January began, as it always does, with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. With it comes a reminder that we, like Mary, are each called to bring Jesus into the world.
Anna Marlatt, CC Senior, has come up with a service project for Catholic Schools Week (Jan 25-31) that gives us all the opportunity to be that light for others! Here is a bit about her story and her dream to reach children in need!
“My name is Anna Marlatt, and I am a senior at Central Catholic Jr-Sr High School. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a rare spinal tumor in April 2014 at Riley Hospital for Children. I underwent intense, aggressive chemotherapy and proton radiation therapy. Throughout all of my treatments, I fought like a warrior, kept my faith, and was always determined to beat cancer. Riley Hospital is an amazing place and became my “second home.” The doctors, nurses and staff are very caring miracle workers and the kids made an everlasting impression on my heart. I would like to give back to the hospital that saved my life and help current and future patients and their families.
Kids might stay one night, several months or anytime in between. Sometimes they go to the outpatient clinic everyday. No matter how long a patient stays, Riley Hospital not only helps them medically but emotionally and developmentally too through their Child Life Services. My first experience with a Child Life Specialist was on April 18, 2014, my 17th birthday. I was scheduled for a biopsy on the large tumor on my spine. When Beth found out it was my birthday she was determined to make it special for me despite the surgery. When I woke up Beth came into my room with several wrapped presents that she gathered from their supply room. I was very touched by this act of kindness and will never forget how much they care for kids.
Child Life Services provide art and music therapies, maintain children play rooms, teen rooms, video games, movies, etc. to engage the children by taking their minds off their illness and let them just be kids for a little while each day. Being an older kid on the 5th Hematology/Oncology floor, I realized the need for more pre-teen and teen activities. I contacted Child Life Specialist Krista Hauswald to see what the needs would be for the kids. She sent me a wish list and I came up with more ideas to help the Riley Kids and their families. Please help me fill the CC Mini Bus with these wish list items: food for the nutrition rooms, monetary donations (Checks made payable to Central Catholic) and pop tops from soda cans for the Ronald McDonald House. There will be collection boxes and red “Riley” buckets at Central Catholic, St. Mary, St. Boniface, and St. Lawrence schools from January 12 – March 31.
The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2015 is Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service, which fits perfectly for my LCSS service project. This year instead of bringing canned goods for the food pantry to the LCSS Catholic Schools Week Mass, we will be bringing items for Riley Hospital. Our LCSS Catholic Community has come together for families touched by cancer and for several children treated at Riley Hospital. I challenge each family to come together again for the Riley Kids and their families and give generously to this needy cause. My hope is to drive a busload of items to Riley Hospital and it being the biggest donation from a school corporation ever! Please help my dream come true and donate today.”
Wish List Items for Riley Hospital Child Life Services
The list below are suggestions of what they use but they are open to new ideas!
Activity List
Fuzzy Posters Sun-catchers
Wooden Items to Paint Finger Paints
Ceramic Items to Paint Glitter Glue
Paper Mache Boxes(different shapes) Slicks Sticks
Sticker Scenes Scissors
Sand Bottles Canvases
Scratch Art Playdough & tools
Fuze Beads Crayola Crayons
Fabric White Backpacks Crayola Markers
Paint
Paint Brushes (variety of sizes) Crayola Colored Pencils
Sand Boards Paint Numbers
Other Needs
Assorted Craft Kits
Small Lego Kits
G and PG Movies
Thomas Trains for the Thomas Train Track
Current PG 13 Movies
Video Games for Play Station 3 and Xbox 360
Teen/Adult Crossword/Word Search Books
Coloring Books- Designs for older kids (Michaels or Hobby Lobby)
Journals
PG 13 Books
Hairdryers- Families leave home in a hurry and forget these!
Kid Friendly Band-Aids
Individual Packaged Chapstick
Pop-Tops from Soda Cans for Ronald McDonald House At Riley Hospital
Food Items for Nutrition Rooms
The Nutrition Rooms are a Godsend to families who do not want to leave their sick kids to eat. The kids also think its pretty cool to help themselves to food and snacks other than hospital food! Here are some suggestions.
Pudding, Jello and Fruit Cups, Applesauce Cups
Canned Soup- Small cans with pull top lids
Spaghettio’s- Small cans with pull top lids
Microwave Dinners and Snacks
Microwave Ravioli Cups
Microwave Mac & Cheese Cups
Gatorade/ Powerade
Individually Packaged Snacks such as: Cookies, Animal Cookies, Crackers, Chips
Liquid Freezer Pops
Pop Tarts
Individual Packaged Orange, Apple, and Grape Juice
