply Box. In it I included chapsticks, shampoo/conditioners, feminine items and a few other things and decorate the storage box with our name and phone number. Now the nurses keep it stored in their personal area and if a mom is inpatient and needs something in the middle of the night, or whenever, the nurse can give her whatever she needs until she can get home or have someone run to the store for her! I have one box at USA Children's & Women's and I plan to take one to Birmingham when we return there June 25-27.

Sadly, I did have one family ask for help and I couldn't help them. Their son recently relapsed here in Mobile and will be traveling to Bham for transplant in the next month. The mom asked for some help with gas, but unfortunately, I didn't even have anything to give her. That really frustrates me because I told her nearly a month ago that if she needed anything to call, and she did, and I couldn't provide what she needed. Why?! Believe me, if I had an extra $20 or so, I would have definitely sent it to her, but I don't. I don't think the public understands how simple it is for someone to pick up an extra bottle of hand sanitizer, or one more container of Lysol wipes. That makes a HUGE difference to me and to these families! Put it all together and you are not only saving the family money, but also a trip to Wal-Mart or the grocery store on the 2 or 3 days that the family is actually at home! Plus, you can't take your child with you in public places, usually, so either grandma or aunt/uncle will also have to come over to babysit so Mom can go to the store!!

Please do what you can and help spread the word about what we are trying to do. I am currently working on throwing a July 4th Celebration at the hospital on July 4th. Two years ago, Colette and I were inpatient on July 4 and it was miserable, knowing that everyone around the country was celebrating with fireworks, hot dogs and watermelon, and she was not even able to see a single fireworks display!!! I am working with Child Life at the hospital to throw a party and try to make it a special night for the kids. Please let me know if you would like to help with this effort. Right now, it is just me!!

Thanks for reading!
With HOPE,
Tammy

We are getting famous!

I don't even know if that is proper grammar! But we have been on the news and in the paper lately, with promise of more to come!

The tv station has asked that I come and talk about ChemoMoms on their morning show! Maybe that will help generate some donations! I am also searching for some assistance with becoming non-profit status, if you know someone who can help with that, please let me know!

I still need any donated items either on the list, or any cash donations via paypal. I know of 3 families who will be traveling to Bham or St. Jude for transplant this summer and with the cost of gas these days, we need to start saving up for those trips now!

Please click the link above so you can help with financial donations!

Bad news!

First I need to apologize for the lack of updates. My computer is messed up at home and I have to travel to use one!
Sadly, I must inform you that we have cancelled the scrapbook crop fundraiser on May 12. Would you believe that not one person registered? Yep, it was not meant to be.

I guess I will need to come up with some other type of fundraiser to raise money for our group. I am still receiving items for the baskets and I am still making them, people are just starting to really start sending lots of good stuff. Also, I have received a nice couple of donations, so that is slowly building.

I would like to hear from some of you if you have ideas for raising money. You can leave a comment here or call me at 251-406-5820. I am trying not to become frustrated with the lack of interest in our group, because there is so much that can be done if just a few of us get together and make it happen!

With HOPE,
Tammy