Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network (C.A.N.)

The Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network (C.A.N.) website is LIVE, and it's awesome! Please follow this link and browse through the site. There are interesting pages on the site that will inform and inspire you. "Our Partners" is a group of businesses that have hosted donation cans to help us raise awareness and funds in our own communities. Look for Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and Silverdale businesses that you know, and please thank them by doing business with them! Every bit of support for the Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network goes to pediatric cancer research! You will find Katie's Comforters Guild featured in the "About Us" tab.

Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network (CAN)

There is a new blog on the block! The Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network (CAN) is a group that is meeting monthly to prepare for September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and it now has a blog: http://www.seattlechildrenscan.blogspot.com/. Please visit (and follow) to learn what is going on with the guilds that support cancer research. Everyone is welcome!

Katie's Comforters Guild is listed as one of the guilds that supports cancer research. The guild's connection to cancer research is 1) because Katie died of cancer, 2) our family and friends created the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research in 2007 and 3) we began our work by sewing quilts for children in the cancer ward at Seattle Children's Hospital - and we've now expanded to blanket the entire hospital. As you know, Katie's endowment is for solid tumor research, to help find a cure for the kind of tumor she had (adrenocortical carcinoma). Since adrenocortical carcinoma is very rare, Katie's endowment supports ALL solid tumor research with the income that is generated by the principal in the endowment. At last count, the principal was just over $100,000.
We are thankful for the creation of the Seattle Children's Cancer Advocacy Network (CAN), and excited to see what lies ahead!

West Coast Oddball Knitters

Yesterday, I had a speaking engagement at Seattle Children's Hospital (I'll post about that on my blog soon), so I arranged to meet with Janet D. of West Coast Oddball Knitters at the hospital for a blanket delivery. Janet's group donated 9 handmade blankets, and picked up the bags of yarn that Lucile and Noble donated recently (see the posting below). West Coast Oddball Knitters is going to use that yarn to make more blankets for Children's Hospital.

Please visit West Coast Oddball Knitters' blog - you'll be glad that you did (and don't you just love their name)! It's original and inspiring. They knit blankets as a group, but one section at a time. In other words, one person knits a section, and then sends the blanket on to the next person. That person knits another section onto the same blanket, and sends it on - and so, the blankets grow. Each one is original, with varied colors and stitches. They are a pleasure to look at. When you visit their blog, take time to scroll down and look at the blankets and how different each one is. Their method keeps everyone from feeling overwhelmed, and it clearly keeps the inspiration fresh!

HUGE thanks to Janet and Steven for coming out on a Sunday to make the delivery. I was also able to deliver quilts made by Joan and Lucile (photos posted below), for a total of 31 blankets donated yesterday to Seattle Children's Hospital by Katie's Comforters Guild.

A Quilt Delivery with Dad

Today, my dad and I went to deliver quilts to the hospital. It was his first time on a quilt delivery, and I enjoyed showing him the routine. We gave some of the quilts to the volunteer office, and took some up to Childlife in the Hematology-Oncology department. It was great to see our friends in Childlife, Julie and Ashley, and to have a surprise visit from Tanya (our social worker when Katie was a patient). We haven't seen Tanya in many months, because she has been on maternity leave recently, with her beautiful baby girl.

It makes me happy to know that the quilts that we donated will bring comfort to children who are in the hospital. Thank you, Lucile and Linda, for your beautiful and loving handiwork!

We also visited the Guild Association office to collect a gift from a brilliant, local fashion designer named Luly Yang: fabric remnants and samples that can be used for making quilts. These are some of the most beautiful fabrics I have EVER seen, from notable designers. They can't be used in making quilts for children, because they are made of fine fabrics such as chiffon, silk and lace (and those can't be machine-washed); but they CAN be used to make beautiful art quilts that we could sell - to raise money for the guild! 

If you are an experienced art quilter and would like to help, or have advice and/or suggestions for us, please leave a comment here.

Thank you, Luly Yang, for this exciting and inspiring gift!

Guild Luncheon

Dr. Gordon Cohen

Today was the annual Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association Luncheon at the Westin Hotel. It was a wonderful event, and this was my first year attending. Friends & family (guild members) came from Poulsbo, Bainbridge, Arlington and Seattle to support our guild and the event.

Thank you all!

One of the highlights, for me, was hearing Dr. Gordon Cohen (pictured above), who performed the cardiac part of Katie's life-saving surgery. Dr. Cohen is a genius and a warm and kind human being.

I love him.

He is the surgeon who took the tumor out of Katie's heart, and gave her sub-cutaneous (under the skin) stitches, so the scarring was minimal on her chest. That meant that she could wear a bathing suit or t-shirt with very little evidence that she had had major surgery. To a 12 year-old girl, that has meaning.

Dr. Cohen is making wonderful changes and progress for children with heart issues right here in our Pacific Northwest.

Paul & me

We were seated with Aileen Kelly, the creative, energetic, thoughtful and encouraging executive director of the Guild Association, two lovely board members, and Paul (Mooselips) Dudley, the Master of Ceremonies (maybe we got to sit with Paul because his wife is a member of our guild). It was a great table:

Julie, Denise & Heidi (Mrs. Mooselips)

Mom, Linda (my sister-in-law, and our guild's treasurer) & me

We shopped at the booths of other guilds and bought some things they were selling (a fleece vest for me and raffle tickets for mom). We heard inspiring stories of fundraising success, fellowship, innovation and progress. We heard about medical advances that need and deserve to be funded.

I am so excited by what I heard, and grateful for Seattle Children's Hospital, its dedicated staff and their love for our kids!

Guild Association Facts from Fiscal Year 2009

Number of Guilds: 500

New Guilds Formed: 15 (we're one of these!)

Project Revenue (net): $10,200,000

Number of Volunteer Hours: 140,000

Guild affiliated revenue in Foundation Programs: $5,500,000

Total Guild Association contributions: $15,700,000

Guild Association Annual Meeting and Luncheon

The Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association Annual Meeting will be held on April 22nd at the Westin Seattle. Please join Seattle Children's supporters from around the state for a celebration of guild contributions to the hospital.

Two of the speakers treated Katie when she was a patient. One of them is renowned cardiac surgeon Gordon Cohen, who took the tumor out of Katie's heart.

Registration & Displays begin at 10:oo A.M.

The Meeting & Luncheon begin at 11:30 A.M.

We would love to see as many of our guild members at the meeting as possible. If you are a member, you should have received an invitation by now that contains a place to request your seating. Feel free to request to sit with your fellow guild members, if you would like that. I hope to see you there!

A Donation from a Class in Michigan!

A lovely lady who I met through blogging is a teacher in the midwest. She and her class made a beautiful batch of quilts, and sent them to Katie's Comforters Guild for donation to Seattle Children's Hospital. We send a HUGE Thank You to those precious students!

Today, David had the day off from school (in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), so he accompanied me to help take photos for D.R.'s class. I made a movie of the photos for them. Here it is:

"People gain
so much hope
when they know they are not
experiencing something
alone." - Joyce Rupp

Katie's Comforters in CONNECTIONS Magazine

Seattle Children's - Connection Magazine, Winter 2010
Though our guild was not mentioned by name, there is a photo of our quilts with Julie Greves (Hem-Onc ChildLife worker and friend) and me, on page 11. The article, which tells about the importance of the ChildLife program, begins on page 8. It's worth reading - as are the other articles about what is happening at our wonderful hospital!

Our First Official Meeting

Last evening, my mom and I attended a New Members meeting with the Guild Association at Seattle Children's Hospital. We learned about other new guilds, met some of their members, and heard stories about why they started their guilds. We learned what they are planning in the way of fund-raising for the hospital. I didn't know that when Seattle Children's was founded, 102 years ago, there was NO major pediatric hospital in existence west of the Mississippi River. The founder (Anna Clise) had a young son who died, and decided to DO SOMETHING about the situation. She founded what is now Seattle Children's Hospital, and started the first guild to support it (click HERE if you would like to read more about the history of the hospital).

I know a lot of bereaved mothers who feel the same way. On certain days, grief lights a fire under me; I can't stand to see another family endure what we have suffered. I want to alleviate - and at best, prevent - that kind of suffering. I want to FIGHT BACK...but I intend to do it with love. I want to bring into the world some of the kind of light that left it when Katie passed away.

I can't bring Katie back, but I believe that we can bring light to others who are suffering. That's the purpose of this guild! Comforters and blankets for COMFORT!

Thanks to Aileen Kelly and the board of the Guild Association for all of your help and support.

How To Donate

I've received questions about how to make a donation to Katie's Comforters Guild. Good news:  you have some choices (I love choices)!

You may write a check to:
Katie's Comforters Guild
c/o Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association
M/S S 200
P.O. Box 50020
Seattle, WA  98145-5020

You may also donate online. If you have questions about how to do this, please call the Guild Association office at 206-987-2153,
or 800-635-1432 (toll-free).

If you would like to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital, you can go to their website by following this link. There is information about many ways to donate here.

If you would like to donate to the Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research at Seattle Children's Hospital, click this link, 
 or mail a check to: 
Katie Gerstenberger Endowment
c/o Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation
PO Box 50020 / S - 200
Seattle, WA 98145-5020

Thank you for asking!

Where to Deliver Your Blankets

Where do the blankets go once they are made?

To the Volunteer Office at Seattle Children's Hospital. The Volunteer Office is located on the ground floor of the Janet Sinegal Building, accessed by the Giraffe Entrance. Detailed driving directions to the hospital, a map and parking information can be found HERE.

Briefly:  when you turn from Sand Point Way into the driveway of Seattle Children's Hospital, you will start uphill. Take the first right-hand turn, following the drive to a turn-around. There is a large covered area in front of the automatic doors. Go through those doors, and use the hand sanitizer as soon as you are inside, please! *

To your left you will see a "welcome" desk, where you will need to check in, and tell the Greeters why you are visiting. They will direct you to the Volunteer Office, which is also on the left, just past the Greeters' Desk.

Once inside the Volunteer Office, you will be greeted warmly (and your blankets will very likely be complimented!). They will offer you a form to fill out (for your tax-deduction purposes), and they will want to know the name of our Guild. You may leave the blankets with them for distribution to the area of greatest need in the hospital. You have just contributed to the comfort and encouragement of a child, and a family, in a time of great need. Thank you!

Volunteer Office Hours

Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

Phone: 206-987-2155

Please remember: Due to infection control issues, we are only able to give our patients newly purchased/made items. No used (or hand-me-down) blankets, please!

If you cannot get to the hospital in person, you are welcome to mail the blankets to the Volunteer Office, or contact me, and I will try to help you coordinate pick-up and delivery.

*NOTE: If you prefer to park your car and walk in, the Giraffe Parking Garage is a bit further up the driveway, on the left side. If it is a very busy day at the hospital, and you can't find a spot to park in the Giraffe lot, you may drive further up the driveway to the Whale Entrance, and park in the lot there. The Greeter at the desk at the Whale Entrance can give you directions to the Volunteer Office from there. This route involves a longer walk, as well as an elevator trip.

In a pinch, you may telephone the visitors office, and they can send someone out to the Giraffe Entrance turn-around to take the quilts from you.