From: Michelle Anderson (michelle@barrymenasherealtors.com)
Date: Fri Mar 12 2004 - 16:31:02 MST
This is from a friend of mine, she really is a pediatric oncology nurse
and she really does have this patient in her care. I know so many of
you live in the faraway places she's dreaming about - if the
sentimentality of it all isn't to offensive to you, please consider
sending a postcard to this little girl. Obviously someone who cares for
these kids regularly thinks she's pretty special, cuz I've never gotten
this request from her before.
(Please keep sentiments age-appropriate. She's five years old.)
Thanks
Michelle
*********************
From: MADELEINE SANFORD [mailto:joyful-girl@msn.com]
Hello friends,
As y'all know, I am a pediatric oncology nurse. One of my patients right
now is 5 years old and very sick. I cannot give you more information
because of federal confidentiality laws. She is incredibly sweet and
wise beyond her years, but she has been having a very difficult time
lately. She told her doctor she wants "to go someplace far away." She
actually mentioned Alabama, which confuses us all a bit since she has
never been there... maybe she just likes the way the name sounds.
Anyway, travelling is impossible for her, but her doctor came up with
the idea of having people send her postcards from places far away to
cheer her up and make her feel special. We're hoping to have lots and
lots of postcards sent from all over the world, so please forward this
email to friends and family who live in other states and countries. A
few guidelines: 1. Please send the postcards as soon as possible,
instead of waiting a few weeks. 2. Send postcards with pictures of the
place where you are so she can see the "faraway places" she wants to go
and imagine being there. If you live in Portland but have leftover
postcards from old trips, send those... she would still enjoy seeing the
pictures. 3. When you write the postcard, please DON'T say a cliche'
that may or may not be true, like "I know you'll be all better soon" or
"I'm praying for a miracle"... while we all hope and work for the best,
we can't promise something we may or may not be able to deliver, and
it's not fair to her when she knows perfectly well that she is very
sick... however, genuine expressions of hoping she has a great day,
feels better, is in your thoughts, writing a silly poem, etc., and
telling her about where you are from, what it's like, and what the
picture on the postcard is about would be wonderful. 5 year-olds are
very curious about what the world is like and are more focused on
laughing and playing rather than feeling sorry for themselves!
Her mother has given permission to give her name.
Thank you all so much for helping! Your postcard (and those of your
friends and family) will really brighten her day! Please forward this to
others who would be willing to send a postcard (and who would not say
something
inappropriate) and maybe we can wallpaper the walls of her room with
your postcards!
Thank you all- I am not normally a group emailer, but, you can really
make a difference in her life with this! To those of you who know me
well, you know that my dad sent me a postcard every day from the time I
moved away to college until the day he died twelve years later, and how
precious those are to me---my most valued possession. Perhaps together,
we can continue the tradition, for someone else, of sending love via a
postage stamp.
Wishing you all the best,
Madeleine
Here's the address to send the postcards:
Brooke Hanson, DC10C
Doernbecher Children's Hospital
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd
Portland OR 97239 USA
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