When our 14 year old daughter, Dawn, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia our eyes were opened to the number of children treated by the Hematology/Oncology Group at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. Like so many families who had healthy children we never imagined how many people were dealing with devastating illnesses. Over the course of the 7 ½ months of Dawn’s illness we met so many families whose children were dealing with a diagnosis of cancer.  Many of these families were struggling not only with their child’s illness but with financial needs for non-medical expenses.

Dawn met so many children that she wanted to help.  One little girl couldn’t walk in the hall because she had no bedroom shoes.  As soon as Dawn was able to sit up she wanted a wheelchair ride to the gift shop to buy her shoes.  She also met a young woman about her age that was already very ill when she was diagnosed.  She didn’t have any gowns or pajamas except for the hospital gowns, no turbans to cover her balding head, and none of the stuffed animals, flowers, and balloons that always filled our room.  When we had a brief visit home Dawn made a quick shopping trip and filled a box with goodies for this young patient. She didn’t want to wait until we returned so she mailed the box to the hospital.  We were told it brought the young woman a great deal of pleasure when she received the package. Dawn spent the money that people sent her to help other people.