Have you RSVP'd for our CCP Christmas Spectaculars 2019?!
Raleigh
-Dec. 7th
Spartanburg
- Dec. 8th
Both parties are from 12-2. If you haven't received an invitation, please click
here to let us know!
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The Snowman
December 14 and 15
Concert times:
Saturday- 4:30 or 6:00 pm
Sunday- 2:30 pm
Join us on Saturday or Sunday for a showing of the Holiday classic, "The Snowman." The Spartanburg Philharmonic will accompany the movie's soundtrack. It will be a beautiful way to get in the spirit of the season.
Chapman Cultural Center
200 E St. John Street
Spartanburg, SC 29306
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Happy Holidays!
We look forward to seeing you all at our Christmas Spectaculars in December! The holiday season can be one full of joy and delight but it can also come with challenges.
For many of you, this holiday season may look a little different than holidays past. It can be hard adjusting our expectations and changing our routines but I encourage you to embrace this as a time to start a new tradition that allows you to focus on what is important to you and your family during this special time.
We hope you are able to focus on the strengths of your family and the resiliency you continue to show on your journey. In this newsletter, you will find tips to help you cope with your stress during the holidays and a way to help you focus on what your family is grateful for this holiday season. As always, know we are here to support your family in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Shannon Brown
,
MSW, LISW-CP
Director of Family Programs
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Thanks to our partnership with United Way of the Piedmont, CCP participates in a Gift in Kind program, so we are able to access toiletries, diapers, cleaning supplies, paper products, etc. for our families.
Be sure to
email
our office or let your family advocate know if you are in need so we can assist you with basic household items!
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Revealing our Brand New Van!
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Thanks to a grant from Women Giving for Spartanburg, we are the proud new owners of a CCP van to transport gift-in-kind bags to you, travel to visits and intakes, and use for our family events! Read more and watch the reveal video
here!
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A SPECIAL WISH FOR EVERY CHILDREN’S CANCER PARTNERS FAMILY:
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and the 2020 New Year are almost here! We know every one of them takes on special, and sometimes bittersweet, meaning for your family on this challenging journey that we navigate with you.
You are in our thoughts and prayers every day, but even more so as we approach the holidays. While you have been so very busy, our CCP family has grown to over 850 families. We wish this to be a special season of healing and joy for each of you.
Childhood cancer may be what you have in common- but there is nothing common about how you keep finding more courage and love for one another. So as another year passes, pause a moment to reflect on how much stronger your family has become on this journey. Among you, there is an amazing spectrum of experiences and emotions. We are in awe of your resilience and strength this holiday season.
Wherever your family is on the childhood cancer journey, often a tumultuous emotional roller coaster, we want you to know that we are here for you, in the tough times and the good times.
SPEAKING OF GOOD TIMES – you’re all invited! And we’re hoping you will ALL be able to attend one of our Christmas Spectaculars in Raleigh or Spartanburg
. We look forward to celebrating the holidays with you and your family. If you are unable to attend because your child is in the hospital or just not feeling well, please let us know and be with us in spirit.
As our CCP organization approaches its 20
th
year we hope to share some new events, support improvements and a growing network of local resources. If you don’t know our story and how we have grown, please
click here
and read about our journey.
On behalf of our staff, our board of directors, and our hundreds of volunteers, please accept our wishes for a joyous holiday season and New Year!
Laura Allen
Executive Director
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During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Spartanburg School District One put their caps on to help in the battle against childhood cancer. Each school in the district had a Kidz in Lids Day on September 27th, and students raised over $4,000 dollars to support CCP.
The father of one of our Superhero angels, Eliza Kate, a student of District 1, came to the check presentation to explain how CCP supported their family.
Click here
to watch the news story.
If you're interested in helping raise awareness for childhood cancer and helping CCP gather funds to help all of our families in the process, please get in touch with us about starting a Kidz in Lids day at your school! The holidays is the perfect time for schools to get involved. CCP is asking Carolina parents and grandparnets, school administrators and student organizations to consider showing their support for local children battling cancer by hositng a Holiday Kidz in Lids event at their school.
Want to bring a Holiday Kidz in Lids event to the school your chld or grandchild attends? Check out CCP's website at www.childrenscancerpartners.org for more information and then talk to the appropriate person at their school. Dig out your Santa and elf hats and join in the holiday fun!
Kidz in Lids mobilizes students to show concern for other local youth facing a life or death struggle with cancer. It's simple- kids bring a dollar and get to wear their favorite hat the entire school day. All funds support CCP.
Contact
Marisa to get signed up!
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Touchdowns for Wofford
This season, TD Bank has chosen us as the recipient of their TD Bank Touchdowns Program. Each time Wofford scores, TD will donate to CCP. Braxton got to go cheer on the Terriers from the sidelines this season!
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The Piedmont Interstate Fair offered another fair outing for our families this year! We ate fair treats and rode all the rides. Thank you to the Piedmont Interstate Fair Association and Reithoffer Shows! We also appreciate the Spartanburg Police Club and Pepsi, who provided food and drinks for our families.
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Fourth Annual Clemson Pediatric Cancer Awareness Basketball Game
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We got the VIP treatment at the Clemson Women's basketball game on November 9th. Our superheroes joined with other nonprofits in the Upstate to enjoy the game in the VIP suite with delicious snacks. We met the team and mingled with other Clemson athletes.
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Thanksgiving Family Night
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Thank you for joining us for our Thanksgiving feast! We're thankful to know each of you and celebrate the season together!
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Kerry Blome- Family Advocate
864-909-2325
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Blake Stafford-Gomez- Family Advocate
864-909-1372
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Tom Russell- Family Advocate
864-582-0673
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Meet Jordan Ann Owens-
Our new Family Support Coordinator!
We're excited to welcome Jordan Ann, read more about her and her role at CCP below.
864-582-0673
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We're proud to welcome our first family advocate volunteers! Sue and Lou Kinkle are helping in the Myrtle Beach area. If you know someone who might want to help us reach out to families, please let us know!
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PLEASE:
When you travel to treatment, be sure to keep all your receipts for parking and meals, and turn them in with your appointment confirmation form so we can be sure to reimburse you promptly.
Thank you!
IMPORTANT!
Make sure you are familiar with our NEW reimbursement policy. Click
here
to view it. Effective June 2019.
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Help us welcome Jordan Ann!
Jordan Ann, a North Carolina native, recently moved to the Spartanburg area after earning her Bachelors of Science degree in psychology from Wingate University in May 2018. Prior to joining the CCP team, Jordan Ann was a health care liaison for a local hospice and palliative care company where she gained her passion for serving families through journeys of life. In her free time, Jordan Ann enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and quality time with her fiancé, Gavin, and dog, Jax. She began in November and will be communicating with our families to provide support and resource connection, and coordinating with our family advocates. We are thrilled to have her on our team!
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Lela's Lemonade Stand
Lela, a student in district two held another lemonade stand for us with her soccer team under AYSO. They sold bracelets and baked goodies, and decorated a tent to draw crowds!
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Give Thanks Golf Tourney
On November 23, our Myrtle Beach area volunteers are holding the first annual Give Thanks Golf Tourney to benefit CCP. If you know of a potential team or sponsor, please
let us know.
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Facebook Fundraisers
Did you know that CCP benefits directly from your fundraisers on Facebook? You can start a Facebook Fundraiser for your birthday, a special occasion, or just because! A huge thank you to our parents that have held Facebook Fundraisers recently!
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VCOM Supports CCP
Recently, med students at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg held a coffee and donuts fundraiser to benefit CCP!
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Ridin' for a Reason
We had an awesome time during Myrtle Beach Bike Week raising awareness for CCP with the help of our Myrtle Beach and Harley Davidson friends! We'll be back for Spring Bike Week in 2020.
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It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
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Arts and crafts makes for a great way to get in the holiday spirit! They can keep little hands busy during school break and make time go by faster during hospital stays. Here are some of our favorites:
This tissue paper and cardboard wreath
craft is perfect for younger kids and makes a cute decoration for kid's bedroom doors! You can even get creative and add cardboard cut "ornaments", technicolor tissue paper, or more!
An easy
g
ingerbread cookies recipe!
Don't have cookie cutters? No problem! They've also included an easy printable template to freehand cut your gingerbread men and women out.
This list of Christmas crafts is perfect for older kids, teens and even parents! It has everything from DIY Christmas card trees to citrus garlands that will make your home smell amazing.
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Gratitude Tree
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Take a moment to reflect on the things you are thankful for.
The gratitude tree
is a great activity for children, and it can also be effective for adults who are open to experiencing a childlike sense of fun and wonder. You will need several double-sided colored sheets of paper, string or ribbon, scissors, twigs or tree branches, some stones or marbles, a vase, and a sense of gratitude.
Step 1: Make one or more leaf cutouts to use as a template for your leaves. You can use
this PDF
for templates, find another you like, or even create your own design. Trace your leaves on your colored paper using your template(s).
Step 2: Cut out the leaves, punch a hole at the top of each leaf, and loop your string or ribbon through each hole.
Step 3: Put the stones or marbles in a vase and stick the tree branch or twig in the middle.
Step 4: Have members of your family draw or write things that you are grateful for on the leaves. You can also use photographs if you’d like.
Step 5: Hang the leaves from the branches, and behold your gratitude tree!
This activity is easy and results in a pretty reminder of the things that bring you or your child joy throughout your daily life. It may be intended for kids but there is no age limit on finding creative ways to cultivate your gratitude, so get to drawing!
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Managing Stress during the Holidays
The holiday season can be a stressful one, especially if you are also coping with cancer. Here are some ways to manage stress and hopefully make the most of the holidays!
Focus on what’s really important to your family. Find out from each person in your family what the holiday means to them and how they want to celebrate. Make a list of all holidays activities and responsibilities. Circle the things you really enjoy doing. For items on the list that cause stress, consider ways to modify or eliminate them or see if someone can help.
Spend time with loved ones
. Even if you are unable to participate in all of your traditional holiday activities, find ways to spend time with those you care about. This will help you feel connected and help you cherish the season.
Adjust your expectations. Prepare yourself, and your family, for any changes in how you will be celebrating this year. Talk with your children so they know what to expect.
Say no. Be aware of over committing and say no when you need to.
Create a new holiday tradition. It can be easy to focus on what has changed this year and how different this holiday is from years past. For tips on creating traditions for your family, look
here.
Make sure you speak with your healthcare team
about any special events or activities you have coming up that you would like for your family to participate in. They may be able to adjust appointments to make sure you can participate.
Think outside the box with gifts. Online shopping or giving gifts from the heart, like a note or spending time together, may help make gift giving more manageable. Cut back on gifts where you can to prevent overextending yourself and your budget. Instead of gives, consider what experiences you can give your family.
Remember you are doing your best
. Don’t forget to care for yourself during this busy time. You may be so busy caring for others that you often forget about your own needs. Allow yourself to receive support by expressing your feelings. You may be experiencing all sorts of emotions, from guilt to excitement to fear. You may feel pressure to hide feeling of sadness or worry. Talk about it with a friend, family member, or professional. Take time to do things that bring you comfort, such as playing your favorite holiday songs.
Spending holidays in the hospital?
Here are some tips to help you celebrate.
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DID YOU KNOW?
In North and South Carolina, you can receive free non-emergency medical transportation through Medicaid for appointments and treatments?
Here's
a list of the number you will call depending on your South Carolina county.
In North Carolina, call your county Department of Social Services or your local 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 for more information.
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More information on 2-1-1
You can contact 2-1-1, a state-wide resource hotline brought to you by United Way, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to find resources and services to help with food, clothing, housing, childcare, financial assistance and much more.
2-1-1 in South Carolina
1-866-892-9211 or dial 2-1-1 from a SC phone
2-1-1 in North Carolina
1-888-892-1162 or dial 2-1-1 from a NC phone
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Go to "Groups" on the left hand side of the official Children's Cancer Partners page and request to join!
There will be a password to join, the word is
SUPPORT
.
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