Wanted to update you all with some exciting "official" news regarding Love McKinley, Inc. We have purchased a Vecta sensory, distraction, relaxation machine for the Hematology/Oncology clinic at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. This machine is extremely useful when accessing ports for young children & VERY needed with kids who have sensory issues. Bubbles, music, lights & pictures help calm/distract children. During a visit to the lab, we had one in our room & McKinley was mesmerized! It reaffirmed that this request from the nurses was more of a need than a want for the clinic. McKinley is an "easy" patient with port accesses so I can completely see the value of anything helping to distract and/or comfort kids that have anxiety. In addition to the Vecta, Love McKinley, Inc is also funding 13 IPads & IPad rolling adjustable stands for 9 treatment rooms in the hematology/oncology clinic at JHACH & 4 additional ones at the main hospital & the Tampa OCC, so that the HEMONC patients there could have this resource as well. To say I am elated that these additions have come to fruition is an understatement. JHACH clinic has also agreed to supply a snack cart for patients/families while they are waiting/receiving chemo. Having a small child & being stuck in a small room for hours (sometimes unexpectedly) makes food a necessity. I'm so thankful these improvements are being made.
We have also started a fund in Love McKinleys name at John Hopkins All Children's Hospital. We are very excited to partner with them & look forward to a long growing relationship. It's been a very busy but very exciting couple months! As always a HUGE thank you to each & every one of you who has played in the golf tournament, made a donation, volunteered your time, attended the LM gala, etc. Without YOU none of this would've been possible. This is truly just the beginning of amazing changes to JHACH & our mission to funding pediatric cancer research to FIND A CURE. Thank You thank you thank YOU!
As for McKinley, she really is doing well. Although she still hasn't been back to school. (she's only been 6 full days since Oct 14) I do think I might have her go one day a week till the end of school. She's gotten the green light from her oncologists & they're actually encouraging it. I am a paranoid mess. Other than that, she's been doing great, feeling well & her numbers have been good (Thank God). We go back to clinic tomorrow for medication & chemo & she'll start another round of steroids. We are inching closer to the end of treatment with each passing month.
Thank you
for your
thoughts &
prayers❤️
Karen
Spencer
Moore