"Christmas Comforts"

Christmas is undoubtedly one of the hardest holidays to be stuck in the hospital.  Children are just supposed to wake up at home in their own bed, run down the stairs to the Christmas Tree, spend time with their families going to Church, eating and opening presents.  Unfortunately, Rowan has spent several Christmas's in the hospital, even being rushed there one Christmas morning while we were opening Christmas presents.  Here you see him in his hospital bed this past year on Christmas Eve, and then the note he left for Santa on the desk in his hospital room.  He was afraid Santa wouldn't know where to find him:( Luckily Santa did find him.  He even left him a nice note back...

 

 

 

 The Child Life Department at the hospital, and the entire Staff definitely do their best to make it special for the patients, and they do a great job at that!  That is why we decided to start "Christmas Comforts" and try to come along side them and help them accomplish that for the kids. 

We typically collect and purchase soft warm colorful socks, fun flavored chapsticks, quilts/blankets, and stuffed animals - all items that have always been a comfort to Rowan when he was there in the hospital himself. It is usually our biggest drive of the year, and so rewarding to carry in box after box of Christmas goodies to place under the tree at the hospital, for all the kids who will be there Christmas morning.

Christmas 2010.....

Christmas 2011...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas 2012...

 

If you would like to donate to this specific cause, or have any connections with companies

who might be willing to donate or discount items such as warm brightly colored socks,

 blankets, chapsticks, or stuffed animals, please get in touch with me.

(*reminder: we are a non-profit 501-3C so donations are tax-deductible)

"Holidays in the Hospital"

Over the past seven years, as we have dealt with Rowan's ongoing illness, we have spent over 800 days hospitalized, sometimes for up to 5 or 6 weeks at a time.  Rowan has spent 4 of his 7 birthdays in the hospital, and one more where he went in the very next day.  He has been in multiple times for Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, etc.  We have photos of him in 5 different costumes at the hospital since he was admitted during Halloween nearly every year.  Rowan has watched fireworks outside his hospital window, or on the tv in his hospital room for multiple New Years Eves and Fourth of July Celebrations.  Sometimes, his stays have even spanned more than one holiday,

 as he watched the nurses and staff change decorations out in the hallways. 

Rowan has learned to adapt and make the most of these times, and we have gotten pretty good at decorating his hospital room as best we can, so he doesn't completely miss these celebrations.  It still doesn't make up for him not being at home with his family and friends, and its still not the same as being outside the hospital walls celebrating like the rest of the community, but we do the best we can.  And the blessing in disguise is that we can relate to so many other families like ourselves. 

Had we not experienced as many days here as we have, we probably wouldn't have made it our mission to help others in the same situation.  Now, we look forward to helping others who are unfortunately spending their holidays in the hospital too.

Here are a series of photos of Rowan over the years, celebrating many many holidays

 and birthdays in the hospital.  You will notice, he is always smiling though. 

That smile is something we strive to bring to the other kids now

through the Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation and its donation programs.


Birthdays...

Easter...

 

 

St Patrick's Day...

 

 

 

Halloween...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas...

 

 

 

 

 

New Year's Eve...

 

 

 

Fourth of July...

 

 

 

These photos aren't meant to make you feel sad or sorry for Rowan.

He certainly never feels sorry for himself, as you can see from the smiles!

This set of photos is just to show you how much of his life is spent inside a hospital,

especially how many birthdays and holidays.

But as you can see, we have found ways to keep him smiling during those times,

and the focus of his foundation right now is to help other kids like him smile through it all too.