Hello Thursday!

Hi there. I am glad you found me.
I have not received any financial donations in a while, so I am asking if you want something to go directly to a certain mom, please type her name in while making a donation through Paypal. I receive the money immediately and I can go and purchase something for her the same day!

I am thinking Jensen's mom would really go for a salad from Olive Garden, especially since last month when no one was able to take her one. I can do it tomorrow, Friday, or on Saturday. Or both! :D

If you would like me to purchase something else for her, please let me know. I keep a supply of items used in the ChemoMoms baskets so I may create another little goody bag with hand sanitizer, lotion, chapstick, etc. just to have a "Thinking of You" gift to take her. Or, if anyone knows her favorite Bath & Body Works scent, I could pick up something there. I am more than willing to do anything for her. And I will make sure she knows who it's from - I am just the messenger!

With HOPE,
Tammy

Curing Childhood Cancer Tags

Did you know that anyone in the state of Alabama can purchase a Curing Childhood Cancer car tag when you renew your tag???

That's right - there is a tag available that costs an additional $50, but you can personalize it for nothing extra or take a random numbered one on the spot. Out of the $50 fee, $41.25 goes to Colette's doctor's office in Birmingham, UAB Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, located in Children's Hospital.

What if some of the folks who pay the $50 fee just to have their vehicle personalized actually chose a cancer tag instead? When Deidre Downs was Miss America, she promoted the tags since her platform was curing childhood cancer. She worked closely with Birmingham's Dan Sims, father of leukemia patient Janie Sims, who passed away a few years ago. Dan even provided gifts for Colette when she was in stem cell for Christmas 2005. I am proud to know another parent who was so driven to help other area kids, he created the Janie Sims Foundation and provided the whole parent lounge on 4 Tower at Children's.

So here is the deal - PLEASE tell your family and friends that they can REALLY help Colette and other children from around the state by purchasing the tag when they renew. You don't have to get it personalized, one we did and one we didn't. The first one we bought said CLTTE and that is the special one to me. You don't see a lot of folks in Mobile with these tags and that makes me sad!! When you go to Birmingham, you see TONS AND TONS - that was a game we played when we drove up the parking deck going to the hospital. We counted over 30 cars with the tags as we drove up the different levels. If you buy one, please let me know - Colette would like to send you a little gift for your thoughtfulness!

With HOPE,
Tammy

^Stash^

Another sweet baby has lost his battle against cancer here on earth - Stash Phillips

Please visit his caringbridge site to leave some encouragement for his family. They will have to adjust to their new life and I can't even pretend to know how they feel right now. Just telling them that people are praying for them and showing their encouragement is probably all we can do at this time.

With HOPE,
Tammy

What a Great Holiday!

I hope everyone had a great holiday - we did! Having been through cancer treatment only solidifies the importance of a holiday like Christmas - love, sacrifice, humility, faith and HOPE.

Fortunately, the little 2 yr old girl was able to go home on the night before I was to take the tree, so she could be home for Christmas and come back afterwards. So I still have a raspberry Christmas tree. BUT, other things happened. Stash's mom bought some gifts from her own money and wanted to take them to the kids, so I met her on Saturday morning and we passed out a wagon-full of gifts. Afterwards I took her to Spot of Tea since she had never been and it's such a girly place! We talked and had a few laughs. I think it was good for her and I was happy I was able to do it for her.

On Friday, I was able to meet with Jensen's mom. We talked for a while and it brought back a lot of memories for me, sitting in the room, the chemo smells, etc. It has been 2 years since Colette had chemo, but it is something you never forget. His mom set up a caringbridge site so go and leave them some encouragement!

I am also waiting to hear from the hospital when the little girl is able to have visitors again. I received some donated Christmas gifts for her (she is a cutie!) and I want to take them to her after her surgery.

With HOPE,
Tammy

Can't Wait!

I had breakfast with some very sweet friends of mine yesterday and told them about the tree. One was able to give me $10 towards some decorations. That donation, plus the donation from my super sweet helpful loving friend in Indiana - MEGAN - is all I have received for the tree, so I am going to try to make some stuff here at home. I can't show up with this awesome tree and only 10 ornaments on it!!! :o

I might even try to myspace all my youth at church to see if they can bring an ornament tonight to the Christmas party. It might be short notice, but it won't hurt to try!

So there are potentially 2 kids in Mobile with neuroblastoma now. A little boy and the little girl that we are doing the tree for. They are both 2 years old, that is the most common age for this type of cancer to appear. I am going to visit them today. I am going to take his mom a bracelet (see upper right side of this page). Pray he will be home for Christmas.

The little girl is the one we are doing the tree for. She will definitely be in the hospital for Christmas. I hope to meet that mom today as well. But I am saving a big surprise for them. I will update more on that later.

It's not too late if you want to paypal any money or just call me to pick up some ornaments. I plan to take it to the hospital tomorrow morning.

With HOPE,
Tammy

35 hits on the blog...

And I have only heard from one person. A lot of times, people (myself included) think, "Oh she will get plenty of responses, after all it is Christmas and who wouldn't want to help a baby in the hospital?" So no one emails or responds because they assume there will be plenty of help. Well that is not the case this time (nor is it usually!)

So here's the tree with no decorations. The color I asked for was strawberry, the color I got was RASPBERRY! haha It's ok, she is 2, but she will get older and then she will really love this color! (I hope! I can't wait to see their faces when I take this to the hospital! I will probably take it tomorrow, Friday.

Here's HOPING the tree won't be naked, :D
Tammy

ChemoMoms Needs Your Help!

Sorry for not posting sooner, but things have been hectic, the typical busy around the holidays.

When Colette was in stem cell 2 years ago, for Christmas, I picked up the cutest hot pink Christmas tree and ornaments. We still put it up each year and I try to add a few ornaments each year. Recently my brother was in Birmingham, and went to the store where I bought Colette's and they had one left in the box. He picked it up and I have been waiting to hear from the hospital if anyone would need it this year. Well I just heard today.

There is a 2-yr old little girl in the hospital for Christmas in Mobile! She is still waiting on a diagnosis, but they called me knowing I had the tree available. We all hoped NO ONE would be in the hospital for this holiday...so here is what I need your help with:

I need ornaments for the tree! The tree is only about 3 feet tall, so the ornaments need to be PLASTIC, SMALL and preferably things like Dora, My Little Pony, or Disney Princess. WalMart and Target usually carry the packs of 5 mini ornaments for around $7. I am going to pick up a white mini boa to use as garland, and I think I have a star. I also need WHITE LIGHTS. We just used our last set outside since our chasing lights died last year!

If this is something you would like to help with, please email me or respond to this post - we are on a time frame, so I would LOVE to bring it to her as soon as possible.

Also, another little boy in Mobile has been diagnosed with neuroblastoma. I am going to visit with his mom in the next day or so. She already received a basket, but I am going to take a lapghan to her when I go. I don't know if I have mentioned this, but a sweet lady named Rebecca has handmade mini-afghans for the moms in the hospital. They are a perfect size for sitting in the infusion room, doctor's office, or just being cozy at the hospital. They were prayed over with every stitch. They are so special and so soft!! I have already delivered one to a mom that I met at Thanksgiving. I think I am going to wrap this one in Christmas paper and let her open it.

I am also trying to come up with something special to do on Christmas Eve. I mean, how many folks will actually get visitors on Christmas Eve? It would be so cool to drop by and either give a card, or maybe I will take a bracelet to the moms who are stuck in the hospital on that special family holiday. I don't think there will be many though. I think it is one of the worst times of the year to be in the hospital, cancer or not.

Well, I've got lots to do! Let me know if you have any of those little ornaments or can pick up a pack of them. I will be happy to pick them up from anywhere in Mobile!

With HOPE,
Tammy