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This Is An Article That Appeared In The Scarborough Leader
By Lucas Knowles
Leader staff
Suzanne Posey and her daughter Jenna wanted to start a program
last year to help families stricken with cancer, because they know
exactly what it feels like to have a loved one with the disease.
Jenna was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5 and 1/2 in
1998. She started treatment and chemotherapy at the Maine
Children’s Cancer Program in Scarborough.
Suzanne said when Jenna was first diagnosed, everything for her
family changed.
“When she was first diagnosed, our whole world turned upside
down,” Suzanne said. “It is news you never think you are ever
going to hear.”
Jenna’s leukemia has been in remission now for over five years.
Suzanne said last August Jenna celebrated her fifth-year
anniversary of having her cancer in remission. She said it was a
“big milestone.” At the beginning of last year, Suzanne and her
daughter wanted to give back to Maine Children’s Cancer Program
in some way.
“The Maine Children’s Cancer Program saved Jenna’s life, and
saved our family,” Suzanne said. “They are unbelievable with the
support systems they offer, and we wanted to give back to them.”
Suzanne and Jenna decided to make baskets that would be given to
every family who had a patient starting treatment at the Maine
Children’s Cancer Program. They call them C.A.R.E. (Comfort,
Aid, Relief, Ease) baskets. They wanted to fill the baskets with
essentials families may forget about when their family is stricken
with cancer.
“When someone in your family is diagnosed with cancer, you tend
to drop all of your other activities and focus on that,” Suzanne
said. “You basically move into the hospital, and have to bring your
belongings there.”
Suzanne said the C.A.R.E. baskets are meant to make those
families who move into the hospital feel more at home.
“Being at the hospital is not the same as being at home,” Suzanne
said. “We wanted to bring a touch of home to those families
diagnosed with cancer.”
Suzanne and Jenna tried to think of all the items family members
may tend to forget when they first arrive at the hospital for cancer
treatments. They contacted area businesses for donations, and got
a great response. They have been able to fill the baskets with
products like soft tissues, toothbrushes, different snacks,
notebooks to write thoughts in, a stuffed animal, and different
toiletries.
Now, on one of each family’s first visits to the Maine Children’s
Cancer Program, they receive a C.A.R.E. basket. Suzanne said it is
up to the discretion of the social workers at the program when a
family receives a basket.
Suzanne said 65 children a year, on average, start to receive
treatment at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, so she and
Jenna have a goal of making 65 per year. This year, they made
around 50 C.A.R.E. baskets, and also made a few holiday baskets.
“Jenna was in the hospital once around Christmas time,” Suzanne
said. “It was the worst thing not having her be with her family, at
home, during that time of the year.”
Suzanne said it is important for the families that receive C.A.R.E.
baskets to know it is coming from a family who was also stricken
with cancer.
“We want each family to know the basket came from people who
have been through what they have been through,” Suzanne said.
“We do not want people to think of it as a handout.”
When asked if they have ever met any families who have received
C.A.R.E. baskets, Suzanne said no, because of the Maine Children’
s Cancer Program privacy and confidentiality rules. She did say
they have received positive messages from social workers with the
program who have given families baskets.
“We got a voice mail recently from a social worker, who said she
just wanted to let us know that one of the families wanted to thank
us, and that receiving it made our day,” Suzanne said.
Both Suzanne and Jenna enjoy making the baskets, especially
because they make them together. Every few months or so, they
get an assembly line going and prepare a number of baskets, then
take them to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.
“It is satisfying for us to do this,” Suzanne said. “It seems small,
but it is a big deal for those families.”
“I like to do it because it helps people,” Jenna said.
Jenna said she remembers her time in the hospital as being “scary,”
and remembers many people who visited.
“I remember a lot of people coming to visit me,” Jenna said.
Suzanne said Jenna was attending Blue Point School at the time
she was diagnosed with leukemia, and showed great resolve
throughout her treatment.
“She would go in for chemotherapy, and then insist on going to
school,” Suzanne said. “Kids can be very brave at that age, and
don’t dwell on what’s happening to them...she’s my hero.”
While receiving treatments, Jenna was chosen as the “Slugger Kid”
in 2000, representing the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program for
the Portland Sea Dogs that year.
By Lucas Knowles
Leader staff
Suzanne Posey and her daughter Jenna wanted to start a program
last year to help families stricken with cancer, because they know
exactly what it feels like to have a loved one with the disease.
Jenna was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5 and 1/2 in
1998. She started treatment and chemotherapy at the Maine
Children’s Cancer Program in Scarborough.
Suzanne said when Jenna was first diagnosed, everything for her
family changed.
“When she was first diagnosed, our whole world turned upside
down,” Suzanne said. “It is news you never think you are ever
going to hear.”
Jenna’s leukemia has been in remission now for over five years.
Suzanne said last August Jenna celebrated her fifth-year
anniversary of having her cancer in remission. She said it was a
“big milestone.” At the beginning of last year, Suzanne and her
daughter wanted to give back to Maine Children’s Cancer Program
in some way.
“The Maine Children’s Cancer Program saved Jenna’s life, and
saved our family,” Suzanne said. “They are unbelievable with the
support systems they offer, and we wanted to give back to them.”
Suzanne and Jenna decided to make baskets that would be given to
every family who had a patient starting treatment at the Maine
Children’s Cancer Program. They call them C.A.R.E. (Comfort,
Aid, Relief, Ease) baskets. They wanted to fill the baskets with
essentials families may forget about when their family is stricken
with cancer.
“When someone in your family is diagnosed with cancer, you tend
to drop all of your other activities and focus on that,” Suzanne
said. “You basically move into the hospital, and have to bring your
belongings there.”
Suzanne said the C.A.R.E. baskets are meant to make those
families who move into the hospital feel more at home.
“Being at the hospital is not the same as being at home,” Suzanne
said. “We wanted to bring a touch of home to those families
diagnosed with cancer.”
Suzanne and Jenna tried to think of all the items family members
may tend to forget when they first arrive at the hospital for cancer
treatments. They contacted area businesses for donations, and got
a great response. They have been able to fill the baskets with
products like soft tissues, toothbrushes, different snacks,
notebooks to write thoughts in, a stuffed animal, and different
toiletries.
Now, on one of each family’s first visits to the Maine Children’s
Cancer Program, they receive a C.A.R.E. basket. Suzanne said it is
up to the discretion of the social workers at the program when a
family receives a basket.
Suzanne said 65 children a year, on average, start to receive
treatment at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, so she and
Jenna have a goal of making 65 per year. This year, they made
around 50 C.A.R.E. baskets, and also made a few holiday baskets.
“Jenna was in the hospital once around Christmas time,” Suzanne
said. “It was the worst thing not having her be with her family, at
home, during that time of the year.”
Suzanne said it is important for the families that receive C.A.R.E.
baskets to know it is coming from a family who was also stricken
with cancer.
“We want each family to know the basket came from people who
have been through what they have been through,” Suzanne said.
“We do not want people to think of it as a handout.”
When asked if they have ever met any families who have received
C.A.R.E. baskets, Suzanne said no, because of the Maine Children’
s Cancer Program privacy and confidentiality rules. She did say
they have received positive messages from social workers with the
program who have given families baskets.
“We got a voice mail recently from a social worker, who said she
just wanted to let us know that one of the families wanted to thank
us, and that receiving it made our day,” Suzanne said.
Both Suzanne and Jenna enjoy making the baskets, especially
because they make them together. Every few months or so, they
get an assembly line going and prepare a number of baskets, then
take them to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.
“It is satisfying for us to do this,” Suzanne said. “It seems small,
but it is a big deal for those families.”
“I like to do it because it helps people,” Jenna said.
Jenna said she remembers her time in the hospital as being “scary,”
and remembers many people who visited.
“I remember a lot of people coming to visit me,” Jenna said.
Suzanne said Jenna was attending Blue Point School at the time
she was diagnosed with leukemia, and showed great resolve
throughout her treatment.
“She would go in for chemotherapy, and then insist on going to
school,” Suzanne said. “Kids can be very brave at that age, and
don’t dwell on what’s happening to them...she’s my hero.”
While receiving treatments, Jenna was chosen as the “Slugger Kid”
in 2000, representing the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program for
the Portland Sea Dogs that year.
| C.A.R.E. Baskets |
Comfort, Aid, Relief, Ease
