Anna's Angel Fund Update: August 2004

Anna's Angel Fund Update: August 2004

To Our Family and Friends,

This is the hardest "Angel Fund Letter" we've written so far. Anna has been through quite a lot over the last few months. She finally finished chemo, only to hear two months later that all but one of the doctors on her "team" feels certain that the cancer has returned. During the first few days of September we'll be doing more tests and possibly surgery to give us the certainty we need.

But, this news has just given us a little added incentive to continue making every day special for Anna. We've been on several trips that she wanted to make. One of those was her Make-A-Wish trip to New York City. While she was there she was invited to meet with Martha Stewart. (One of Anna's favorite things in the world is watching her decorate wedding cakes!) Martha gave her a generous donation for her Angel Fund for which we were so very grateful.

As always, focusing on the special families at the hospital who have needs that surpass our own, has kept Anna busy and positive most all the time. And as always, that is only possible because of you. It's hard to imagine having made this journey without Anna's Angel Fund. It has been so fulfilling and touching, and has given her a reason to smile on so many tough days.

This "ride" that life has taken us on has been such a fast paced and emotional one lately - we haven't done as well with keeping up with everything Anna has done with your donations since our last update. For that we apologize. But, here is our best effort at recapping the way she has taken advantage of your generosity to enrich the lives of children and families who have touched her heart.

$2300 for LAPTOPS!
It took a very long time for Anna to save this money but she did it! She donated two laptops for the children in the bone marrow unit at Egleston. The reason these are so very special is that the hospital is going to network them with the children's own school classrooms to help them keep up with their school work. (Bone marrow patients normally have very long hospital stays and often get behind in school. Hopefully, these laptops will help.) They have a few games installed to allow for a little fun as well!

$810 ($375 for clothing/shoes, $85 for toys, $200 grocery gift cards and $150 gas cards)
This money was spent on a family made up of a single mother who has a 13 year old son and a 5 year old daughter. Her son has bone cancer and because of the amount of time she has had to spend with him at the hospital recently, Wal-Mart fired her from her job. (At the hospital, we hear of Wal-Mart in particular doing this so often to families we meet. It is very hard to understand.) Not only do her children need clothes and shoes (the 5 year old just started kindergarten) but her car is in very bad shape. They have a 75 mile commute one-way to the hospital. This mother is worried about how well she can take care of her children. Anna thought this would be a perfect family to benefit from her Angel Fund. We were able to buy gift cards to a grocery store, lots of clothes for both kids, a backpack for the little girl for school, and some very cool tennis shoes from The Finish Line for the 13 year old boy! In addition, we were able to provide them with a computer game for the boy, several Scooby Doo toys for the little girl (her social worker told us she loved Scooby Doo!), and gift cards to Quik Trip gas stations to help with all those trips to the hospital.

$927 Stephens Federal Bank
House payment Anna wanted to make for a family with a child being treated in the AFLAC Cancer Center. As touching as their story is, we have chosen to honor their request for privacy, and not to give details on their situation.

$500 Marshall's gift card and $208 for school supplies
This is another AFLAC family whose social worker related their story and great need to Anna. They have three children - a twin boy and girl who are 14 years old and another daughter who is 13 years old. One of the twins has cancer. Their mother expressed that her biggest concern was not having school clothes for her children. She felt that she could get the most for her money at Marshall's so Anna decided to give them a $500 gift card there. We also had their school supply list and Anna had a blast buying supplies for the three kids at one of her favorite stores - Target!

$30 Egleston's Children's Gift Shop
Anna met a four year old little girl in the hospital who was always alone. Anna was also a patient when this little girl was first admitted and we saw that, due to a particular problem she was having, it was important that she not be mobile. The nursing staff was having a very tough time keeping her in her bed - after all, she was four years old, very precocious, and alone! So Anna decided that she could use some of her Angel Fund money to help. Anna got out of her hospital bed and walked down to the hospital gift shop (which was also very good for Anna's muscles at the time). She picked out some toys she thought the little girl might like and could play with in her bed. It worked beautifully, at least for the weekend, and thrilled both girls.

$600 in rent
Anna chose to pay two month's rent for an AFLAC family with a critically ill child. She hoped to ease the financial strain brought on by their child's illness, at least for the month. (They were already a month behind on their rent.)

$366 on more spiritual resource books
These were for the chaplain, Jonathan, to add to his library for the families. Since Anna started this library for him he has loaned out many of his resources. But he told her he has also given many of them away. So she helped replenish his supply of Spanish and English Bibles, youth Bibles, Children's Bible storybooks and Torahs.

$381 for music cds
Some pop, some Christian. These were requested by Sara, an AFLAC Cancer Center Child Life Specialist. Most were for teens, but Anna chose to include a few for very young children, too.

$783 Ten boom boxes (portable cd/cassette players with AM/FM radios) and three movies on DVD
Again, these were for Child Life to use with the children. They are portable so it's easy to take them from place to place to play calming or distracting music during procedures. They also loan them to kids who are there as patients for entertainment. The movies on DVD were new ones that Anna wanted the kids in the cancer center to be able to watch.

$1000 for a family with two young children who have hemophilia
This family has other children as well, and circumstances beyond their control have landed them in really tough times. Anna helped them pay their rent, catch up on some bills, and buy back-to-school uniforms for all of their children.

$26 Baby clothes
These were for an infant girl in the hospital being treated for liver cancer. This family had not asked for help, but it was obvious that they were not well off. Anna wanted to buy her something so she decided on a precious pink outfit for her. (Anna loves the babies!)

$805 Colony of Stone Mountain
Anna chose to pay two months rent to this apartment complex for a family with a child being treated at the AFLAC Cancer Center. Because of their desire for privacy, we didn't know any details about them or their child - just that they were desperate and on the verge of eviction due to medical bills. Anna heard about them from a social worker at the hospital and wanted to do something for them.

$50 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation
This was in honor of one of the physician's assistants who works on the out-patient side of the AFLAC clinic at the hospital. We all love her very much and she was fighting breast cancer. This was a birthday gift to her from Anna.

$150 Donation to DreamPower
DreamPower is a program that offers therapeutic horseback riding. Anna fell in love with therapeutic horseback riding at Camp Sunshine this summer and has been riding every week since then. She wanted to make a donation to a fund raiser for their program even though it isn't the one she participates in.

$160 for toys, $100 for spa gift card
Anna spent this money on three children in Louisiana who lost their dad to cancer on July 24th. (We have mentioned this family in a previous an Angel Fund letter.) We met this family when Anna was going through radiation and we became very close to them. Their dad, who had multiple brain tumors, was also going through radiation. Anna loves their children and has stayed in touch with them since we met them last summer. She wanted to send them some things to cheer them up, so we put together a care package for them so Anna could remind them that she cares about them. We felt like their mom also deserved a treat (and she had a birthday coming up) so Anna decided on a gift card for a massage at a very nice spa for her.

In the midst of the pain and our heavy hearts, we continue to see so many things that inspire and move us. We are constantly reminded of what is "right in the world" and we are surrounded by people who offer hope, joy, and encouragement to our family. Even at the hospital we are always greeted with big smiles, big hugs, lots of love, reassurance, and the very best care for Anna.

You, Anna's Angels, are certainly a huge part of what is right in Anna's life. You continue to serve as precious angels, giving her such a wonderful way to help ease the pain around her, and easing her own pain in the process.

It is impossible for us to express how grateful we are for the role you have played in giving this experience meaning for our family. It has taught Anna so much about finding joy and making wonderful things happen, in spite of the hardest circumstances. And, your generosity has exceeded our greatest hopes - and humbled us as well.

Thank you. Thank you again for choosing to be angels in Anna's life and in the lives of the families who have benefited from your generosity. We pray that God will bless each one of you for your kindness.

Lisa, Larry and Anna

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		*Anna's Angel Fund Update: August 2004* To Our Family and Friends, This is the hardest "Angel Fund Letter" we've written so far. Anna has been through quite a lot over the last few months. She finally finished chemo, only to hear two months later that all but one of the doctors on her "team" feels certain that the cancer has returned. During the first few days of September we'll be doing more tests and possibly surgery to give us the certainty we need. But, this news has just given us a little added incentive to continue making every day special for Anna. We've been on several trips that she wanted to make. One of those was her Make-A-Wish trip to New York City. While she was there she was invited to meet with Martha Stewart. (One of Anna's favorite things in the world is watching her decorate wedding cakes!) Martha gave her a generous donation for her Angel Fund for which we were so very grateful. As always, focusing on the special families at the hospital who have needs that surpass our own, has kept Anna busy and positive most all the time. And as always, that is only possible because of you. It's hard to imagine having made this journey without Anna's Angel Fund. It has been so fulfilling and touching, and has given her a reason to smile on so many tough days. This "ride" that life has taken us on has been such a fast paced and emotional one lately - we haven't done as well with keeping up with everything Anna has done with your donations since our last update. For that we apologize. But, here is our best effort at recapping the way she has taken advantage of your generosity to enrich the lives of children and families who have touched her heart. $2300 for LAPTOPS! It took a very long time for Anna to save this money but she did it! She donated two laptops for the children in the bone marrow unit at Egleston. The reason these are so very special is that the hospital is going to network them with the children's own school classrooms to help them keep up with their school work. (Bone marrow patients normally have very long hospital stays and often get behind in school. Hopefully, these laptops will help.) They have a few games installed to allow for a little fun as well! $810 ($375 for clothing/shoes, $85 for toys, $200 grocery gift cards and $150 gas cards) This money was spent on a family made up of a single mother who has a 13 year old son and a 5 year old daughter. Her son has bone cancer and because of the amount of time she has had to spend with him at the hospital recently, Wal-Mart fired her from her job. (At the hospital, we hear of Wal-Mart in particular doing this so often to families we meet. It is very hard to understand.) Not only do her children need clothes and shoes (the 5 year old just started kindergarten) but her car is in very bad shape. They have a 75 mile commute one-way to the hospital. This mother is worried about how well she can take care of her children. Anna thought this would be a perfect family to benefit from her Angel Fund. We were able to buy gift cards to a grocery store, lots of clothes for both kids, a backpack for the little girl for school, and some very cool tennis shoes from The Finish Line for the 13 year old boy! In addition, we were able to provide them with a computer game for the boy, several Scooby Doo toys for the little girl (her social worker told us she loved Scooby Doo!), and gift cards to Quik Trip gas stations to help with all those trips to the hospital. $927 Stephens Federal Bank House payment Anna wanted to make for a family with a child being treated in the AFLAC Cancer Center. As touching as their story is, we have chosen to honor their request for privacy, and not to give details on their situation. $500 Marshall's gift card and $208 for school supplies This is another AFLAC family whose social worker related their story and great need to Anna. They have three children - a twin boy and girl who are 14 years old and another daughter who is 13 years old. One of the twins has cancer. Their mother expressed that her biggest concern was not having school clothes for her children. She felt that she could get the most for her money at Marshall's so Anna decided to give them a $500 gift card there. We also had their school supply list and Anna had a blast buying supplies for the three kids at one of her favorite stores - Target! $30 Egleston's Children's Gift Shop Anna met a four year old little girl in the hospital who was always alone. Anna was also a patient when this little girl was first admitted and we saw that, due to a particular problem she was having, it was important that she not be mobile. The nursing staff was having a very tough time keeping her in her bed - after all, she was four years old, very precocious, and alone! So Anna decided that she could use some of her Angel Fund money to help. Anna got out of her hospital bed and walked down to the hospital gift shop (which was also very good for Anna's muscles at the time). She picked out some toys she thought the little girl might like and could play with in her bed. It worked beautifully, at least for the weekend, and thrilled both girls. $600 in rent Anna chose to pay two month's rent for an AFLAC family with a critically ill child. She hoped to ease the financial strain brought on by their child's illness, at least for the month. (They were already a month behind on their rent.) $366 on more spiritual resource books These were for the chaplain, Jonathan, to add to his library for the families. Since Anna started this library for him he has loaned out many of his resources. But he told her he has also given many of them away. So she helped replenish his supply of Spanish and English Bibles, youth Bibles, Children's Bible storybooks and Torahs. $381 for music cds Some pop, some Christian. These were requested by Sara, an AFLAC Cancer Center Child Life Specialist. Most were for teens, but Anna chose to include a few for very young children, too. $783 Ten boom boxes (portable cd/cassette players with AM/FM radios) and three movies on DVD Again, these were for Child Life to use with the children. They are portable so it's easy to take them from place to place to play calming or distracting music during procedures. They also loan them to kids who are there as patients for entertainment. The movies on DVD were new ones that Anna wanted the kids in the cancer center to be able to watch. $1000 for a family with two young children who have hemophilia This family has other children as well, and circumstances beyond their control have landed them in really tough times. Anna helped them pay their rent, catch up on some bills, and buy back-to-school uniforms for all of their children. $26 Baby clothes These were for an infant girl in the hospital being treated for liver cancer. This family had not asked for help, but it was obvious that they were not well off. Anna wanted to buy her something so she decided on a precious pink outfit for her. (Anna loves the babies!) $805 Colony of Stone Mountain Anna chose to pay two months rent to this apartment complex for a family with a child being treated at the AFLAC Cancer Center. Because of their desire for privacy, we didn't know any details about them or their child - just that they were desperate and on the verge of eviction due to medical bills. Anna heard about them from a social worker at the hospital and wanted to do something for them. $50 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation This was in honor of one of the physician's assistants who works on the out-patient side of the AFLAC clinic at the hospital. We all love her very much and she was fighting breast cancer. This was a birthday gift to her from Anna. $150 Donation to DreamPower DreamPower is a program that offers therapeutic horseback riding. Anna fell in love with therapeutic horseback riding at Camp Sunshine this summer and has been riding every week since then. She wanted to make a donation to a fund raiser for their program even though it isn't the one she participates in. $160 for toys, $100 for spa gift card Anna spent this money on three children in Louisiana who lost their dad to cancer on July 24th. (We have mentioned this family in a previous an Angel Fund letter.) We met this family when Anna was going through radiation and we became very close to them. Their dad, who had multiple brain tumors, was also going through radiation. Anna loves their children and has stayed in touch with them since we met them last summer. She wanted to send them some things to cheer them up, so we put together a care package for them so Anna could remind them that she cares about them. We felt like their mom also deserved a treat (and she had a birthday coming up) so Anna decided on a gift card for a massage at a very nice spa for her. In the midst of the pain and our heavy hearts, we continue to see so many things that inspire and move us. We are constantly reminded of what is "right in the world" and we are surrounded by people who offer hope, joy, and encouragement to our family. Even at the hospital we are always greeted with big smiles, big hugs, lots of love, reassurance, and the very best care for Anna. You, Anna's Angels, are certainly a huge part of what is right in Anna's life. You continue to serve as precious angels, giving her such a wonderful way to help ease the pain around her, and easing her own pain in the process. It is impossible for us to express how grateful we are for the role you have played in giving this experience meaning for our family. It has taught Anna so much about finding joy and making wonderful things happen, in spite of the hardest circumstances. And, your generosity has exceeded our greatest hopes - and humbled us as well. Thank you. Thank you again for choosing to be angels in Anna's life and in the lives of the families who have benefited from your generosity. We pray that God will bless each one of you for your kindness. Lisa, Larry and Anna Back to Updates Page


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