Father’s Day: Jelly Bean the hairless cat

The Michael Hoefflin Foundation for Children’s Cancer is a small organization, so we all have to wear a lot of hats around here. One of the strangest tasks I’ve had was to pick-up a hairless cat from the airport. Jelly Bean is a Sphinx kitten gifted by a donor in Philadelphia to Kaiden, who is four years old and undergoing cancer treatments. Because of her compromised immune system, she can’t have a regular cat, but a special, hypoallergenic kitten? Perfect. The gift was secured in partnership with College of the Canyon’s “Make a Difference Day,” and you should have seen the look on Kaiden’s face.

I wish you could have seen the look on her parents’ faces, too. If not for her very short hair and the surgical scar visible on her upper chest, she’d seem like any other kid her age, alternately shrieking with delight over her new pet and jumping around and asking for a “Daddy-back” ride. Her parents were happy for their daughter’s excitement, but had to calm the celebration so she wouldn’t accidentally pull-out the central line used for her cancer treatments. Her smile was so bright you could almost see past the hair, the scar, the knowledge of what she and her family have been going through. Almost.

I watched Kaiden’s dad and felt tremendous respect for this man doing so much to maintain a normal home life for his family under extraordinary circumstances. This kind of courage — being strong for his wife and children, diffusing stress with humor, going to work each day despite the uncertainties, and coping with the fear behind the smiles – is remarkable, beautiful, and deserving of celebration.

Commemorate Father’s Day with a recurring Compassion Project gift to the Michael Hoefflin Foundation and stand with dads who are doing their best for their kids with cancer. Help us provide compassionate support to families in desperate need of it. Make a difference in their lives… and yours.

https://www.mhf.org/view.php?page=donations

Warm regards,

– Ed

Edward T. Lin,
Director of Development
http://www.mhf.org

Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the United States. The Michael Hoefflin Foundation supports kids diagnosed with cancer and their families, helping to ensure that the family remains intact and able to focus on the patient’s wellness. Please contribute to our 2010 Spring Campaign: join the Compassion Project and make monthly gifts, or make an individual donation. Your gift will help families dealing with childhood cancer right now.

26470 Ruether Avenue, Unit 101, Santa Clarita, CA 91350 • (661) 250-4100

Mother’s Day: “Garden of Help”

Mother’s Day is always tough. I lost my mom to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 13 years ago, and this day of celebration still brings with it sadness, particularly because she never got to meet her grandchildren, and they never got to meet her. It’s why I work at the Michael Hoefflin Foundation, because I know the devastating impact cancer has on families, and it makes me want to do something about it. I think Mom would be proud of the work we do here.

Recently, Girl Scouts Troop 7382 came to the Foundation office and created planter gardens for families with a child undergoing cancer treatment. It was a true coming together of the community, with the materials donated by Stay Green, Inc., kids and their parents assembling the gardens, and Foundation staff and volunteers helping and delivering. These mini gardens will bring life and beauty to the homes of folks going through some really tough times, and be an ongoing reminder that people care about them.

I talk a lot about our programs that directly aid families battling pediatric cancer: hospital visits, emergency and ongoing financial assistance, Kare Kits, support groups, grief counseling, tutoring and college scholarships – all have great impact. What really excites me is connecting people and channeling the energy that results. We wanted potted gardens for families undergoing cancer treatments, and got that plus much more: we provided opportunity for 11 year olds to spend an afternoon with their parents and friends making something beautiful for kids they don’t know, and engaged a local business in supporting the effort. The next generation of local philanthropists may very well spring from this “garden of help,” and I’m as proud of this little program as I am of any other offered by the Foundation.

This Mother’s Day, I will, of course, pay tribute to my beautiful wife and fabulous mother-in-law, and thank them both for the many ways they have enriched my life. But I will also pay respects to my mom with a gift to the Michael Hoefflin Foundation for Children’s Cancer in her honor, and thank her for the many ways she continues to make a difference in my life. However you are celebrating Mother’s Day this year, I hope it’s filled with beauty and joy.

Warm regards,

– Ed

Edward T. Lin,
Director of Development
Michael Hoefflin Foundation for Children’s Cancer
http://www.mhf.org

Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the United States, and one in 330 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20. The Michael Hoefflin Foundation supports kids diagnosed with cancer and their families, helping to ensure that the family remains intact and able to focus on the patient’s wellness.

Please help: contribute to our 2010 Spring Campaign by joining the Compassion Project and making monthly gifts, or with an individual donation. Your support will help families dealing with the difficult realities of childhood cancer right now. (661) 250-4100, http://www.mhf.org