Family Connections Program

It takes amazing doctors and medicine to physically heal a child with cancer. It also takes social workers, child life specialists, music therapists, art therapists, therapy dogs, and other forms of therapy to emotionally heal a child and their family from cancer. This isn’t a quick fix. During treatment, many programs are available when a child is inpatient or in the clinic. Nick’s Fight to be Healed Foundation, along with many other practitioners and fabulous foundations, provide distractions and stress-relieving programs. These are just as important to help a child, their siblings, and family live a fulfilling life after treatment.

This idea of connecting our families outside of the clinic and hospital has long been a wish for our foundation. With the guidance of Courtney Hill, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and OSW-C (Oncology Social Work Certified), this is now happening.

On Wednesday, March 7, the pilot Family Connections program will begin. Its purpose is to bring families affected by cancer, no matter where you are in your journey, together to build community, share thoughts, feelings, ideas, and connections.

Karen Patchell, board member of Nick’s Fight to be Healed Foundation, is a Baptiste-inspired Registered Yoga Teacher for children and adults. She began the Flow to be Healed℠ program at the clinic in February 2017. Fun games and simple poses empower a child to develop tools that help them move and use breath and focus to take their mind off any distractions or discomfort. Yoga improves their self-confidence and heals mind, body, and spirit. Children and siblings will have their own separate yoga activity and then parents, caregivers, and older teens will have the opportunity to stretch, flow, and decompress. Remember to wear comfortable clothing! That’s all you need.

Janine Cammarata is co-founder and president of Nick’s Fight to be Healed Foundation. She started the foundation in memory of her son, Nick, who passed away on October 26, 2008. Janine is a published author and teaches journaling for healing and self-awareness through her Write to be Healed℠ program. Journaling encompasses so many different art forms and topics from daily events, junk journaling, goal setting, tracking, and buckets lists. But it can also be transformative, life changing, as well as healing.

This program is open to everyone in your family. We hope you can take advantage of it. The next one is scheduled for April 4. Below are some FAQs you might have. Please let Courtney know if you can come, so we can have enough supplies for everyone.

It takes more than medicine to heal and together we are stronger.

Dance Celebration

Oh what a night! Glen Sanders Mansion was beautifully decorated for Nick’s Fight’s 3rd Annual Dance to be Healed Celebration!

Angie Silipigno, her girls, and Courtney Hill did an amazing job decorating the tables with red and pink leis, hats lined with hearts, fun eyeglasses, purple beads, with votives and mirrors provided by the staff. Red lights lit up the walls and photos of our families dancing from previous dances lined the room.

The children and young adults looked beautiful and handsome. The little gals were very excited to get their hair done by Courtney and Jackie of Pixie Salon and makeup done by Ebony Muniz and Autumn Wright, and they twirled in their dresses and fancy shoes. Family photos were taken by Elizabeth Fox Photography. Many memories were made.

jackiedoinghair — Jackie of Pixie Hair Salon curling Regan’s hair.

For the third year in a row, Mo Haskins of Cool Cat DJ played music that kept the kids on their toes. Cameron knew every word to each song and danced around the floor interacting with everyone!

Ali was adorable! He is Nick’s Warrior for the run this year on September 30! Mark you calendars! His sisters Sara and Asma volunteered with Nick’s Round Table along with many other teen volunteers.

savannahandmaya — Savannah and Maya hung out at the kids’ table doing activities.

nicksroundtable — Nick’s Round Table Teen volunteers!

artsandcraft — This table was packed all night!

Little Lucas danced all night and learned the sprinkler and mashed potato dance. Abby and Regan were inseparable. I loved seeing Brittney, Kacey, and Kendra–incredible young adults giving back despite their journeys.

I enjoyed talking to all the families and am grateful many were able to come and feel the love of family. For those who couldn’t come, you were missed, but we will see you at upcoming events. When I peered around the room, I saw children at the craft table, others were at the Open Box Photobooth sponsored by Christina Primero. They ate quickly and stayed on the dance floor. Parents, Melodies’ staff, friends, and extended family connecting and supporting one another, enjoyed their time together. This is my favorite event!

georgeandjoe — Joe Santoro, Lucas’ dad, and George Sisco, NFTBH Board member, Kendra’s dad are both getting in the spirit!

Thank you to all the generous sponsors: Maddies’ Mark who sponsored all the families, Play it Foreward for the photobooth, Maria, Lucien, and Nancy from Glen Sanders Mansion for doing a beautiful job, Elizabeth Fox Photography, and Out of the Box Photobooth.

Community

It starts with devastating news and your world shrinks in on itself as you realize that nothing will ever be the same. Your perspective shifts and what use to bother you is no longer relevant. You cherish those precious moments with your children, your spouse or partner, family, and friends, because they may never happen again.

Then you are joined together with the staff at The Melodies Center and your world gets a tad bit bigger and you are held tighter by a larger circle. Then those who have walked in your shoes reach out and take your hand, and you finally appreciate the unbelievable community that has taken you in and feels the same fear, pain, worry, and heartbreak with you.

This community also cheers you on when the news is promising. They are your biggest fans, your strength, your rock, your cheerleaders.

And no matter what they have going on, when you need them, they are there for you 100%, no questions asked. They hold you up. They are your foundation. They come from all walks of life, because cancer doesn’t care how rich, poor, tall, short, successful, shy, or healthy you are.

But we care and that is what makes all the difference. There are volunteers who have put aside their own problems, sadness, losses, and hurts to help raise others who are at their breaking point. This is community. This is what keeps me going. I am thankful for everyone who helps with our fundraisers and especially this run.

Register now for our 8th annual Nick’s Run to be Healed 5K. Tomorrow is the deadline to get the dri-fit shirt. For sure that is incentive.

But really what matters is that we all will come together as a community and be there for one another. That is what we do for no other reason than because we care and September is our month to raise awareness.