Monthly Archives: October 2020

First, I want to say thank you again to every single one of you. I appreciate all of the prayers, cards, calls, texts, emails, meals, and gifts. They have each meant so much to me.

I had a follow-up appointment with my doctor this week and I’m happy to report that everything looks good and that I am continuing to heal nicely!

I also want to thank everyone for your incredibly generous support of my fundraiser for CHOP! Almost the entire wishlist of toys, art supplies, crafts, books, and activities was purchased over the last 2 weeks! I know how much it means to the hospital and to all of the kids who will benefit.

I was able to drop this first batch of donations from all of you to the team at CHOP during my recent appointment. They were absolutely thrilled and appreciative. These donations will make a lot of children very happy! Thank you again! You can see photos of everything below.

I’ll be returning to CHOP in a few weeks for another appointment. I will be bringing handmade donations on that trip – pillowcases, heart pillows, telemetry aprons and bags, crocheted/fleece blankets etc. Thank you to everyone who has already made items or who is currently making them!

I appreciate all of you and will continue to keep you up-to-date!

Dear friends,

As many of you know, on September 14th, I suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest while at Marching Band practice. Thanks to the quick thinking of students and staff (who I will be forever grateful to), CPR and an AED saved my life. The incredible treatment I received at CHOP has me well on my way to recovery!

Over the years, with the help of all of you, I have donated thousands of items to adults and children – including pillows, pillowcases, and activities to patients in local nursing homes and hospitals. Having just spent 2.5 weeks at CHOP, I can tell you that each and every one of those donations is put to good use and is so appreciated by the patients – like I just was. I now know first hand how important these donations are to the patients who receive them – and I know how limited they are. For example, CHOP didn’t have enough heart pillows, pillow cases, or telemetry aprons to give out. And when I was able to, I went through several activity books and craft kits, so I know they are always running low. There are also many, many babies on the cardiac floor who cried quite often, but they didn’t have enough hospital-approved crib toys to go around.

For my fall project, I am asking for your help to support the amazing heroes who save lives everyday in the cardiac unit at CHOP. (As it turns out, October is also Sudden Cardiac Arrest awareness month.) Of course, this unit will always be very special to me!

I asked the staff at CHOP for specific items that can be accepted and created this wishlist of items that are needed. You can link to it here.

I am also working with my grandmother to develop a pattern that can be used for the children to hold their telemetry boxes (these are the devices that monitor patient heart rates) – this was a big need and they did not have any more to give out! If you are interested in helping to sew these, please reach out and I can get you a pattern.

I will also appreciate your help with sewing kids’ pillow cases, burp cloths, and heart pillows to donate. These are also requested items.

Thanks for all of your support – it means the world to me.

Please consider donating an item from the list – I’ll be back at CHOP several times over the next few months, so I will be taking these donations with me as I get them. When you order directly from Amazon, the items will ship to me to be delivered. If you have other items to donate, just contact me and we can arrange to pick them up.

Love,

Maddie