Welcome Katie Young - New Intern!

Children's Connection welcomes intern Katie Young this week! Katie is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Advertising. Katie is excited to work at Children's Cancer Connection in expanding her education and gaining hands on experience.

Connect to Resources

Improving in more than just our name, Children’s Cancer Connection is upgrading our blog, too.


Starting today, Mondays on the Children’s Cancer Connection blog will be about more than just our organization and what we do – the blog will connect to resources, stories, research and more to greater serve your needs.


Children’s Cancer Connection operates under seven pillars: passion, strength, understanding, growth, laughter, bravery and compassion. Here, we have related four of those core values to outside articles and information. Please peruse the links and let us know what you’d like to see more of in the future.

Strength
Everyone’s journey with cancer is different – and this page affiliated with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund at the University of Minnesota shares the inspirational stories and touching tales of children’s strength through the disease.


Understanding

During a child’s cancer journey, it’s important for the caretakers, friends, siblings and loved ones that surround them to try to understand what they’re going through. This Curesearch page boosts understanding with statistics, overviews and more.

Laughter

This site is full of silly jokes for kids – because laughter might not be the best medicine, but it sure is fun!


Compassion
Empathy is an important part of the cancer journey for all involved – but this page of community Top 10 lists from Re-Mission especially helps those living with cancer support one another.

Indianola Camp Fire Club Donation

Puzzles, coloring books, Silly Putty, and Tinkerbell socks overflow from a blue bin at Children’s Cancer Connection. A toy boat, lifelike turtle, bottle of bubbles, and tic-tac-toe set are piled on top. Provided by the 78 girls of the Indianola Camp Fire Club, these gifts are going straight to the hands and hearts of kids battling cancer.

The Camp Fire Club celebrated their 100th anniversary this month. But instead of keeping the party to themselves, the Indianola Camp Fire Club shared the wealth – and shared gifts for Children’s Cancer Connection’s “Poke Box.”

“In honor of this milestone, we thought it would be a great idea to bring a birthday gift to Children’s Cancer Connection,” says Kamie Haynes, the third grade Camp Fire Girls leader. “When we learned about the need for kid-friendly band aids and prizes for the “Poke Treasure Box,” we wanted to help.”

From Spiderman Band-Aids to Slinkies and puzzles, the Camp Fire Girls donated very important supplies for Children’s Cancer Connection kids going through treatments. After the Camp Fire Girls’ generous gift-giving, the “Poke Box” will be full of fun choices. After those “pokes,” the kids’ arms will be decked in camo, SpongeBob, and tie-dye bandages.

“Children's Cancer Connection does amazing things for some amazing kids, and The Indianola Camp Fire Club wanted to be a part of it!” Kamie says.
The Indianola Camp Fire Club brings together girls in kindergarten through grade five. They enjoy service projects like walking dogs at the animal shelter, visiting local residents in nursing homes, and now, making exciting donations to Children’s Cancer Connection.

Children's Cancer Connection Still Has Heart

On Monday, March 29, The Heart Connection Children’s Cancer Programs will be reborn as Children’s Cancer Connection. The Heart Connection has been providing support and services for children with cancer and their families since 1988 – and their latest improvement is a big one. Clearer and more succinct, the new name and image will enable Children’s Cancer Connection and its staff to continue their mission: to enhance the quality of life for children and families affected by childhood cancer by providing programs for education, recreation and support.

“After months of careful thought and reflection, we chose Children’s Cancer Connection as our new corporate name to better explain who we are and who we serve,” according to Mark Slocum, Executive Director. “It truly says what we do: connect children and families affected by cancer with the services they need.” Furthermore, the name eliminates misunderstanding about the word heart in the name; Children’s Cancer Connection is clear about who they are and what they do.

Children’s Cancer Connection’s flagship programs, the Oncology and Sibling Summer Camps, are also undergoing changes. “Our summer camp program has never had an official name,” according to Slocum. But it will now. “In honor of those who first said, ‘Whether we are sick or healthy, doctor or patient, we are all connected by the heart,’ we have named our camp program ‘Camp Heart Connection,’ and the rainbow logo will serve as the camp’s flag.” The original logo, drawn by Danny Cornish during his battle with cancer, has been selected to be the official logo of the camp program.

Through the changes, it is important to note that Children’s Cancer Connection is the same caring, compassionate, dynamic organization with the same staff and volunteers. The organization still provides the same beneficial programs and services that adapt to fit the needs of those they serve.