"Each year, BCFM collects wish lists from more than 200 families, and provides gift packages to over 500 child patients and their siblings, and children of adult patients," according to a statement from BCFM. "The gift packages help brighten the holidays and ease some stresses for those dealing with a blood cancer diagnosis. During this difficult time, BCFM is asking for the community's help by either adopting a family or donating toys."
Among those who have been helped by the initiative is Faith Carver, who was pregnant when she found out she had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006. The diagnosis came after she felt two bulges in her neck and her mother, who is a nurse, encouraged her to make an appointment to have it checked out. Two days later she gave birth to her son at DMC Hutzel Women’s Hospital. While she was there the hospital ran extra tests and uncovered the blood cancer in her neck and pelvic area. Immediately after her discharge at DMC, Carver was admitted to Henry Ford Cancer Institute for cancer treatments.
Since her first diagnosis, and over the past 14 years, while undergoing repeated treatments for cancer, BCFM has been around to help she and her family. It was her oncologist and a hospital social worker who told her about the organization that has provided her with emotional support check-ins along with many valuable resources and opportunities to help along the way.
“I appreciate the kindness the Blood Cancer Foundation of Michigan gives to people in need – they are friendly, open and go above and beyond to help,” Carver said, in her testimonial for BCFM. “It is incredibly comforting to know that I am not by myself in this. We can all lean on each other.”
To adopt a family visit bloodcancerfoundationmi.org/donate-toys.
To donate a toy, visit BCFM's Amazon Holiday Wish List.
New and unwrapped toys may be mailed or dropped off to: The Blood Cancer Foundation of Michigan at 27240 Haggerty Road, Suite E-15, Farmington Hills, Mich. Monetary donations and gift cards are also welcome.
The Blood Cancer Foundation of Michigan will collect toys through December 4, 2020.
"Many of the patients and families BCFM supports are unable to provide gifts for their families due to their fatigue and the cost of care in coping with their disease," a release from BCFM stated. "And, this year, families need help more than ever, as they face growing hardships resulting from COVID-19."
For more information, visit bloodcancerfoundationmi.org or call 248-530-3002.
