Postcards for Alison

[daisyfairside]

Hi everyone!

This has been posted elsewhere, but it was suggested that maybe I add another posting where it may receive more viewers...  Forgive me if this cross-posting is irritating anyone... I'm not sure where the most appropriate place to post would be and some craftster members suggested this section, among others, so... I've just posted all over the place. 

My 4 year old niece, Alison, has a very aggressive cancer called neuroblastoma and has been battling the cancer for nearly a year now.  She has been at Children's Memorial during this time, and this past May experienced a brain injury - a side effect of an accidental overdose of her chemo treatment (her chart was misread).  Shortly thereafter, she had a stem cell transplant, which means she must be in complete isolation and insanely sterile conditions because of her compromised immune system.  She was moved to a rehab facility in Chicago this past month, to help regain some of her motor and verbal skills lost as a result of the brain injury.

She is doing fantastic and is SUCH a trooper, but she is stir crazy - and who WOULDN'T be?!?!?!  Soooo....

Another Craftster had the idea of a postcard drive.  A way to take a visual vacation from her hospital bed.  Alison hasn't traveled (aside from one family trip to Vegas a couple years ago - she LOVED the showgirls, heehee) and would be thrilled to see photos of all the places she hasn't been (but hopefully someday will).  Her parents are between residences, so I'm putting out a call for postcards to be sent to her, in care of my name, to my address.  I will then compile the postcards into a scrapbook to give her for her fifth birthday next month... I'm hoping to do the cover of the scrapbook with a map, marking the places she has received postcards from.  So, I'm looking at a deadline of early October, at the latest (as I probably will not be seeing her until then, after she is out of isolation and perhaps back home). 

I understand this isn't a swap, exactly, so please don't be offended by my request.  I will DEFINITELY post her reaction to the book and snap a pic to post.  If anyone is interested in participating, please e-mail me at daisyfairside@hotmail.com and I'll send you the address info.

Thanks so much!!!  I think Alison will be THRILLED to see all the support and well wishes in physical form.    Alison is totally my hero and I can't wait to present her with this project.

[selenium]

Is there anything that she would like besides a postcard?  I know she's only four, but does she have any hobbies?

[daisyfairside]

Selenium,

That's very sweet of you to ask.  She doesn't really have many hobbies to speak of at the moment.  She has only limited use of her right side and is really just beginning to regain motor skills.  Prior to the brain injury she enjoyed stickers and paper dolls, but I'm not sure if that's still true.   

Now that she is in rehab, the restrictions on what she can and cannot have are loosening up.  She's been enjoying soft toys (before she couldn't even be near fabric because the dust mites were a danger to her compromised immune system - this is major progress) now that she is regaining use of her hands.

Anything is great.  I really think even the postcards will be very interesting to her. 

And everyone, THANKS A TON for the WONDERFUL response.  The craftster community is so very kind and thoughtful and I just can't say enough great things about you guys.  As this project moves along, I'll keep everyone posted on the response. 

[Lalage]

I'd love to send her one of my fabric art postcards! Will email you privately.

[quack]

I sent a couple off today.   

[daisyfairside]

Thanks soooo much!  I really appreciate it.  Some postcards started trickling in yesterday so I'm soooo excited to see how many arrive in the next couple of weeks.  It will be nice to start organizing and putting the actual book together - I'm really looking forward to it!!! 

I can't wait to give this scrapbook to Alison!  I really think she's going to love it.  I remember last fall, before she was diagnosed, I knit a purse for her.  Her mom e-mailed me that night to say Alison loved it so much, because it was something that was made versus bought, that Alison insisted on even taking it in the bathtub while getting ready for bed that night!  She's such a funny little girl.

Thanks again everyone!  Keep 'em coming!

[Phizzychick]

Hi, are you happy to get postcards from England? Not sure how long the postage would take but I'd like to make some this week for her! Ph x

[daisyfairside]

Postcards from anywhere at all are great!  I've so far heard from Australia, the UK, the US, and Canada.  I really REALLY appreciate all of the responses I've gotten and I totally appreciate the trouble the international craftsters are going through (i.e. the cost of postage internationally).  Thanks sooo soo much!

So far I've received about 10 postcards.  They are all fantastic!  I've heard from a couple people saying that they will be sending their own handmade postcards and that is awesome!  I think Alison will love seeing the places represented in some of the postcards and she will also love seeing the handmade cards people are sending!  Her father's BFA is in painting, so she is a super crafty/arty kid - in fact, for her first birthday I bought her an easel and drawing on her easel used to be one of her favorite activities.  So she's a very visual person, and I think she'll respond really well to this.

So thanks again everyone!  I'm going to wait a couple more weeks before I start assembling the book, so feel free to e-mail if anyone else wants to participate.  daisyfairside@hotmail.com  Those that I've already responded to, feel free to forward the address to anyone you think might like to participate - I'd post my address, but for obvious reasons don't want it just floating around on the internet. 

Thanks so much! 

[Lau]

One from Bath winging it's way to you! For those of you in the UK thinking about it, it's only 45p postage for a postcard to the US so super cheap. I was surprised cause I thought it would be more, and so if the worry about he cost is putting anyone off, hopefully that will allay some fears!

[quack]

Um. So the postcards that I thought I had sent apparently didn't go out with the rest of the mail after all. But they will most definitely be sent tomorrow. Sorry!