Making Another Delivery!

I am headed to the hospital today to drop off a couple more Bandaid Boxes and some little goodie jars for Moms. I pulled out my scrapbooking stuff and wanted to make up something to give the parents who are sitting at the hospital today, waiting for doctors, tests, etc, so I thought these would be cute!

I hear the parents are really enjoying getting a gift, especially when they expect that it is for their child. I am also taking a couple of crossword puzzles, rolled up with a ribbon around them. Something to pass the time.

If anybody knows how to manipulate blogspot, please email me. I want to change the layout of our blog, but I need some expertise! Thanks!

With HOPE,
Tammy

Locks of Love in Mobile!!!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 28, from 2 pm til 5 pm. Fantastic Sam's is hosting an OCTOBERFEST for LOCKS OF LOVE!! Haircuts for the family will only cost $5 and hair donations will be taken. I am waiting on the manager to return my call and I will give you more information!!! Please go get an affordable haircut and thank these nice people for thinking of others (80 percent are children) who have no hair, due to either alopecia or chemo/radiation treatments. Check back later today for more information and the specific address of the Fantastic Sam's that is participating.

With HOPE,
Tammy

Yippee!

Thank you VERY MUCH to Ms. Rita & Ms. Reba! I received some great items yesterday, LOTS of Lysol wipes and more! Plus lunch was good! It was nice to meet you Reba & Danny!

I have had several requests for the silver bracelets, so I am going to start making and selling those too. I have a breast cancer style, as soon as I get a picture, I will post it. The money will still go to ChemoMoms, but cancer is cancer. We need to support and love all those who must deal with it.

If the basket checklist is too lengthy for you, how about this suggestion: Choose one item on the list, say, digital thermometers. Then ask your co-workers, Sunday School class, or soccer moms to donate a thermometer and collect those on a set date. Then contact me and we can coordinate a pickup point.

Thanks again for spreading the word about ChemoMoms!
With HOPE,
Tammy

Picking Up Speed...

I hate to bump down the post about Movie Night, but more things are coming for ChemoMoms!

Those of you who are familiar with Children's in Bham know about the Infusion Room at the back of Clinic 8. That is where kids receive chemo, blood/platelets, fluids, wait for bone marrows, etc.
In Mobile, they have the same kind of room, called USS Hope. (everything at USA Children's & Women's is an aquarium theme) So it is sorta like being in a submarine, and they have this big pretty cylinder aquarium that goes to the ceiling, anyways...

I have been trying to come up with an idea to help the ChemoMoms and Dads who don't get admitted, but still go to the Hope for cancer treatments. I have spoken with the nurses there and we have figured out a couple of things that ChemoMoms can provide.

1) Crossword puzzles/books - There is a possibility this will be provided soon. There really is nothing available for the parents who are waiting for HOURS on end except TV and internet, but we all know about these kids who love watching cartoons all day, so something more "mature" would be nice.

2) you know those microwaveable meals I ask for in the baskets? well sometimes, the parents don't eat because they are busy waiting on the doctor or taking care of their child, and then the cafeteria closes and it is back to the snack machine. I asked the nurse if we could donate some of those meals and the 2 nurses who work there will use their judgment as to when they would provide that to the parents. That is because we aren't sure if those meals will always be available due to donations, so we wouldn't want to "advertise" there always being a snack for the parents if we couldn't always provide them.

My latest project is a follow-up to the families who have already been on treatment for a while. A BAND-AID BOX. I found the one I used for Colette and this is a picture of it:




It is just a simple school box that is see-through, and in it I kept a digital thermometer, alcohol wipes, bandaids, measuring syringes and pills (usually nausea medicine), EMLA cream and tegaderms, and anything else I needed for Colette when we went out for the day. ChemoMoms will provide the box, a digital thermometer, and some special bandaids (characters or colored). The families will already have the rest of the stuff I mentioned, and they can use it according to their needs. I will also wrap this and include a card so it will be a gift, not just "here you go" type deal.

I will put a button on this website to allow purchase of one of these boxes for $10. The thermometers usually run $7-10, but I know how helpful that was for me to be able to toss the whole thing in my purse and go.

I have received a lot of feedback from the hospital staff about what we have done so far, and I think they are starting to get on board and offer other ways to help. Yay!

With HOPE,
Tammy

A Success!

I consider the Movie Night to be a great success! We had things much more organized, thanks to my great helpers & husband, and we had a larger parent response this time! I know how it gets eating the same old hospital food, and the parents were really receptive to take plates back to their rooms, but the plates were full, so that is great! We even had enough food left after the parents to invite the nurses down, and the 5th floor nurses actually followed me down in the elevator! haha!

Thanks to Mobile Popcorn for donating the popcorn and boxes! Thanks to all my great helpers! Thanks to Ms. Brenda, Ms. Michele & Ms. Ashley for helping with getting things set up!

Next on the calendar for ChemoMoms - THANKSGIVING DINNER at the hospital! Be thinking of what you want to donate - any traditional Thanksgiving dishes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc. Contact me for more information!

Also, don't forget today is CHILI'S donation for St. Jude! All profits from today, all day, go to St. Jude and their efforts to CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER! Go eat at Chili's!!!

Bracelets are STILL for sale!

With HOPE,
Tammy

Update on Movie Night!

Well, so far, I only have 2 appetizers committed for Saturday night. I still need help! I thought I would have 5 or 6 dishes for the parents to choose from. And we are not talking about 50 people either! There will only be a dozen or so parents! I just tell those interested, make as much as you would if you were just having some friends over for dinner or to watch the football game, nothing big!

So far, finger sandwiches and brownies have been promised, that's it! I still need some kind of dip and chips or crackers, and maybe meatballs or pigs in blankets or something like that. Please don't think that I have folks beating down my door, I DON'T!!! A lot of times, I know people think that someone else is doing it, so they aren't needed...WRONG! YOU ARE NEEDED!! I will drive to your house and pick this up after 12 on Saturday afternoon. Just email me and I will coordinate with you.

New ChemoKid for you guys to check on: Stash Phillips - Stash is from the Mobile area and has been in remission (brain tumor) for 9 months, but just relapsed with a different and bad kind of tumor. He and his mom are on their way home from St. Jude today. He will get treatment here at USA CWH! Click on his name and you can go to his website. Please leave his mom some encouraging words...she is completely overwhelmed, as I would be too.

OK - call your friends and ask them to make some dip or something! Then email me and let me know!!

With HOPE,
Tammy

Movie Night THIS SATURDAY!

Hey everyone! This Saturday night, Sept 22, is the Movie Night for the kids at USA Children's & Women's! I am super excited because this is such a fun and easy thing to do that will make a real difference while these kids are staying in the hospital.

I have heard of 1 maybe 2 adult helpers and 2 teens but I can always use more help. We are having popcorn (provided) and drinks (donated), but still need some candy. I thought of the big boxes of movie candy, like they have at Walgreen's 3 for a $1 right now. If not that, then we can get the little Halloween bags of candy, but please not Halloween symbols on any of it. It is not that holiday just yet!

I do need some big help with one part: can anyone make appetizers for the parents to enjoy in another room? Something like a dip, some meatballs, or any other finger foods, while the kids are watching the movie. That will give the parents a break, but they will still be close enough just in case there is a problem (IV beeping, child doesn't feel well enough to stay). We are only talking the same number of folks you would have over for a family birthday party or so, not too many.

Please EMAIL ME if you can make a dish and I will be happy to pick it up on Saturday late morning or early afternoon. email: chemomoms@yahoo.com Thanks!!!

With HOPE,
Tammy