Childhood Leukemia Foundation

Keeping kids connected ipads: the keeping kids connected ipad program allows young cancer patients to remain connected to their family, friends and schoolwork while actively receiving cancer treatment. Facetime, email and texts provide emotional and psychological support to hospitalized patients. Ipads also offer age appropriate distractions to help children cope with the anxiety and boredom associated with cancer treatment and hospital confinement. Playing a game, or engaging in artistic or musical activity, can relax a child and reduce the perceived trauma. Overall, the ipad is a welcomed tool for these patients to stay connected to their lives while in the hospital.

Hope binders: hope binders improve a patient's level of health literacy. Pediatric oncology patients and their families are overwhelmed with the amount of medical and insurance information associated with a chronic illness, such as caner. Our hope binder has 12 sections to reference and record medical information regarding the child's treatment. Additionally, the binders include helpful hints and valuable resources. Over 20,000 hope binders have been distributed to diagnosed patients within a network to hospitals through the u.s.

Hospital visits, special requests and other programs: in addition to Childhood Foundation's four core programs, there are additional needs associated with a child's cancer battle. For all of the miracles that modern day medicine can perform, the healing needs of the heart, mind and spirit remain central to the fight against cancer. A positive mindset and the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis are very real issues facing young cancer patients. Childhood Leukemia Foundation strives, whenever possible, to help "fill in the gaps to lift their spirits". Hospital visits are arranged to introduce supporters to the children we serve, while providing young cancer patients with an ipad or educational wish basket during the visit. We work with hospital healthcare professionals to identify and fulfill "every day needs" in their patient populations. We provide hospital holiday parties, pizza parties, end of treatment celebrations, in hospital birthday parties, special food gift card requests and deliveries, financial assistance for gas, tolls and small car repairs (for travel to and from treatment), video game carts for hospital play rooms, special hospital "go carts" for learning, funeral expenses, gift cards for necessities after catastrophic events, ice cream truck social events, arts & crafts activities, etc. To young cancer patients during a very difficult time in their lives.

Hugs u wear: our hugs u wear program offers human hair wigs to young cancer patients who have lost their own hair due to chemotherapy treatments. The hugs u wear is a custom-made, human hair wig sewn into a light-weight cap. It comes with a detachable hat. The child can choose from several styles to help deal with the stress and embarassment of hair loss. Hugs u wear promotes a self-image and ease the transition back to normal life. Over 6,000 hugs u wear have been provided to children in need throughout the u.s. due to the impact and concerns over health issues of covid-19, this program is no longer being offered.