Family House Secret Santa Program

For over 10 years, the Family House Secret Santa program has provided presents during the holidays to dozens of families. Your gift of new clothes, toys, and other wish list items helps to ease the financial burden that many families experience with a seriously ill child. You can provide a wonderful holiday experience that would not happen without your support.

Meg Nibbi and her family have been involved with Family House since 2002, when “we fell in love with the good work that you do. Originally, we became Secret Santa donors because [CEO] Alexandra Morgan asked us to (and we do anything Alexandra asks us to), but it’s been a blessing to us!”

When asked what is the best part about about being a Secret Santa, Meg replied, “Doing it with our kids!  Having it being a family moment out in the stores buying things not for each other, but for folks who have very little.  We hope that the things that we buy them are making a difference in their Christmas, bringing a little joy in a time when they are under so much stress.”

Why would you encourage others to sign up?  “Because Family House families need them.”

Thank you to all the past Secret Santa donors! Interested in joining the program? Email Alison Blom at ablom@familyhouseinc.org for more information!

Family House Family Stories: Frankie's Family

Watch the most recent Family House Family Stories video, Frankie's Family.

Johansen Family Homecoming

We love you, Johansen family! We’re so glad that little Savannah finally gets to go home! Check out this beautiful photo documentation of a family with a little girl who spent the first few months of her life at Family House, and finally got to see her house for the first time:

See all of the photos at:
 https://www.facebook.com/jenni.tellers/media_set?set=a.10152825780151369.1073741844.583171368&type=1

Brayden and Ashlee

 

In 2010, 19-year-old Ashlee Hannah brought her first and only child, Brayden, to the doctor for his 2-month checkup and immunizations. Brayden reacted badly to the shots – his mouth and throat blistered and his pediatrician immediately sent him to the local hospital in Tombstone, Arizona.

Through a battery of tests, including blood draws and a spinal tap, Brayden’s health continued to deteriorate – he couldn’t eat on his own and doctors had to insert an NG tube for feedings.  After several days of tests at the hospital, Brayden was diagnosed with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) – and that his only chance for survival would be a bone marrow transplant at UCSF in San Francisco.

“He had a lot of procedures done to him; I'd seen him at his worst. At times, I never knew if I would wake up to my little baby boy being alive.”

Brayden was inpatient at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital for five months, and Ashlee didn’t leave his side. She was able to be his bone marrow donor, and looking back, “I am so glad that there was a way for him to live, with the great doctors and nurses at UCSF.”

As Brayden recovered from his transplant, he continued treatment at UCSF and therefore couldn’t go home to Arizona.

“I was only 18, away from my family in a city I'd never been to… We lived at Family House for 11 months, and my son experienced all of his ‘firsts’ at Family House - holidays, his first Christmas. I live in a very small town and am definitely not a city girl, so it was my ‘first’ for a lot of things, too.

 “The staff were always there for me when I needed to talk or needed help. They were my family away from family. If I didn't have the Family House I honestly can say I have no idea what I would've done.

“They helped me with transportation, gave me gift cards, and when money my parents sent was stolen in the mail, Family House actually made up the difference. I was speechless because they didn't need to do that, but they did! The organization is honestly a true blessing - they're truly wonderful people there.”

Brayden is now four years old, and he is into everything - just like other boys his age. He continues to receive IVIG antibody treatments in Arizona (making up for his body’s natural lack of B Cells), and returns to UCSF annually for checkups.

 To other parents of children with a life-threatening illness, Ashlee advises, “You might go through a lot of hiccups down your road when you have a sick child, but you have to be strong for yourself and for your child. Never give up! Make sure you have a great support system like I did with my family, the Family House, and the great medical team that saved my sons life. Know that you're not alone!”

Maddie’s Journey, by Jenny DeHart

My daughter, Madison, was 13 when she was diagnosed with cancer.  It was June of 2011 and I took  3 of my children to the doctor to get their Whooping Cough vaccination.  While we were there and after the Dr. left the room, I asked the nurse if it was ok for Maddie to have the shot if she had whooping cough already.  When she went out to ask the Dr. he advised us to go to the ER before having the vaccination just in case.  I waited a few hours and we went after dinner, around 7:30 that night.  After 2 hours and chest x-rays, we found out that Maddie had a massive tumor in her chest behind her right lung, and as it grew it was pushing on her lungs and causing the cough.  We knew within two weeks that the tumor was cancerous, and so our journey began.

On August 5, 2011, Maddie had what we refer to as her "big surgery".  It was a scary day for me, as things drastically changed the day before when we went for her pre-op appointment.  At first I had been told that they would be removing the tumor from her side, under her arm, and no scar would show, and that they were allowing 5 hours for her surgery.  During the pre-op, I was informed that the surgery now was scheduled for the whole day, and that the tumor was wrapped around the arteries to her head and right arm, as well as the nerves to her diaphragm and vocal chords.  They also let me know that they would be opening up her chest to get it out.   I was horrified and they went further in telling me that if they removed the whole tumor, they would have to remove her right arm and she would not have a voice anymore.   I didn't have time to process any of this at all, she was going in the very next day.

About four hours into the surgery, the Dr. called me in the waiting room and told me that the MRI was wrong and the tumor was NOT wrapped around all those important arteries and nerves!!  That was our first miracle.  When I saw my sweet Maddie 6 hours later, she was in ICU with every tube imaginable connected to her, but I saw her right arm, and about 20 minutes later I heard her sweet voice, and I knew that she was going to be ok.

Eight days later, when she was discharged from the hospital, and we began our two hour drive home to Turlock, California.  We were an hour and half away from home, and I received a phone call from her oncologist at UCSF with more devastating news.  The pathology report had come back on the tumor and it showed a very aggressive cancer which indicated that Maddie would need to have chemo and radiation.  They gave her a "small" break after her "big surgery" of one month, before she had surgery to insert a port into her chest, and she began chemo that same day, September 6, 2011.

This is when our second miracle occurred.  We were referred to Family House and they became our second home for the next 6 months.  I say "they" because the people of family house made us feel as though we were home.  The first person we met was Kara.  She did our orientation and had nothing but a smile on her face the whole time!!  She was our first contact in our "new home".  Subsequently, meeting everyone else, John, Joe, Greg, Amy and now Karen,  was amazing!!  Family House became our home, and the people who work there, and the families that stay there are who made that happen.

We needed that miracle because Maddie and I were separated from the other children for the majority of 6 months.  It was very difficult on our our little family.  The staff was so consistent through support, from activities for Maddie, everything they provided in the house, and even just basic conversations, or simple smiles and hugs that helped us get through our day.  They were always encouraging us and always there for us when we needed them the most!  They MADE Family House a home for us, not just a house.

Our third miracle came when the Doctor declared that Maddie was cancer free on February 13, 2012.  She then had her port removed on Valentine's Day.   The only thing that was bittersweet about that news, was that we had to go to our real home.  Of course we WANTED to go home, to reunite with the other kids, but leaving Family House was so hard.  They were by our side through the darkest time in our lives and we had to leave them.

Next week it will be 2 years since Madison was declared "Cancer Free".  She is 15 years old now and thriving in school, actually in all aspects of her life.  We have been given the opportunity to be able to stay at Family House periodically over the past two years for her check ups that will continue for 3 more years, regularly.  It feels good when we get to "go home", and know that we will be welcomed and loved by all our "family" there.

Follow us on Facebook to see the latest on some of our amazing families:  http://facebook.com/FamilyHouseSanFrancisco

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

Sign up for our newsletters to stay in the loop on all Family House news: http://www.familyhouseinc.org/newsletters.html#newsletterform 

Wishing you Peace, Love, and Hope

Manuel spent the first 10 weeks of his life in the hospital and at Family House. This 5-lb miracle baby was born with leukemia, and at only six days old, he underwent heart surgery to close a hole in his heart. This was followed by chemotherapy to treat his cancer. The day after this photo was taken, his parents, Patty & Rosendo, would bring him home for the first time.

Please donate today so that parents like Patty and Rosendo can focus on what matters most - their baby's health:  https://familyhouse.ejoinme.org/holidaymiracles

Giving Changes Lives

Below is the text of a letter we received from a donor who is participating in the Family House "Adopt a Family" or "Secret Santa" program. It's so wonderful to hear from a family that demonstrates how giving can make such a huge impact:

Hello Amy,

Thank you for allowing our family to take part in the Family House Secret Santa. Family House took such great care of our family while Natalia was undergoing treatment at UCSF from April 2008 – March 2009. I will never forget being emergency airlifted to UCSF just before Christmas 2008. Natalia was released from the hospital the afternoon of Christmas Eve and was allowed to return home for Christmas. When we arrived back in San Francisco 2 weeks later for another hospital stay, Paul delivered presents that Santa left for Natalia and our youngest daughter Sophia. It truly filled them with the wonder of Christmas. No matter what stress our family had go through, knowing we had a place to stay where people cared tremendously was always a comfort.

I hope that we can help bring a smile to another family. Merry Christmas!

Best Wishes,
Roni V

For information on the Secret Santa program, please contact Karen Banks at kbanks@familyhouseinc.org or (415) 514-6663

Click here to read the details about the Family House Secret Santa program: http://www.familyhouseinc.org/events.html#communityevents

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Family House!

20th Annual Jordan & Kyra Memorial Golf Tournament

 Perfect weather, good friends, and a great cause: the 20th Annual Jordan and Kyra Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, October 18th. Picture getting together with 150 of your golf buddies for your annual day-in-the-sun, all benefiting the Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation.  The Jordan & Kyra team went all-out with decorations at the Seascape Golf Club in Aptos, California - including photo boards with pictures from the last 2 decades.

The Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation was created in memory of Jordan Stuart and Kyra Pillsbury, and raises money for brain tumor research, and to provide free housing at Family House in San Francisco. Both Jordan and Kyra, along with their families, were guests at Family House before they lost their battles with cancer.  This annual event is a great way to cherish their memories, and keep their playful spirits alive through hope, dignity, and comfort of families currently undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Congratulations to the Jordan & Kyra team for putting on such a successful event, and to all of the donors, volunteers, and attendees - this event shines because of you!

To see more event photos, visit:
http://on.fb.me/1dEjHpP

To learn more about the Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation, visit: http://www.jordanandkyra.org/

Madi's Story

Almost two years ago, our beautiful, 5 year-old daughter, Madison, was diagnosed with leukemia. The news hit us like a bomb, but fortunately, we were sent to UCSF Children's Hospital from our home town of Redding, California - a good 4 hour drive away. Today, the prognosis for Madison is very good - she's in remission, and returns to UCSF periodically for check-ups.

I was glad to be asked my story for this article, because I want everyone to know how important Family House has been to us throughout treatment. Frankly, I don't know what we would've done without it. They were a light in our darkest hour- they were there, ready to be a home for us, even though we didn't know what we'd need. We feel lucky to be part of the Family House community.

Family House is the only reason that Madison had anything to open on Christmas last year. She was released on Christmas Eve morning after being in-patient for 48 days. My husband and I could not have cared less about Christmas, let alone gifts or a tree. Paul Goold, the Family House Director of Operations, called me at the hospital the morning we were discharged to tell me that there was a big box of wrapped Christmas gifts for Madi and her step-brothers to take home with us. It was simply unbelievable, and meant everything to our children and to us.

I hope that those of you who donate to Family House know that the families on the receiving end are real people. A sudden, life changing diagnosis can happen to anyone at any time, and you're never prepared. When you find yourself on the receiving end of the services Family House provides - an
instant community of support, a free and safe place to live, food and friendship - you don't know how you got so lucky, because your lives were turned upside down before you know it. For two years, our family struggled with all sorts of basic costs to get back and forth to the hospital-last year alone we spent $32,000 in gas, tolls, parking and minimal food purchases to get back and forth to San Francisco. It just about put us over the edge. We never thought something like this would happen to us or to our beautiful girl.

There are still families that sleep in the corridors of the hospital, in a chair, on a window ledge, or in my case, in my daughter's hospital bed with her curled up next to me. It saddens me that Family House has to turn people away because there aren't enough rooms. I hope that can change.


You can't imagine what a family is going through when they have to be in the hospital 24 hours per day-you ask yourself how many kids are at home with another family member; how the bills are going to be paid; can the family afford food while their child is in -patient for months; or has their house been repossess because they cannot keep up with the mortgage along with everything else.

Today, we no longer take every day or even every minute for granted. I will never lose sight of what every family that walks through the doors of 7 Long (pediatric oncology floor) are going to endure. I know exactly what they are feeling and I want to help them by supporting Family House. I hope you'll join me.

- Elizabeth Wallers, December 2009

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

All Star Followup – Staci Pursley

Staci Pursley lives in the quiet town of Atwater, California, just a few minutes’ drive from her hometown of Winton.  A friendly and youthful nurse with a beautiful family, you might assume that her compassion is something she learned in school or from working with families in need.  It’s hard to imagine her less than a decade ago as a 15-year-old starting her own battle with childhood cancer.

“In 2004, I was living with my parents in Winton when I was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, just a few days shy of my 16th birthday. I received treatments of chemotherapy during an 8-month span, as well as 6 weeks of radiation.  My mother and I practically lived at Family House on 10th Avenue during that entire time.”

While she was being treated at the hospital, Family House was able to provide a stable, comfortable place for Staci’s mom and twin sister Stefani to stay.  Having her family close by meant that Staci could focus on getting better, and look ahead to the future.

 Nine years after her diagnosis, Staci’s life is full and vibrant, and her own family keeps her on her toes.  “John and I have been married for 3 years, and we have two wonderful children – our 2-year old son Gage, and 6-week old daughter Elliott.  I'm very thankful for what Family House was able to provide for us during our time of need. Family House is truly a blessing.”

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

 

A World Record Achieved: The Anderson Family Story

Erin Anderson admires the strength of her daughter, Haven, calling her "a Marine in a two-year old’s body."  Haven was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma on April 17, 2012, just two weeks after her second birthday. Treatment began in her hometown of Denver, Colorado, but she arrived at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital after her first round of chemo proved unsuccessful.

Haven is currently undergoing a groundbreaking two week treatment at UCSF— something that has never been performed on a child her age.  Erin feels blessed to have access to this level of care for her daughter.  Upon arriving at Family House she felt immediate relief because it feels like home to her family and allows them to be incredibly close to the hospital at all times.  She loves getting to know everyone at Family House.  “It feels like a little family because everyone is going through what you’re going through.”


One thing Haven has to look forward to when she goes home to Denver: recognition for a world record achieved in her name!  Erin’s colleagues, family, and friends created a fundraising event called “Shavin' for Haven”, which began on a small scale this May.  Erin’s fellow teachers pledged to shave their heads if they could meet their fundraising goals for Haven’s treatment.  After the fundraiser’s success, they applied to the Guinness Book of World Records and took the idea to a larger scale on October 22nd.  The Andersons blew the previous record out of the water and shaved 371 heads in one hour, all in honor of their incredible daughter.

Erin and her husband are so relieved to have all the resources that Family House offers— they don't have to worry about where they'll be able to shower, eat, and take a much-needed deep breath between stints at the hospital. As for their daughter? “This is not a kind of cancer you ever want to have,” Erin explains, “But we are incredibly hopeful and faithful that this will be a positive outcome for Haven.”

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html