Kards for Kids
Imagine that you are a ten-year-old girl or boy that has been diagnosed with cancer and told that you have to leave your home and travel many miles to Denver for treatment that may last three, four, or more months. You can no longer go to school or play with your friends. What do you think a simple greeting card from the Lions might mean to that child? Just a simple message that you are in our thoughts. I hope every Lions Club will consider adopting this program.
This program encourages Lions clubs to send handmade greeting cards to kids suffering from childhood cancer and to other individuals going through life saving treatments and staying at Brent's Place. Brent's Place will be the primary contact for distribution of the cards,
Kards for Kids will go to pediatric cancer patients.
Caring Cards will go to adult patients staying at Brent's Place suffering from cancer and other life treating illnesses.
Brent's Place hosts about 32 pediatric cancer patients' families at a time and about the same number of older individuals, so there is a limit to the number of cards they can handle in any one month. That limit is 35 Kards for Kids and 35 Caring Cards for older individuals. Cards for both groups can be of similar design but are separated to assist Brent's Place in distribution.
Families are going through so much while they are staying at Brent's Place. When writing cards, well-intended sentiments can sometimes be received poorly. Please see a list of words and messages to avoid in your messages, as well as some examples of what our families have appreciated in the past.
What to Avoid:
· I know you will be healed
· Everything happens for a reason
· God will carry you through this
· Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger
· Any specific religious sentiments
· You will get home soon
· Hoping for a quick recovery
Great messages to include:
· I'm thinking of you
· Sending you love and healing energy
· You are strong
· You are brave
· I hope you feel better soon!
· Just keep swimming
Cards should be homemade not store bought. They may be signed with first name only and can have the creator's age if desired.
Clubs may choose to create the cards themselves but may also use this as a community outreach program and involve a senior center or Girl Scout Troop or a school class or similar group.
We suggest the card can be made from construction paper and fun stickers (Amazon has many collections for less than $10). The cards should be placed in an UNSEALED envelope, 5 x 7 (A2) seems to work the best. Clubs are encouraged to write the name of your club on the outside of the envelopes. All cards are then to be placed in a larger envelope with a max of 35 cards. Mailing instructions will be provided.
For further questions or comments, please email CWLionsChC@gmail.com or call/text 720-334-0114
To ensure that Brent's Place is not overrun with cards in any one month we ask the Lions club to sign up for a month when they will send cards. There are two spots each month - one for Kids with cancer and one for older individuals involved in cancer and other treatments.
To reserve your month, send an email to CWLionsChC@gmail.com. Specify the month and the group(s) to which you will be sending cards.
Reservation List:
Kards for Kids
Apr 2024 Golden Lions Club
May 2024
Jun 2024
Jul 2024
Aug 2024
Sep 2024
Oct 2024
Nov 2024
Dec 2024
To download this document, go to the Documents page - Kards for Kids - Website