"Art for Easter 2014"

Art is something  that has always helped Rowan pass the time when he is in the hospital.  So, we have donated art activities for Easter to the children's hospital the past couple of years.  This year we wanted to expand that project though.  We heard that they usually do an Easter egg hunt for the recovering surgical patients at the hospital, but that they typically have to limit the kids to 5 or 6 eggs each.  We decided that just wasn't enough:) so we purchased 350+ filled Easter eggs for the 25 or so surgical patients that they expect to have over the Easter holiday! 

 

Rowan and I also picked out Easter Baskets for them,

as well as stuffed Easter animals for 25 patients. 

 

 

 

Rowan and I had a blast choosing art projects for 45 more patients of all ages

who will be staying on various floors of the hospital.

 

 

We also wanted to do something for the parents who will be staying with their children during the upcoming Easter holiday.  During Christmas we purchased big fluffy pillows and soft pillow cases for the parents.  This time, we chose to buy large soft towels and washcloths (with a special treat of chocolate truffles).  As anyone who has had to stay in a hospital knows, the white towels and washcloths at a hospital are small, thin and scratchy from all the washings and extreme temperatures and bleaching that they need to use on them for sanitation purposes.  One of the most wonderful gifts I received over the years, while in the hospital with Rowan, was just that...a big soft fluffy towel.  (Thank you Aida!)  That is what inspired us to donate these. 

I have a feeling they are going to be a big hit!

And I just love the bright Spring colors...I hope they cheer the parents up too.

 

 

Since we were going to be making a trip to donate items anyway, we went ahead and dropped off enough laundry detergent for another 40 loads of laundry for the parents of patients in the hem/onc bone marrow transplant wing of the hospital.  They were very grateful, once again.

Finally, with Child Abuse Awareness Month coming up in April too,

the hospital had plans for an event with young children.  

They are going to hold a dinosaur dig/land of the lost themed party. 

Rowan helped me find 100+ little dinosaurs, grow lizards, glow silly putty,

stickers, tattoos, etc. for their event.  Should be fun, and it is definitely for a great cause.

It is always so fun to shop for and donate items to children, but it is even more fulfilling to be able to fill specific needs like this, especially at a hospital where we have spent many, many, days, nights, and holidays ourselves.  The Child Life Staff is always so gracious and excited as well. 

 

 

 

This time, Rowan was unfortunately undergoing his own surgery the day I dropped off the donations, so he wasn't able to hand the goodies over himself.  I met with the Child Life Staff myself once he was in the recovering room following his central line replacement surgery. 

 

 

 

 

 

I told him how happy and grateful they were when he woke up, and he smiled from ear to ear.  He has spent at least 3 or 4 Easters at this very hospital himself, and understands how important it is to feel special and normal there, especially during the holidays. 

 

Here are some pictures of Rowan during several different Easter holidays...in the hospital... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So glad to be a part of this year's Easter giving project on behalf of

The Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation.

Can not wait to hear how the patients and parents respond this Easter 2014.

Praying it makes them half as happy as it makes us.

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone who has ever donated to Rowan's cause...

you helped make this project happen!

Sometimes it's the "little things"...that help the most!

During Rowan's most recent hospital stay, I was able to speak with several different hospital staff members to discuss additional ways that our foundation could assist them this year.  Luckily, I had the opportunity to meet with employees involved in Case Management, Nursing, Child Life, Art Therapy, and Social Work at the hospital. I asked each of them what they felt some of the immediate needs were for them to be able to help young patients and their parents, especially during this extremely busy time of year.  They gave me some great ideas, and Rowan and I got right on it once he was finally discharged.   Below are some pictures that show some of the ways we were able to bless the patients and parents, through the items we donated to Methodist Children's Hospital yesterday, as well as some more that we are working on right now.  It was an honor and a blessing to our foundation, to know that we can help, even just a little bit.

~One area where there was an immediate need was for items that could be used to help some of the young respiratory patients.  This is a tough time of year for patients with asthma and RSV.  Sometimes they aren't as willing to blow into the flow-meters, so the staff suggested we could donate bubbles, bubble wands, blow out toys, and noisemakers.  They said that items like that help make it a brighter, prettier, almost fun activity for the patients, rather than a medical chore.  So, here is a tub we filled with a variety of those items.  We hope and pray that lots and lots of kids will benefit from this donation.

~The emergency room department also said that often times they have children who are in need of a change of undergarments. So, we purchased nearly 150 pairs of boys and girls underwear from size 2T to 18/20.  Here are a couple tubs filled with all of these necessities. Sometimes it's the littlest thing that can be the biggest need, and we were happy to help out in this area.

~Toiletry kits was an item that was mentioned by every single employee we asked for ideas. I also know from experience that this is something that I could have used on multiple occasions.  When you are rushing your child to the ER, you don't exactly have time to stop and pack...for them, or for yourself.  Having the basic supplies like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, a comb, etc. can be so important to a parent who will be staying overnight with their sick child, sometimes for days and days in a row.  We purchased both men's and women's basic toiletry kits for parents, and then decided to add a few more items.  We bought body wash, nail clippers, and razors as well.  We plan on adding those items to all the bags and delivering the toiletry kits to the hospital next week.  I know these will be appreciated by many, because I know how bad I have needed one in the past.

~Bathing and caring for an infant or young toddler in the hospital can be challenging at times, and we wanted to bless those families in some small way as well.  Rowan and I made an assembly line of baby products (and even worked that topic: "assembly lines" into our homeschooling lesson this week:) and created little tubs of infant care kits.  We made both boy and girl themed kits with sweet smelling baby wash, soft baby sponges, safety infant nail clippers, q-tips, and baby teethers.  Not only was it fun, it was rewarding, because I know they will be put to good use.  Here are some photos of those kits, and Rowan helping me put them together. 

 

 

~Dirty laundry can really start to pile up when your child is in the hospital for days on end.  The child can of course wear hospital gowns and the hospital will launder those, but parents aren't so lucky.  The HEM/ONC/TRANSPLANT unit at the hospital does have a washer and dryer for their patients/parents but the laundry detergent and supplies are all donated items.  So, we purchased enough individual laundry detergent pods and fabric softener kits for 80 loads of laundry, and will drop that off at the hospital next week.  Living nearly an hour away from the hospital myself, I know how important this is, and how much it will help.  I just wish I could go actually do their laundry for them myself...maybe someday:)
 

 

 

Thankfully Rowan was feeling well enough after his infusion clinic appointment to help me deliver some of the goodies to the Child Life Department at Methodist Children's Hospital yesterday. They were so grateful, and actually told us that they had patients waiting in the ER to be admitted that could use some of the items we just brought.  It was so wonderful to be able to do this for them, and an amazing opportunity to turn something bad into good.  We have spent 800-900 days hospitalized with Rowan ourselves, so we know how difficult those times can be, and often times it is the littlest things that have meant the most to us.  To now be able to use the foundation that we started in his name, to give some of those "little things" back, to other parents just like us... well, I just feel like we have come full circle.

 
Thank you to everyone who has ever prayed for, donated to, participated in an event for, or contributed in any way to the Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation.  You helped make this donation trip possible, and we are confident that many parents and their young children who are patients, will benefit from your generosity. God bless you all...from the bottom of our hearts...Rowan's, and the entire Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation!

(*Yes, the baby on this sticker is Rowan...

the whole reason we started this foundation)