Teddy Bear Tea Party in Naples Raised Over $47,000

The Teddy Bear Tea Party hosted by The Bay House restaurant in Naples was a lot of fun and a huge success for Barbara’s Friends -- raising over $47,000! Musical entertainment was beautifully sung by Party of 8, a group from the Sweet Adeline’s International, the Seacrest Country Day School high school chorus, and Mrs. Julie, music therapist from The Children’s Hospital. Mrs. Claus arrived and read one of her favorite holiday stories to everyone. There were tea sandwiches and plenty of sweet goodies to share at each table. Plus, a cute children’s fashion show was produced by Barbara Roy Productions and fashions were provided by Lu Lu Belle’s and Beth Mone Children’s shops, both in Naples. It was a wonderful day of fun for children and grown-ups. Some items have already been purchased for the clinic including 3 new medwagons ($425 each), stethoscopes, video games, a 6-line infusion pump (allows 6 meds to be given to a patient with just one pump - $6,000) and more. Thank you to all the volunteers who made it happen and to all the guests who came to have fun while supporting Barbara’s Friends. Thank you to The Bay House restaurant for your HUGE support of Barbara’s Friends!

A Big Thank You to Whole Foods and Shoppers

Whole Foods at the Mercato center in Naples selected Barbara’s Friends to be the recipient of their 5% day on January 12, 2010. A huge thank you to Whole Foods and the shoppers, as Barbara’s Friends received a check for over $3,700! Plus, Barbara’s Friends volunteers bagged groceries and passed out brochures all day to help raise awareness in Collier County.

Barbara’s Friends 15th Anniversary Celebration set for Jan. 31

Barbara's Friends 15th Anniversary Celebration Set For Sunday January 31st!!

Fron Press Release:

(Fort Myers FL Jan. 8, 2010) Barbara's Friends, the Southwest Florida Children's Hospital Cancer Fund, will celebrate a special milestone this month. It's 15th anniversary- with an event on Jan. 31st from 12 noon-3:30pm at the Miromar Design Center, 10800 Corkscrew Rd.

Founded by Fort Myers residents Frank and Betty Haskell to honor their daughter, Barbara, who died of breast cancer in 1995. The organization has raised more than $8.7 million since it's inception. this money has helped build and equip a pediatric hematology and oncology center and other facilities providing therapy and support to children battling these diseases in our community. The fund also helps cover some treatment expenses for un-insured, or underinsured patients.

"When our daughter was undergoing treatment for her cancer, she would often see children with cancer and blood diseases getting treatment as well." Frank Haskell says" this pained her hreatly, so setting up a charity dedicated to fighting these diseases in our community seemed a fitting way to honor her memory.

Today, the Barbara's Friends Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Center treats more than 100 children each week, and averages one new patient each week." Haskell continues, "no child is ever turned away, but more than half either have no insurance or have only Medicaid and need help from charities like ours," All money collected by Barbara's Friends remains and is used to help young cancer and hematology patients in our area and their families.

Are residents are invited to join the Haskells and others at the celebration in an event themed after Barbara's favorite song. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"' attendees are invited to the organizations mission at a champagne brunch, enjoy performances by local youth artists, and bid on a wide collection of items to help Barbara's Friends to paint the rainbow for cancer stricken children.

The event will be held on Jan. 31st, 2010 from noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Miromar Design Center, 10800 Corkscrew Road, Estero, FL. For more information, call 239-985-3550.

A Message from Fort Myers Toyota About Rock for Charity

Here are the instructions on how to add the graphic and link to your websites so that people can start registering to ROCK. Please keep in mind that these links go live on Friday afternoon, and therefore, we are asking that you post these to your websites no earlier than Friday afternoon.

Just click the link; instructions are inside.
http://www.fmtoyota.com/dealership/rock-for-charity-banners.htm

You can send this to other people who have web sites, too, of course. The instructions are the same for everyone. So if there are board members of your charity that also are involved with other charities, feel free to send to them if they'd like to post a link there to register as well.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or email dan@isgfl.com if you need help with adding your links. THANK YOU!!!

--Shay
941-376-0872

Helping Kids with Cancer 8th Annual Radiothon

The 8th annual Helping Kids With Cancer Radiothon will be broadcast live on Cat Country 107.1 from Miromar Outlets Friday, October 16, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Listen as pediatric cancer patients, family members, doctors, nurses, and childlife specialists share their stories of courage and hope.

Sponsorships and volunteer opportunities for Radiothon are currently available.

To become a sponsor or volunteer, call (239) 985-3550 or email Foundation@LeeMemorial.org

To make a pledge or gift to support Kids with Cancer, call 1-866-609-KIDS (5437).

A Message From Frank Haskell

Dear Friend,

Upon the death of our daughter Barbara, Betty and I felt our world had turned to a state of depression and despair. As painful as our loss was, we decided to celebrate our daughter's life and seek an opportunity that would give us value and service to others in her memory. The Barbara's Friends Children's Hospital Cancer Fund has provided us that connection for the past 15 years giving us a limitless source of joy and fulfillment.

It is now time for me to turn the chairmanship of Barbara's Friends over to new direction to assure a proper succession is in place as Betty and I approach the challenges of our golden age of life. The Barbara's Friends 15th Anniversary Celebration on January 31, 2010 will be our opportunity to thank people, such as yourself. We humbly request your support by becoming a sponsor of our celebration event.

Details are attached for your consideration.

Open Letter Event Outline Sponsor Form Sponsor Levels

Thank you.

Frank Haskell

Seacrest School Students Help Bring Smiles to Kids

During the last month of school, Seacrest Country Day School students from Naples created their own fundraising efforts and purchased 135 boxes of children's character-themed band-aids to help bring smiles to the kids at the clinic. That's about 3,000 band-aids!! Not many people know that about 40% of the kids that go to the Barbara's Friends clinic are from Collier county.

Usually every time a child goes to the Barbara's Friends clinic and the oncology inpatient unit, they have to be poked to draw blood or to receive medicine and fluids. These band-aids bring a smile to the kids at the end of their visit and that was the goal of the Seacrest students. The kids love to pick from Hello-Kitty and Barbie to Handy Manny and Batman! It makes their day. Thank You to Seacrest students from all of the kids, families, doctors, nurses, and staff!!

Teddy Bear Tea Party To Help Barbara's Friends

Mothers, Grandmothers,Friends and Daughters...
(ages 4 and up) come join us as we celebrate the season with a wonderful tea time filled with holiday music, yummy tea sandwiches and treats, a children’s fashion show,and much more.

Fashion show provided by: Beth Mone, Lu Lu Belle’s and more!

Children are welcome to wear their princess dress or holiday dress/attire and bring their favorite teddy bear!

Proceeds to benefit Barbara's Friends, The Children's Hospital Cancer Fund.

Children:
Bring a box or more of any character-themed bandaids for the kids at the clinic and receive a special goody!

(Fathers/Grandpas are welcome to socializein the lounge area. No reservations required. Food and beverage may be ordered from the menu in the lounge.)

Choose either Friday, November 27 or Saturday, November 28, 2009

Tea Time will start at 2:00 pmat THE BAY HOUSE Restaurant in Naples. Reservations due by November 18, 2009!

Seating Limited. Reserve Today! Call the LMHS Foundation office at (239) 985-3550 or mail in a reservation form found at http://www.teddybearteaparty.org/.

To find out more, please visit the Teddy Bear Tea Party website at http://www.teddybearteaparty.org/!

Frank & Betty Haskell in Gulfshore Life's 'The Gift' Section

Get hold of 'The Gift' publication this month because Frank & Betty Haskell are featured in a wonderful and inspiring story about their ordeal and ensuing efforts to fight cancer and raise money to assist cancer patients and their families.

The story, titled "From Tragedy To Hope" by Betty Parker, covers some history of Barbara's Friends and explains Frank & Betty's philosophy while highlighting their major fundraising events.

To make a donation, please call 239-985-3550 or make a secure gift online by clicking here.

Barbara's Friends Website Addressed Fixed

The domain name, http://www.barbarasfriends.org/, now works correctly. Before, this domain name went to a dead link on http://www.leememorial.org/. This Domain name is short and easy to remember and from a marketing stand point it is recommended to refer to this domain name for any marketing/advertising efforts on behalf of Barbara's Friends.

Any questions regarding referring to the web address, http://www.barbarasfriends.org/, or how we can use this blog to increase Barbara's Friends' market presence, increase online fundraising, and inform people of upcoming events, or if you would like to be a contributor to this blog, please email me at ab@randomarthouse.com.

Sincerely,

Aaron Belchamber
Random Art House
(239) 344-6711
http://www.randomarthouse.com/

Check Presentation From 6th Annual Classic Car Show

Some of our club members at the Check Presentation this year.

We also participate in an on-going hat drive for the kids.

We need to get the message out that these kids need our help!!

Barbara's Friends: The Barbara's Friends Story

Please check out the link below.
These kids have become very important to me.

Hello,My name is Kevin Nichols, I am an Advisory Board Member for Barbara's Friends.
One of the many fundraising events we do every year that I personally chair, is the Annual Classic Car Show which has been sponsored by Corvettes On The Gulf Car Club and Fort Myers Toyota.
We all have great time at this event, and have been successful in raising money for the Kids.
Maybe you could JOIN us this year!!
Kevin

Barbara's Friends: The Barbara's Friends Story

The Barbara's Friends Story

Not long ago, the closest treatment for children with cancer in Southwest Florida was in St. Petersburg or Miami. Barbara’s Friends has bridged that gap. We are dedicated to providing resources to fulfill the treatment and educational needs of our pediatric oncology and hematology patient population and their families at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Our goal is to keep families together and provide local treatment so that these families are able to keep some normalcy in their lives and allow parents to stay physically and emotionally close to their sick child. Barbara Haskell who lost her life at the young age of 32 to breast cancer is the inspiration and spirit behind her namesake, Barbara’s Friends. After a four-year battle with her illness, Barbara marveled at the bravery of children with cancer. She often wondered how they could cope with the treatments that were sometimes as difficult as the disease itself.

After her passing, her parents Betty and Frank Haskell helped make her wish to help children come true by establishing Barbara’s Friends — The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund. The Barbara’s Friends rainbow logo comes from Barbara’s lifelong love of the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” and its memorable song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

The Children’s Hospital Cancer Center, is comprised of several units:

• Barbara’s Friends Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Outpatient Center
• Crissy Brown Pediatric Inpatient Cancer Unit
• Barbara’s Friends Pediatric Pharmacy
• Barbara’s Friends Medical Library
• Barbara’s Corner Playground
• Yawkey Children’s Counseling Center

Barbara’s Friends has also established an endowment fund for continuing support of the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Program at The Children’s Hospital. Barbara’s Friends receives no tax support and is entirely dependent on philanthropic funds to support the many pediatric oncology and hematology programs and services not reimbursed by public or private health insurance.

Welcome to the Barbara's Friends Blog!

Barbara's Friends, The Children's Cancer Fund, is proud to now have its own blog! Our mission is to help Southwest Florida children stricken with cancer and their families. We welcome parents, friends, family and caretakers to join our blog and contribute your stories and experiences here. Join our community of volunteer and sponsors -- learn more about what we are about by viewing the 3 minute video above or go to http://www.barbarasfriends.org/.

Please direct people who want to learn more about Barbaras Friends to this web address, it was recently fixed.