Jan 2019 Art Session
Over 20 heroes and six local artists created several unique masterpieces as we kicked off the new year!! The kids were really excited to paint, draw and even learned how to use a sewing machine. What fun! Curious about what they were making? You'll find out in May! The pieces made at our monthly art sessions will be auctioned off at the 9th Annual Heroes Art Ball. A big thank you to our artists and loyal volunteers for donating their time and talents - we can't wait to see the finished products!
Helping Hero: Martia
There is a special story about this hospital room decorated for our teen childhood cancer heroes.
Jacob is 17 years old. While his classmates were enjoying their winter break, Jacob was admitted to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit two days after Christmas. When the family stepped into his room, it was immediately evident that his room was a special place. It was filled with decorations, inspiring quotes and lots of Indianapolis Colts decor! Who was the holiday helper who transformed his room? It was Martia Jones. Martia is the close, family friend of another teen cancer hero, Maya. Martia felt moved to help the childhood cancer community, so she signed up to volunteer with Connor's Heroes. Martia, Maya, and Jacob. Heroes helping heroes: it is what we admire about these caring families.
2018 Holiday Open House
Thanks to the generosity of a very caring couple and your Holiday Heroes donations, Connor’s Heroes pulled off a very special holiday surprise for over 100 families with a child in active treatment during 2018. Our office turned into a wonderful holiday open house. Families streamed in and out of our doors all day. They enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies, made some crafts, and stayed for the hospitality. We surprised each parent with a $250 VISA gift card. One parent messaged us later: “Thank you so much for the awesome holiday celebration yesterday. That gift card will definitely help to make a lot of dreams come true this Christmas and help with added expenses. We so appreciate your support and cause!”
2018 Holiday Tacky Lights Tour
Our community of heroes pulled together to give our families a special holiday memory last night – our annual Tacky Lights Tour. This year was our biggest ever: over 100 children, parents, and caregivers! We had so many families that we needed two tour buses. We met at Mellow Mushroom who hosted a delicious pizza party. McGuire Woods put together amazing goody bags filled with Christmas bling and our Winn bus drivers were so gracious and accommodating. The most magical part: the smiles on the faces of the children and their families. Thank you to The Richmond Christmas Mother Fund, our friends at Midlothian Mellow Mushroom, Winn Bus and generous donors like you who made this magical night possible.
Helping Heroes: Whittney
Luke was diagnosed with AML in August. He was recently admitted on to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. His admission date was also his 14th birthday. When our room decorator volunteer, Whittney, learned that sweet Luke will spend his birthday and the holidays in the hospital, she knew she had to make the room extra special. Look at the magical space she created.
Helping Hero: Savanna
Savanna is doing a board game drive to stock the Room of Possibilities on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. The BMT unit treats mostly adult patients. Connor’s Heroes established the Room of Possibilities when we realized that families need a different environment than most of the adult patients. The Room of Possibilities is a space for our families to play, read and be together. Savanna was diagnosed with leukemia at age 8 in 2014. She underwent months of chemo, radiation and then a bone marrow transplant. (Her donor was her older brother, Asher.) She knows what it is like to be a kid on the adult unit and “living” in the hospital. You can purchase games off of her Target Wish List. Way to go Savanna!
Pic credit: Savanna’s 3rd Annual Game Drive Facebook Page
Disney On Ice
It was our biggest family event ever! Connor's Heroes arranged for our Hero families to join us for the magical Disney On Ice. Over 100 kids and families signed up. We were overwhelmed by the response! Kelly (mom to our Hero Savanna) told Celia that "everyone had a blast! I loved hearing the kids sing along to all of the Disney songs." Thank you for giving 100 of our Heroes this magical night. We look forward to hosting more fun outings for our families in the future.
Helping Heroes: Yard Cleanup
We’ve dispatched crews of Helping Heroes all over the area. Their purpose is to do yard work at the homes of our Hero Families. Seen here are the volunteers with Midlothian National Charity League (a group of mothers and daughters lead by a long-time volunteer, Monica Waters). Additional groups of Helping Heroes included Nate and Ryland, Revolution Muay Thai Martial Arts and the Midlothian Kiwanis Club.
Holiday Hero
Many people ask, “How can I help a child with cancer especially over the holidays?” You have two easy and generous ways to let a child with cancer know that you are thinking of them this holiday. You will bring joy and endless smiles to the many families in Central Virginia who look to Connor’s Heroes for hope, guidance and support. Choose how you will be a Holiday Hero this year!
As a HOLIDAY SUPER HERO, your financial gift will go directly to one of the many area families whose child is in active treatment. Parents can choose where help is needed the most: a Christmas dinner, gas to visit family, or a special holiday gift.
–> HOLIDAY SUPER HERO
Or you can be a HOLIDAY HERO and purchase popular gift cards off of our Amazon wish list. We will surprise our young heroes with a gift card.
–> HOLIDAY HERO
Disney On Ice Skating Party
Connor's Heroes is excited about this holiday season. We have a calendar full of fun, family events around town, in clinic and on the pediatric floor. We kicked off with an ice skating party with the cast of Disney On Ice! On Friday, more than 100 heroes and their families will fill a section at the Coliseum to see the performance of Disney On Ice.