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Bandages for Rosie is a grass roots effort with a goal of encouraging communities to donate and supply hospitals around the world with character bandages for children, in honor of someone they love.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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!
Posted by Bandages For Rosie at 5:53 AM

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How it started:

Rosalee "Rosie" Hooker was a beautiful child who lost her battle with brain cancer August 4, 2009.

Her angelic blonde curls mixed with her feisty personality, touched the hearts of many people at home and around the world. As her illness progressed, she lost her curls, but never her fighting spirit..
When she died at age four, her grieving 7 year old sister Kayla wanted to take on a project that would honor Rosie, and help the many children who were patients at Helen Devos Children's hospital in Grand Rapids Michigan.
One of the few things her sister loved about being in the hospital were special bandages that the nurses would allow her to choose whenever she was "poked." Sometimes they'd bring one for her doll as well. These bandages featured cartoon characters, sparkles and other fun designs, and were purchased by the nurses. (Typically hospitals only use the standard brown type unless otherwise donated.)
Kayla determined to try to gather 1,000 boxes of bandages to donate to the hospital within a month. With the help of family, friends, local businesses and the local community, Kayla had exceeded and more than tripled her goal in six weeks. Now the community is continuing to collect to help other hospitals. A few bandage companies also heard about the bandage drive and mailed bandages to Kaylas house. Some of the businesses that had a late start with collections asked to keep the drive going an additional month. Any bandages received that month would start to be distributed to other area hospitals.

The Goal

Our goal is to encourage anyone hearing about this wonderful story to honor someone you love by starting a Bandages for Rosie drive in your community and local hospital. This is a wonderful lesson in philanthropy and giving that is easily accomplished by individuals, schools, organizations... everyone can help.
Bandages can be purchased anywhere from 1.00 to 5..00 a box, with the average bandage at about 2.00 a box. Very special and unique bandages typically range 3.00 to 5.00 a box. (You can donate money towards the purchase of bandaids to your left!)
Bandages are lightweight, easy to store, and extremely economical to purchase, so everyone can be involved in giving.
We would love to hear your comments, and please post your Bandages for Rosie accomplishments here on our website!
By doing so you honor the memory of very special and brave little girl, and sick children everywhere, in a very tangible, and heartfelt way.