To Female Leukemia patients: What gifts did you appreciate the most? -
01-05-2009, 06:26 PM
My 10 year old niece was just diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. I really want to send her a care package, with lots of goodies that would make her happy and comfortable. Does anyone have suggestions? If you are a patient, what did you love receiving that made you feel good? I'm thinking along the lines of, a cozy hat, a warm blanket, magazines or books to look at, things of this nature. Please, give me some good suggestions.Thanks.
I have leukemia, but I never lost my hair because Im going through bio therapy, I would assume a nice hat, some little snacks, like chex mix, also she'll be spending a lot of time in the hospital so maybe some books, coloring things, a hand held game. I know myself that I had a little dvd player and some headphones, but that could be quite expensive. Im sure she'll appreciate anything she recieves.Best wishes to her.
Why not send emails to all your friends and ask them to forward to all their friends.............explain the situation about your niece and ask them to send her a post card with something cute, funny, positive, encouraging written on it. I would think a little girl would be delighted to be getting heaps of cards from all over the world in the mail on a regular basis!..........it would be something she would look forward to getting, and to collect and sure to bring some happiness to her life. Even to know that people you don't know are thinking about you and caring about you is a lovely gesture.What I would suggest though is that rather than put a home address in your email is to arrange for a post office box number at a post office near her residence...........as the email request branches out until people don't know you or your niece, I wouldn't put her actually home address on it.You can also do something like this through the family's church if they belong to one. As the minister to have members of the congregation buy and write on a postcard, place a stamp on it and submit to the church secretary or someone who could mail a couple every day.This has been done before with a 12 yr old I knew and he got nearly 1,000 cards over a period of a few months. He was ecstatic!I'd certainly send her one!
My guess is your niece has AML? which means she will prably be in the hospital alot. If you live near her a visit or a phone call would be greatly appreciated. Put many things in the care package that could keep her busy like dvds art supplies craft items the cozy hat and banket is an excellent idea.Maybe a cd she wants or and ipod if you an others can pitch in on it. I also know WEBKINZ are very popular among girls that age. Have every one in your family make a poster board eith a note on it and hang it up in her hospital room. Decorations for the walls would be a good idea to brighten things up. Suffed animals and things like that are other ideas. Slippers would be cute too. Just remember to be careful not to send her flowers and be careful with the food you send her as some of these things can be dangerous to a cancer patient with no immune system to fight off infection.