We love hearing from our Wish List kids and seeing the beautiful photographs they send us. We can see in their smiling faces and in the words they write, that Mikey’s Way electronics truly help them cope as they travel on their cancer journey. It’s especially heartwarming to know that our founder, Mikey Friedman’s vision carries on in the very way he envisioned it would, helping kids cope with cancer Mikey’s Way!
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Remember the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” It’s that age-old adage which basically means that more information can be conveyed in a single still image, than with a whole lot of text. And pictures of our Mikey’s Way Wish List recipients clearly show just that. Despite the challenges they face, Wish List recipients from across the country share beautiful smiling pictures after receiving Wish List gifts. Their pictures tell stories far beyond what words could ever convey. You can tell from these picture that it’s true – a picture is worth a thousand words!
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Isolation – it’s one of the first challenges a child may face after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Not being able to attend school, see friends or take part in other normal activities can be very isolating. Long hospital stays or hours spent receiving treatment can take their toll adding to the feelings of isolation. But staying connected during treatment is critical.
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Mikey Friedman founded Mikey’s Way to help pediatric cancer patients cope with what he felt was, “perhaps the most difficult burden: the psychological challenges of cancer treatment.” Not only do Mikey’s Way gifts bring relief but they also provide a pathway out of the boredom and isolation that occurs with treatment.
The Wish List program is an integral part of Mikey’s vision. These Mikey’s Way gifts bring relief because they provide a lifeline to the outside world. In fact they can provide a connection to the children’s friends, family, and classmates. In addition they help combat the long hours of treatment, the intense loneliness and sense of isolation.
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Kids with cancer face many painful and scary procedures that can be both traumatic and stressful. They endure long hours of isolating and lonely treatments. And, they face hours of what Mikey Friedman referred to as “toxic boredom.” But what Mikey came to understand first hand is that distraction can help kids cope with cancer treatment.
Mikey believed that there was an immediate and pressing importance to help cancer patients cope with the mental stress of cancer treatment. “We’ve seen that distraction and psychological intervention can aid in nausea. But there is much more.” he wrote. He believed that distraction could also help kids cope with cancer treatment. His own personal experience led him to believe that others could benefit from the use of distraction activities such as the gaming system he had.
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Laptop computers can help kids with cancer smile and Emily knows this all too well. Emily is a delightful eleven-year-old who loves to bake tasty confections for her family and her doctors. When she isn’t baking, she’s busy painting, an activity she enjoys almost as much as baking! Emily is also battling Leukemia for the second time, but a Mikey’s Way laptop helped put a shining smile on her beautiful face.
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When a child has cancer, one of the challenges he or she faces is isolation from friends and classmates. While it’s often possible to keep up with schoolwork, it’s not so easy to maintain the social and group interactions experienced at school. But, laptops can help kids connect with their friends and classmates during treatment.
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The power of a Wish List gift and the magic that happens when the package arrives reaches far beyond any words which could accurately articulate the transformation that occurs. Smiles immediately replace frowns, enthusiasm quickly replaces sadness, and tough days all of a sudden seem a little brighter.
Each year, the wheels of our Mikey’s Way Day “Connection Cart” roll across numerous pediatric oncology/hematology floors throughout the country. It is at this time, during a Mikey’s Way Day that every patient in every room on the pediatric oncology/hematology floor has the opportunity to select an electronic. But, not every pediatric oncology patient is in the hospital the day of a Mikey’s Way Day. That’s why we have the Mikey’s Way Wish List.
The Mikey’s Way Wish List
If for some reason we miss a child on the day of our visit, a Child Life Specialist from the hospital can fill out the Wish List form and send it along to us. Once we receive the form, we package the child’s special gift and ship it directly to him or her.
Meet a Few of Our Wish List Kids
Noah selected a laptop as his Wish List gift. Here’s what he shared with his mom about his gift:
“Noah said that he was excited to be able to stay connected to his friends at school with Google Hangout. He also figured out how to play Fortnight, a popular game that he plays with his friends.” Noah’s Mom
Click here to learn more about Mikey’s Way and the kids we help.
