WIPE OUT KIDS' CANCER INC

Buddy bag program: a potential cancer diagnosis is almost always accompanied by an immediate and unexpected admission to a pediatric hospital, leaving families unprepared and without the items needed for a lengthy hospital stay. Buddy bags ease the sudden and uncomfortable transition from home or pediatricians office to hospital for both the child and parents and are filled with essentials including toiletries, cozy blanket and pillow, dining cards to ease the cost of hospital food, age- appropriate entertainment and electronics, games, toys, and an ipad to remain connected to school work and friends. The buddy bag is about more than practical items - it provides a sense of grounding in the midst of chaos. It reminds families that they are not alone, but that they are supported (when they need it most), and that wokc has anticipated their needs before they even know to ask for help. A pediatric cancer diagnosis changes everything - it turns life upside down in an instant. One moment, life is normal. The next, your child is being admitted to the hospital with a suspected or confirmed cancer diagnosis. There is little time to process what is happening and no time to go home and pack a bag. Suddenly, you are in a hospital room, facing the overwhelming weight of a pediatric cancer diagnosis... Empty-handed, unprepared, and emotionally shattered. Thats when wokcs signature buddy bag is introduced. ?more than just a bag delivered to the room by a child life specialist, wokcs buddy bag is more than just a rolling canvas suitcase filled with necessary itemsit truly is a much-needed lifeline. Thoughtfully filled with essential items that bring a measure of comfort, hope, and normalcy to both the child and their parent(s) at a time when they need it most. One mother said, "we had been inpatient for about three nights with no sleep, with a life-threatening diagnosis. My daughter finally got some rest and i couldn't sleep. I realized there was a real pillow in the buddy bag and i cried myself into the best sleep i had in three nights."