(This is a photo of Rosie on her last Christmas with us. Rosie loved pink.. and she had her very own pink tree. We love you and miss you so very much Rosie.)

With your help, we were able to reach our goal of 1,000 boxes for Hackley Hospital in Muskegon Michigan! Thank you!!!!

We will be bringing the bandages to the hospital soon!

Kayla will not personally be heading up any more local drives here in West Michigan with set goals. However, we will cotinue to accept your donations of bandages and cash to purchase bandages and distribute them to worthy hospitals for you!

Our next hospital we will be helping is St. Judes Children's Hospital.

Devos Children's Hospital works hand in hand with St. Judes brainstorming treatment plans for children with cancer that have rare and hard to treat cancer.

So please continue to spread the word and direct people to our website. Our address is posted here, and also a Paypal link to send your donation so that we can purchase your bandages.. so you won't have to mail.

Of course, we are also here to encourage you to hold Bandages for Rosie Drives in your own neighborhoods for your local community hospital.. and we want to hear how you did and see pictures too! Let us know!

This is our first Christmas without Rosie.. and we miss her so very much. Thank you for helping keep Rosie's beautiful legacy alive for us all by donating to Bandages for Rosie. It means a lot to us this year especially.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

"A Lesson in Philanthropy" is a contest winner!

My photo of Kayla dancing in bandages ( the one we use as our header on this website) was chosen as one of six winners in The Wonders of Life photo contest. This was a nationwide contest. I am honored to have my photo chosen from so many gorgeous entries.

To see the photo montage and learn more about the purpose of the contest .. please click here:


http://www.lifehappens.org/wondersphotos

Just a holiday reminder....if you'd like to help Kayla with her last collection effort for this area.. we are still collecting through December for Hackley Hospital in Muskegon.

After this.. we'd like to hear from you and your own personal Bandages for Rosie efforts or plans for your own communities! We want to post your stories here! Thanks!


-Annette

I would like to introduce everyone to the official sponser of Bandages for Rosie!

Ouchies Adhesive Bandages is a fabulous line of children's bandages with fun and trendy designs that kids will love!

Company founder and owner Ian Madover has been very kind to us, and supportive of our efforts since the beggining. He has also generously donated to our cause.

Here is Ian's story in his own words from his website Ouchiesonline.com !

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When my daughter turned five, her supply of bandages began to dwindle from all the boo-boo's that kids get, so I decided to search the aisles of drugstores for some kind of alternative – something cool, something different, something stylish. To my complete surprise, I came home empty handed; only able to offer her one of my horribly, boring beige bandages.

As I stood there in front of her medicine cabinet, I thought to myself, “Why are there no cool bandages?” I felt that change was in order, but it wasn’t until my wife (who is the true inspiration and “umph” behind these products) gave me a nudge and said, “You can do it.” From that point on, I started Ouchies – offering kids an array of adhesive bandages that allow them to show their style and personality. Since that time I have had two more kids, furthering my dedication to giving kids the chance to express themselves through bandages.

So, join me, my wife, my two daughters and son and let the world know that just because you are 5 or 8 or even 11, you can still have style after you have fallen and scraped your knee. Down with beige bandages, baby!

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A list of retail stores carrying this exclusive product can be found on ouchiesonline.com ... or you can purchase on line. These colorful bandages come in sturdy metal tins.. and are of superior quality!

Products include snazzy bandages for boys and girls.. a make your own that includes markers, and newly introduced Mr. Men and Little Miss for boys and girls!


See photos of their product line below.



Please consider purchasing your next adhesive bandages from Ouchies.. and remember to pick up a box or two for your local hospital. We'd also be happy to accept a donation for the purchase of Ouchies and make sure they are given to a worthy hospital for you. You can use the paypal link on the left side of this page. Thank you!

The Cure Starts Now

I would like to dedicate this blog to the Desserich family.

You may be familiar with the story of how their daughter Elena left notes behind that they found after her death of pediatric Brain Cancer. The story is told in Notes Left Behind ... and the profit generated from sales will be used to pursue a cure for cancer through their non profit organization The Cure Starts Now.

http://www.notesleftbehind.com/

Even though they have had a busy week with the National Media and the release of their book, Brooke Desserich replied to an email I sent through their website yesterday.

Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story with me as well. As much as this is a story about Elena, it is more a story that will bring hope to so many kids with the research dollars we are raising. So truly it is a story about all these brave children who face cancer on a daily basis with their heads held high. It is for them that we push through the grief to make sure no other child follows in Elena’s path.

Thank you for your support and please pass the word, these are children that need a voice, and hopefully people like yourself will help us to make it so loud, the world cannot ignore them anymore.

All of our best and I hope some day we can meet in our travels. I have looked at your website and this looks like it is a wonderful and therapeutic outlet for Kayla. Gracie is still very young but loves to help in every way possible. The Cure Starts Now started out as a grassroots effort and now we have the most loyal followers with such huge hearts. Good luck to you.

Please consider making a donation to The Cure Starts Now.. for Elena, for Rosie, for sick children everywhere.

Thank you!

Bandage Drop Off Day at Devos Children's Hospital!

(All Photos Credit: Michele Hooker)
Today was the day Kayla delivered over 3,000 boxes of bandages donated by friends and community!

New info Added November 13... we are trying to gather 1,000 boxes for Hackley Hospital.
Please remember us this Holiday Season!

Shelby State Bank in Fruitport is currently the only business that is continuing an onsite drive through the end of December. There is a collection box in the main lobby.. please feel free to bring your bandages there .

Christ Community Church is also gathering.


Thank you to the following sites who continued the drive through October!

— Health Zone Chiropractic, Grand Haven

— The Voyager School at Ferry Elementary Grand Haven

— Idle Hour Restaurant, Spring Lake

— Goober's Bakery, Norton Shores



Please see our blog archive links to the to the left of the page to view other updates and blogs! You may post or view comments by clicking "comments".

Grand Haven Tribune and Squink Coverage

Bandages for Rosie was recently featured on Grand Haven Tribune and Squink.com, among many other local newspaper and web news links- and was even picked up by the Associated Press and made online and print headlines around the country!
Read the full article here: Grand Haven Tribune and view the slideshow from Squink here:
Bandages for Rosie on Squink.com.
(You may leave a comment by clicking "comments".)