Pediatric Cancer Toy Donations
Donation protected
Update:
If you're feeling generous and looking for a cause to donate to on this year's #GivingTuesday -- please consider donating to our efforts to raise money for toys for our local children's hospital. Last year we raised over $17,000!!!!!!! I placed the last order for toys yesterday, on Cyber Monday, with the remaining $1,000. I was able to get a lot of LEGO sets and other awesome toys for 50-60% off. So today, we have officially ordered $17,800 worth of toys to the hospital, because of your generosity! Thankful for all the support.
*Please note, this is a fund raiser for toy donations for our local Child Life location -- not a personal one*
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and each year thousands of people around the world unite to raise awareness and contribute whatever they can to this cause. This year will be the first year our family takes part in this collective effort to bring awareness to this very difficult topic, but it definitely won’t be the last.
We wanted to share our story about how our lives have been very recently impacted by a diagnosis no one saw coming. Like in any difficult situation, there has been a silver lining and we would like to share how helpful the local Child Life organization has been to our family, as well as thousands of others.
On June 18th, 2018, our son Matty was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (pre-B ALL), the most common type of cancer and leukemia in children. On a personal note, nothing about the word cancer in the same phrase as the word “child” seems common. About 3,000 people younger than age 20 are diagnosed with ALL each year in the United States.
At exactly 2.5 years old, to the day, our very happy and very healthy son came down with a high fever and severe leg pain that did not seem to be going away. 48 hours into what we were hoping was just a virus, we went to get his blood checked and received the dreadful news. “Matty’s blood work came back irregular. It looks like there are cancer cells present. Pack an overnight bag and head to the emergency room as soon as you can. Plan for a long stay.”
We did just that.
Once it was confirmed that there were, in fact, cancer cells present by a hematologist at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at RWJ University Hospital, we began the process of being admitted for our three-week-long stay. One of many to come. This was any parent’s worst nightmare, and out of nowhere, it was our reality. It was a lot to take in. Matty was terrified of anyone and everyone who entered our room. The nurses, doctors, and case workers were all scary strangers in his eyes and he was afraid they were going to hurt him -- and understandably so. On top of not feeling well and having to be on morphine for his bone pain, oftentimes he was being poked with needles, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors. If we were finally able to get him to fall asleep, he would be woken up shortly for a vitals check, at all hours of the night and day. For those three weeks, we did not sleep -- they were the most difficult weeks of our life. But there was someone who made them brighter.
Our second day at the hospital we were transferred to the pediatric oncology floor and met Sarah — a Child Life specialist. Sarah blew bubbles when Matt had to have his blood taken for what seemed like the 100th time in 24 hours. She also brought him a bag filled with toys to keep him busy while we dealt with the biggest life change we’ve ever experienced. She came in to check if we needed any DVDs to distract him while we talked to the doctors about something we could not wrap our minds around. After Matt’s port implant surgery on day three, she gave us a new toy to give to him when we got back to our room. As we navigated each new struggle, Sarah was there to help soften the pain.
Those three weeks were devastating. But at the same time, we could not stop thinking about how thankful we were that these situations have been thought through by someone else. Yes, we were going through the unimaginable, but we had a great support system around us. And those toys, DVDs and activities the Child Life office gave us access to were a big reason why Matty could go back to feeling like a normal kid, at least some of the time.
We can’t begin to count the amount of times that someone from the Child Life team saved the day with a new surprise for Matty in a moment of need in the last three months. Those toys have helped distract him and keep him busy during our emergency hospitalizations and spinal chemo procedures. Matt’s favorite Child Life specialist, Kim, always has something waiting for him when we come in -- as she does with so many other kids who have to come to the hospital for one reason or another. The treatment is long and tough, and our son is only two years old. So something as simple as a toy helps to make it better.
These toys have to come from somewhere, which is the reason we wanted to start this fundraiser. Toys have been a lifesaver for our family, and we would like to give back by donating toys to the Child Life department at RWJ. A toy cannot cure cancer, but it can make a stressful situation infinitely better -- whether it be a chemo clinic appointment, a 4 am emergency hospitalization, or a spinal tap procedure. If you would like to contribute to these littles ones and and help to put a smile on a child’s face, please donate below.
As for us, Matty is officially in remission as of July 18th and the chances of his cancer returning are low, as long as we continue treatment. He has three years of chemotherapy ahead of him -- standard time frame for this type of leukemia for boys (it’s two years for girls). We, as well as many others on the same path as us, have hundreds of chemo appointments and many hospitalizations ahead of us on this journey. We do our best to prepare with new toys in our emergency hospital bag, but we always seem to run out. It’s hard to keep up with the unknown -- never knowing when the next emergency visit will be.
Having experienced the generosity of the Child Life team first-hand, we’re grateful for any chance we have to support the incredible work they do. Just a small toy can make a world of a difference to the kids -- and families -- who are dealing with the painful reality that comes with a pediatric cancer diagnosis. We hope you’ll join us in making these families’ days just a little bit brighter, and bring a smile back to the little superheroes currently facing the fight of their lives.
If you're feeling generous and looking for a cause to donate to on this year's #GivingTuesday -- please consider donating to our efforts to raise money for toys for our local children's hospital. Last year we raised over $17,000!!!!!!! I placed the last order for toys yesterday, on Cyber Monday, with the remaining $1,000. I was able to get a lot of LEGO sets and other awesome toys for 50-60% off. So today, we have officially ordered $17,800 worth of toys to the hospital, because of your generosity! Thankful for all the support.
*Please note, this is a fund raiser for toy donations for our local Child Life location -- not a personal one*
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and each year thousands of people around the world unite to raise awareness and contribute whatever they can to this cause. This year will be the first year our family takes part in this collective effort to bring awareness to this very difficult topic, but it definitely won’t be the last.
We wanted to share our story about how our lives have been very recently impacted by a diagnosis no one saw coming. Like in any difficult situation, there has been a silver lining and we would like to share how helpful the local Child Life organization has been to our family, as well as thousands of others.
On June 18th, 2018, our son Matty was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (pre-B ALL), the most common type of cancer and leukemia in children. On a personal note, nothing about the word cancer in the same phrase as the word “child” seems common. About 3,000 people younger than age 20 are diagnosed with ALL each year in the United States.
At exactly 2.5 years old, to the day, our very happy and very healthy son came down with a high fever and severe leg pain that did not seem to be going away. 48 hours into what we were hoping was just a virus, we went to get his blood checked and received the dreadful news. “Matty’s blood work came back irregular. It looks like there are cancer cells present. Pack an overnight bag and head to the emergency room as soon as you can. Plan for a long stay.”
We did just that.
Once it was confirmed that there were, in fact, cancer cells present by a hematologist at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at RWJ University Hospital, we began the process of being admitted for our three-week-long stay. One of many to come. This was any parent’s worst nightmare, and out of nowhere, it was our reality. It was a lot to take in. Matty was terrified of anyone and everyone who entered our room. The nurses, doctors, and case workers were all scary strangers in his eyes and he was afraid they were going to hurt him -- and understandably so. On top of not feeling well and having to be on morphine for his bone pain, oftentimes he was being poked with needles, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors. If we were finally able to get him to fall asleep, he would be woken up shortly for a vitals check, at all hours of the night and day. For those three weeks, we did not sleep -- they were the most difficult weeks of our life. But there was someone who made them brighter.
Our second day at the hospital we were transferred to the pediatric oncology floor and met Sarah — a Child Life specialist. Sarah blew bubbles when Matt had to have his blood taken for what seemed like the 100th time in 24 hours. She also brought him a bag filled with toys to keep him busy while we dealt with the biggest life change we’ve ever experienced. She came in to check if we needed any DVDs to distract him while we talked to the doctors about something we could not wrap our minds around. After Matt’s port implant surgery on day three, she gave us a new toy to give to him when we got back to our room. As we navigated each new struggle, Sarah was there to help soften the pain.
Those three weeks were devastating. But at the same time, we could not stop thinking about how thankful we were that these situations have been thought through by someone else. Yes, we were going through the unimaginable, but we had a great support system around us. And those toys, DVDs and activities the Child Life office gave us access to were a big reason why Matty could go back to feeling like a normal kid, at least some of the time.
We can’t begin to count the amount of times that someone from the Child Life team saved the day with a new surprise for Matty in a moment of need in the last three months. Those toys have helped distract him and keep him busy during our emergency hospitalizations and spinal chemo procedures. Matt’s favorite Child Life specialist, Kim, always has something waiting for him when we come in -- as she does with so many other kids who have to come to the hospital for one reason or another. The treatment is long and tough, and our son is only two years old. So something as simple as a toy helps to make it better.
These toys have to come from somewhere, which is the reason we wanted to start this fundraiser. Toys have been a lifesaver for our family, and we would like to give back by donating toys to the Child Life department at RWJ. A toy cannot cure cancer, but it can make a stressful situation infinitely better -- whether it be a chemo clinic appointment, a 4 am emergency hospitalization, or a spinal tap procedure. If you would like to contribute to these littles ones and and help to put a smile on a child’s face, please donate below.
As for us, Matty is officially in remission as of July 18th and the chances of his cancer returning are low, as long as we continue treatment. He has three years of chemotherapy ahead of him -- standard time frame for this type of leukemia for boys (it’s two years for girls). We, as well as many others on the same path as us, have hundreds of chemo appointments and many hospitalizations ahead of us on this journey. We do our best to prepare with new toys in our emergency hospital bag, but we always seem to run out. It’s hard to keep up with the unknown -- never knowing when the next emergency visit will be.
Having experienced the generosity of the Child Life team first-hand, we’re grateful for any chance we have to support the incredible work they do. Just a small toy can make a world of a difference to the kids -- and families -- who are dealing with the painful reality that comes with a pediatric cancer diagnosis. We hope you’ll join us in making these families’ days just a little bit brighter, and bring a smile back to the little superheroes currently facing the fight of their lives.
Organizer
Masha Uretsky
Organizer
Manalapan, NJ