Care Package Suggestions
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Care Package Suggestions
| Sat, 06-24-2006 - 8:44am |
We have friends on the other side of the country staying in a Ronald McDonald house with their three children ages 7, 5 and 3. The three year old is on day 80 after a stem cell transplant. He was doing well but has hit some rough patches in his treatment. They had been hoping to go home around day 100 but now that is questionable. I have been sending the kids books, games, cameras and love but now I want to send the whole family something that reminds them of home and maybe creates a few minutes of joy but I am running out of ideas. Does anyone have any good suggestions for family care packages?
Thanks in advance

Have you thought of sending them pictures of home - from places that have a lot of meaning for them or favorite hang-outs?It would be great if you could find either posters or print up 8X10's so they have something to decorate the wall of the RMH or hospital. There are tons of free websites that I have gone to for wallpaper for the computer - I have gone to webshots.com - BUT the down side to that is it is a collection of photos that people post so you may have a great shot but with a person right in the middle!
Check out the website of the RMH that they are staying in or the hospital they are at. Many of our local hospitals(st louis) have a greetings options where you can send a message( printed on a special background that you can choose) and a volunteer will print it out and deliver it. Try starting an e-mail chain with their freinds, family, church/sports groups and see how many people can send them good wishes. There was a child at our local childrens hosptial and the family started a chain that way and that kid's room was covered in greetings - and from all over the world!(also works well with e-greetings.... you could set up a free yahoo/hotmail account for the family if you don't want to give out their current e-mail.....)
Also any local specialites that is unique to your area?a local brand of food/snack you could send them? Something they may be missing and can't get in that town?
Also, gift cards for Walmart, Walgreens, grocery store would be nice..... help them get some things they really need(and may feel uncomfortable to ask for!) PLUS it costs you almost nothing for shipping! It is a great way to direct more of the $$ towards the family and not spend it for shipping. Or a pre-paid phone card is great to - that way they can call home/loved ones and not worry about the cost.
think about sending something frivolous for the parents.... something you know they'd like or enjoy but would never do for themselves b/c they are putting the kids first. a nice bottle of lotion, a luxurious blanket( hospitals can be really cold anytime of year and there is nothing better than having a warm fuzzy blanket). or send them something like baseball tickets or send them on an outing to try to enjoy the town they are in now(tickets for the zoo, aquarium)..... of course a lot of that willl depend on how the patient is doing and they may not want to go out(or can't) if things are difficult.
Try sending them some new movies to watch ( i just saw Madagascar and LOVED it!). Kids will watch movies over and over and over! plus most hosptials have dvd players in the rooms and it is a good quiet activity if the little one isn't feeling too well.
Or you could send a build a bear gift certificate.... have the older kids build a bear for the sick little one.... that would be kinda pricey but it would be very personalized and keep hte older kids involved and active.
http://www.buildabear.com/lp/bearbucks/
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you!
hugs
Sandra
Judy
cl-ivhjude