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mymyHEROHERO
Because every little hero needs a big one.
National Fam
ily Ca
regiver’s Month 2010
Give Thanks & Support Their Caregivers During National Family Caregivers Month
mymyHEROHERO
I love that you stick to me like glue when I am sick.
-‐-‐ Alex
mymyHEROHERO
Thirty days. Thirty children. Thirty stories.
During the month of November, celebrate National Family Caregiver’s Month with a gift that will have a real impact: a $30 donation that will help the caregiver of a catastrophically or terminally-‐ill child.
myHERO, an initiative of the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation, is calling on you, mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, and others, to support caregivers, who are the heroes that makes things a little easier and less scary when a child faces a serious illness.
Donations for $30 will go to help alleviate the burden faced by single caregivers.
Follow myHERO on Twitter @asriveroflife. Tweet for awareness and share your experiences by using the hashtag #myhero.
mymyHEROHEROTheir Stories
Thirteen year-‐old Christopher has a very aggressive bone cancer and has already endured a lower leg amputation to prevent the disease from spreading. Just when his family thought his treatment was wrapping up, Christopher had a relapse and is now back in the hospital because the cancer has travelled to his lungs. While he bravely fights to overcome his cancer, Christopher’s mother is at his bedside every day.
Sadly, like many parents caring for a child with a life-‐threatening illness, Christopher’s single mom lost her full-‐time job during the intense treatments following Christopher’s initial diagnosis. To make ends meet, she has patched together the family’s finances with odd jobs. Now, working is simply not viable. She must be at Christopher’s bedside to provide comfort, love and advocacy.
ASRL has already stepped in to catch the family up on its electric bills, but they will have many more urgent financial needs as Christopher fights for his life. You can be a hero for Christopher and his mom by supporting them with a financial contribution today.
mymyHEROHERO
An overlooked population of caregivers gets highlighted this November during the myHERO campaign: the caregivers of terminally-‐ill children, the heroes who these children turn to for comfort and protection when battling terminal illness.
November is National Family Caregiver’s Month, but the terminally-‐ill children’s caregivers—parents and close relatives—are not often recognized for the care and comfort they provide.
The recent healthcare cuts in hospitals and clinics across California alone had a dramatic effect on safety net programs that provide relief to these caregivers. As a result, millions of California children and their primarily single parent caregivers are facing even greater problems affording the health care they need. It is not surprising that their cries to the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation for monetary assistance have quadrupled since last year.
Nearly 75% of the households aided by Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation are headed by single parent caregivers. “This invisible community has few emotional or financial resources, and little to no support,” observes Valerie Sobel, Founder.
Caregivers Overlooked
mymyHEROHEROLittle Ways to Give, Big Impact
Help A CaregiverGet to the Hospital
Sometimes the simplest thing – like having enough money for bus fare – can keep a father and child from getting to the hospital for the child’s regular chemotherapy. Your gift of $10 will pay for bus transportation so that the child can receive critical medical treatment. Help relieve a family’s financial burden so that Dad can focus on his child’s healing.
$10Buy a Gift Card For Cell Phone Minutes, Gas, Food
When a child is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, family finances get stressed fast. If mom quits her job to stay with the sick child, and dad is on disability, where will the money come from? Even the simplest purchases -‐-‐ for food, diapers, gas, medicine -‐-‐ can overwhelm a family struggling to care for a child with a terminal or catastrophic illness.
Your gift will purchase everyday essentials for a family in need. Thank you for allowing the family to focus on the child’s health by easing their financial burdens.
$3o
“My mom helped me get through the hardest part of my life…she surpassedthe role of mother and became my best friend.”
mymyHEROHEROLittle Ways to Give, Big Impact
$90
$120
Buy Groceries When a Child is Sick
When a child is catastrophically ill, things happen fast. Medical bills add up. It's expensive to travel to the hospital, and soon enough the money runs out. It's stressful enough to have a child with a life-‐threatening illness. Having to worry about how to feed siblings back home adds more stress. Your gift will soften a family's burden and let Mom or Dad focus on the sick child. Just knowing that the refrigerator is stocked for the family back home helps a parent cope better during a traumatic time.
Bring a Grandparent to Care for Brothers &Sisters Back Home
When a child is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, life changes in an instant. Siblings especially need love and comfort during such a scary time. Your gift will help with gas, a long distance bus fare or a plane ticket so that a grandparent can come to care for them.
Not only will you give these brothers and sisters the support they need, but you will give Mom peace of mind knowing that she can stay at the hospital to focus on the sick child’s healing.
“My dad told me that I could not give up, and I decided that if I was goingto live, it was going to be for him.”
mymyHEROHERO
“Pediatric disease happens to an entire family.” Valerie Sobel, Founder
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
The Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation was created in the wake of founder Valerie Sobel’s loss of her teenage son Andre from an inoperable brain tumor. She realized that it had been a blessing that she was able to care for her son and not worry about finances and other resources. Upon discovering that many single parents with critically-‐ill children are forced to chose between working to provide basic needs and staying with their terminally ill child, she created the foundation to relieve this financial and emotional burden.
Now in its tenth year, the foundation pays urgent expenses so that single parents can stay by the bedsides of their catastrophically ill children. Since 2000, ASRL has provided $4 million in urgent assistance to 9,300 family members in 22 states.
Share in Our Story
mymyHEROHERO
Donate Online at
http://bit.ly/4EM5FQ
Mail donations to:
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
P.O. Box 361460, Los Angeles, CA 90036
T: 310-‐276-‐7111 F: 310-‐276-‐0244
For media inquiries and other information, please contact Christina Gagnier.
T: 909.576.1411 E: [email protected]
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