Chemo-care packages for oncology patients
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Kristin Ward Brown
Timber Team members show their pack pride as they begin building chemo-care packages for the pediatric cancer patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado oncology department.
Small comfort packages filled with care and encouragement helped ease anxiety and discomfort for pediatric cancer patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado oncology department in Highlands Ranch. Cooper Linn, a member of Timber Trail Elementary Timber Team, led the leadership group in a service project and collected items to help comfort children during chemotherapy treatment.
This service project closely touched the heart of Linn. He experienced first-hand the devastating effects chemotherapy had on his mother. On average, pediatric patients will spend approximately two to three hours undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Linn did not want any child to go through this challenging process alone. Chemotherapy is challenging for not only the patient but also family members and friends. When treatment made Linn’s mom so sick she could not get out of bed, he wished someone had made her a chemo-care package.
Donations of lip balm, soft socks, blankets, beanies, hard candies, ginger and peppermint teas, as well as several coloring books and games made it into each chemo-care package. Encouraging words like, “Be brave” and “You’ve got this” along with other colorful notes were also included. Patients felt the support from a pack of their own, the Timber Trail Timberwolves.
