As we approach this holiday season, it feels necessary to acknowledge the unexpected and unprecedented challenges and losses that so many have faced throughout 2020. It is hard to believe that almost a year has passed since the start of this global pandemic. Sometimes it feels as if we are in a strange time warp, and despite our many differences, we are all looking, hoping and praying for a path that will get us to the other side of this difficult time. As I write this, my family and I are currently in isolation recovering from COVID19. Despite months of extremely diligent efforts to mitigate our risk of transmission, my family's work within healthcare and education settings created a vulnerability. Thankfully, we appear to be on the mend, and we have taken every known measure to safeguard our contacts. The experience, however, has been yet another reminder of the necessity and importance of finding thankfulness in the simplicity...and to model that for the children in our lives. A heartwarming (or silly) bedtime story, a hug, a warm cup of coffee, an unexpected compliment, a belly laugh with a good friend...
A spirit of thankfulness (as this season reminds us to cultivate) becomes a primary tool for building resiliency in the face of disappointments, sadness, and frustration.
As many of you see in your roles as well, my therapy work with children and families has illustrated the overwhelming sense of how very REAL the mental, emotional and physical fatigue currently is for caregivers. The importance of self-care and connection has never been more imperative to the mental health and stability of our families and communities. And while so many of us find that our cups feel empty, I have been reminded that mustering up enough energy to spread kindness and empathy to someone in need, can often be a small, simple gesture with huge significance and many positive ripple effects.
Get Well Map Foundation continues to work to pilot our newest therapeutic tools and programming that help children and families facing challenging medical journeys. We apologize for the website issues that we have been experiencing recently. Thank you for being patient with us as we partner with TechnoGoober to address and resolve the concerns as quickly as possible. While our website may be down, Get Well Map Foundation continues to be actively engaged in inspiring work to help kids and families that are navigating extremely challenging treatment journeys. With collaboration provided by Jennifer Kelley, Child Life Specialist with Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, artist John Donato, and the Schwartz Family, we are honored to share our newest Get Well Map: "Courage Coaster". This Get Well Map is based on concepts of “Chemo Coaster”, a game created by Ted Schwartz, a brave childhood cancer fighter, as he strived to communicate the "ups and downs" of his (and his family's) deeply personal battle with leukemia. The concept of being "thrown for a loop", or "going up, down and all around" is one that resonates with many families that have journeyed through difficult medical (and life) challenges. We hope this newest theme will resonate with tweens & teens, and honor Ted’s memory by building on his desire to improve communication between kids, families & medical teams throughout difficult medical challenges.
We would be most appreciative and grateful if you might consider adding Get Well Map Foundation as your charitable organization of choice through Amazon Smile. It is super easy, and a wonderful way to support our work with just an easy click when you make your holiday purchases online this year.
As always, please reach out directly with your inquiries regarding Get Well Maps, therapeutic resources and trainings, sponsorship opportunities, or other collaborative opportunities. We welcome your feedback and love to collaborate on child- and family-centered care initiatives.
With heartfelt gratitude and wishes for wellness,
~Christina Connors
Founder, Occupational Therapist
