Slip into March….Get Moving March…. I couldn’t decide which was catchier – but no matter the title, I got you here! I don’t know about you all but the holidays and January were a blur for me. I mean, the holidays….. and then there was the new Covide surge which had me in hiding again, January was full of appointments, my Dad’s Covid death, GVHD rash, stress – you name it I think it all packed itself into January. I have come up for air though and realized February is almost over! This past week I delivered a huge amount of items to the Cozy Closet – it took two trips! I did a little inventory to see what all has been used most (um, like, all of it! we are a hit!) and brainstormed with the nurses on what would be the best way to keep things stocked. So think of this as a business meeting sort of blog post – I’m going to tell you the new plan and how you can help. (Spoiler Alert! This month we are getting slippers for everyone! I want to get those patients moving!)
What I’ve done on the backend of things: I set up an account for CancerMamma so that all monies will be kept completely separate and easier to track. I set up a Support Page here on the website to keep the “how to help” info close at hand. I have cleared out storage space at my house to keep surplus so as not to completely take over all of the storage at the hospital 🙂
Monthly Item Fundraisers: I decided that I would like to try having a “monthly item” and raise money for/collect one specific item a month – sort of like we did with the “I AM” pillowcases. That was super successful and I think we should copy that model for a while. The plan is that I will try to source some good deals for the “item of the month” and use whatever is raised that month to purchase said items in bulk.
Bargain Shopping: I am going to look around for any stores having good clearance sales on the items we need. I will post updates of those items so that folks can purchase more for less. For instance, I ordered a bunch of stuff for the boys from Old Navy this week and was able to grab some great deals on men’s pajamas and slipper socks.
THIS MONTH’S ITEM!!!! HOUSE SLIPPERS
SLIPPERS GET THEM MOVING! This past Tuesday when I popped in and out to drop off things, I saw one of the patients walking laps up and down the hallway that I logged in many miles this past year. He was wearing one of our robes and a pair of our house shoes. It made me soooooo incredibly happy! And then I realized – these gifts can no only make patients feel better, they can actually help them heal better. Getting up and walking the halls (unless it’s medically prohibited) is a huge help with healing both mentally and physically. And think about it, who wants to walk around in front of people in a hospital gown and those ugly slipper socks they give you? Having cute pjs, a nice robe to cover up with quickly, and good house shoes that you can just slip your feet into might just be the push someone needs to get up and moving. And of course, lots of BMT/Leukemia patients are fall risks because of low blood counts and other common issues. SOOOOOOO, good, sturdy slippers with good non-skid bottoms are really the best thing for them. Also, being able to just slip your feet in without bending down is a big help, as bending over can be dangerous for some patients. These fur lined ones for the ladies are a good example – or these simple ones for the guys. As far as sizes go, I am mostly shooting for the middle two sizes for everyone – many times people’s feet are swollen so they won’t wear their regular size anyway. I saw a good lightning deal on Amazon today and may purchase some of those. If you would like to help get the slipper bin full with me, feel free to purchase on your own (just ship them to me) or contribute monetarily via one of the ways listed on the SUPPORT page and I will make some bulk buys as money permits. Any and all types of donations are certainly welcome and appreciated – I mean if you are at TJ Maxx and see some clearance pjs, by all means, grab them up! But this month I am especially wanting to focus on slippers. Let’s warm up those feet!!!!!
Shipping Info:
Lesley Letson
1839 Covey Rise Farm Road
Sparta, GA 31087
Cancermamma 