Grateful Human

Take it from someone who has lived in multiple countries and states, moving is hard and can be unsettling. Listen to this awesome discussion as Julie teaches us how to find purpose in your current situation and how to be resilient when change is the only constant. 

Join Alyssa and Nicholas as they talk through the FTY updates for the week, including:

• Reopening Plan
• Online Orders
• Community Partners coming back
• Recent Hospital Deliveries + At Home Blanket Deliveries
• Washing Machine Journey

We also end with some wisdom from Roy Disney!

Twist Out Cancer (TOC) was built on the belief that when you share, the world opens up. 

At the age of 29, Jenna Benn Shersher was diagnosed with grey zone lymphoma—a rare form of cancer which affects less than 300 people in the United States. 

Midway through treatment, Jenna, a dancer at heart, was isolated due to her compromised immune system. 

Alone and longing for the days when she could dance freely, she created an online video of herself doing the twist. 

She asked her friends to join her on her virtual dance floor, and within days, Jenna’s challenge was met by hundreds of videos of thousands of people dancing around the world. 

She no longer felt alone but instead connected to and supported by a community of twisters. 

When Jenna completed treatment she knew that she wanted to give back in a meaningful way. 

She recognized the power of sharing and the importance of creating a support community that caters to the psychosocial needs of those affected by cancer. Thus: Twist Out Cancer was born.

You fill find few better definitions of the heart of empathy than Gilda's Club Metro Detroit. 

Here is more info about the organization, which can also be found at https://www.gildasclubdetroit.org/

Our Mission

Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit ensures that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. Our organization creates welcoming communities of free support for everyone living with cancer – men, women, teens and children – along with their families and friends.

Our History

Our namesake, Gilda Radner, was one of the original cast members of “Saturday Night Live.” Throughout her time on the show, she created a number of enduring characters, including Roseanne Roseannadanna, Emily Litella and Lisa Loopner. Laughter and love were central themes of Gilda’s career and life, including in her marriage to actor and comedian Gene Wilder.

Gilda was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1985. She said that having cancer gave her membership in an elite club she’d rather not belong to. She passed away in 1989,but her legacy lived on when her husband and friends established Gilda’s Club and the first red door opened in New York City.

Our Larger Community

In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club Worldwide joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. By helping to complete the cancer care plan, CSC optimizes patient care by providing essential, but often overlooked, services including support groups, counseling , education and healthy lifestyle programs. Today, CSC provides the highest quality emotional and social support through a network of more than 50 local affiliates, 100 satellite locations and online. Learn more about the Cancer Support Community.

For more information on the magical programs of Crowns Against Cancer, check them out at  https://www.crownsagainstcancer.org/

In their words...

Mission

Crowns Against Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that started as a group of university students around Metro-Detroit, Michigan. Since then, we have branched to serve pediatric patients and special needs populations all throughout Michigan. We are committed to bringing smiles and magic through princess, superhero, and other fairy-tale character visits.

How Crowns Against Cancer was founded: 

Our founders were having tea one day, when our president Ilinca briefly mentioned the idea to vice-president, Ria. They both LOVED princesses growing up and the magic surrounding their stories. Both of them have always been very passionate about helping and giving back to the community, especially the pediatric community, and the idea for character visits popped into their heads. "The idea itself isn't a novel one, but we wanted to make the organization accessible to anyone who had a passion and commitment to help bring magic and smiles to sick and ailing children. 

The hospitals can often be a very scary place for many children and having the cheerful, magical presence of their favorite princesses and fairy-tale characters can be such a comfort to them at a time when they should be able to have fun and enjoy their childhood. Through our visits, we are committed to making each and every child feel special, and do what we can to give them a piece of their childhood back," they said.

While we initially (and still) are primarily focused on the pediatric cancer community, we also visit diverse cases in the hospitals and we are branching out to include various other communities including special needs.

Life throws a lot of pitches at us during our time up at the plate.

We see them all- curveballs, changeups, and even the intimidating fastballs.

One thing is certain: “The only thing worse than not having an opportunity is having one and squandering it.”

Listen to my chat with Chris Nemes from Nemes-Rush Private Wealth Management as we chat about seizing opportunities.

Nemes-Rush Private Wealth Management is a sponsor of Fleece & Thank You’s work, and they host an annual all-client appreciation & blanket-making event!

B-Present is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that improves the experience of young adults with cancer through programs and digital campaigns that promote connection and support. This mission will be achieved through two initiatives: b-aware and b-connected.

B-Present is focused on serving the young adult cancer community between the ages of 18-35 and their support networks. Young adults face many unique challenges as they establish personal and financial independence, attend college or start a career, begin a family, pay for their own medical expenses, and often have limited access to support services. When a cancer diagnosis enters this already chaotic phase of life, it’s even more difficult to find balance and support. b-present is committed to providing solutions that keep these unique challenges top of mind.

You can find out more about B-Present at b-present.org. 

Alyssa Dorchak has been with Fleece & Thank You nearly since its inception, and she is one of few who can also say she has performed in almost every role the organization has to offer, from volunteer to full time staff member. Her life journey is one filled with constant self-awareness checks- points in time where she had to be real with herself and her emotions. Along the way, Alyssa was planting seeds of purpose, never know which ones would ultimately sprout and put her on her current path. 

Join us as we hear the story of a up and coming corporate advertising woman who followed her heart to the nonprofit world. 

Other topics in this conversation include finding your passion, being self-aware, compassion fatigue/caregiver trauma, and the importance of mental health. 

Fleece & Thank You, a Michigan-based non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing connection, comfort, and hope through its programs, services and materials to children facing illness and their families supporting them. 

Our signature program is our blanket-making event. We host over 400 blanket-making events every year to help us achieve our goal of making 30,000 fleece blankets, one blanket for every child in MI that goes into the hospital for inpatient treatments. 

We believe in the healing power of connection, and every blanket we provide also has a personal video message attached to it from the blanket maker to the recipient in the hospital, who can then send a “thank-you” message back to the maker.

Welcome to Part of Our Fabric, a podcast from Fleece & Thank You. 

This show captures all of the meaningful stories inside the world of Fleece & Thank You and provides an outlet for children and their families in the hospital to engage with content that supports their journey. 

With me for the premiere episode is the Chair of the Fundraising Committee on the Fleece & Thank You Board of Directors, Mr. Paul Davis. Paul is a partner in The Podium Group Risk Management, which specializes in insurance strategies for athletes, C-level executives and business owners. And sales leader for MMGL. Paul Davis and MMGL are our first generous sponsor for the podcast, helping us to purchase the equipment needed to produce a quality show. Thanks so much to Paul and the team at MMGL and Podium for their ongoing support.

Types of Episodes

1. "Making a Blanket With" Series is composed of personal interviews with key FTY volunteers and donors as well as notable community members in philanthropy. Each interview we are digging up a nugget of wisdom to pass on as well as ending with a special message for children in the hospital and their families . 
2. Industry Expert Interviews is a series of discussions with notable experts in pediatric healthcare, psychosocial support, and other disciplines relevant to  kids in the hospital and their families that support them. 
3. Updates: We will be providing periodic updates that capture some of the most recent news, stories, and happenings in the Fleece & Thank You world. 

To everyone- past, present, and future- that has contributed to our mission, thank you for being part of our fabric.