CuzWeCare, Incorporated

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3/30/2005 This was a delivery day. We began with the Connecticut Children's
Medical Center (Hartford) where we dropped off neck pillows as well as caps
for the kids. These will be used not only for the Oncology patients in the
hospital, but also for the children being treated in some of their outpatient
clinics such as Primary Care and Orthopaedics.

After CCMC, we proceeded around the corner to the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital, where we distributed neck pillows.

After a quick lunch, we drove to St Francis/Mount Sinai Cancer Center and left some neck pillows and some lap blankets there for their patients.

We then stopped off at the Newington Police Department and dropped off some lap blankets for them to carry in their cruisers.

Now we are back at home and we can begin packaging some more for the next round of deliveries, including another trip to the Echo Cancer Center in Norwich next week. They went through the first batch already. Please see the article from their newsletter by clicking Here.

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4/13/2005 Another day of running around ... we ran out to Bristol (CT) to drop off some pillows to the Bristol Hospital - Saint Francis Care Regional Cancer Center. We were very graciously received and the staff there seemed very happy to accept the gifts for their patients. All they have to do now is to find some space to store them in.

After Bristol, we headed to the other side of the river to drop off some 'goodies' in Manchester at the DeQuattro Community Cancer Center at Manchester Hospital. They received some chemo caps, some neck pillows, some chest pillows (Flatter version of the neck pillows that persons with chest surgery or ports can use under a car seat belt to protect themselves). and a few of our wonderfully soft polar fleece pillowcases for those patients who have lost their hair in treatment.

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4/16/2005 Our Naugatuck group met again (monthly) and once again completed over 280 neck pillows, 100 chest pillows, a box full of fleece pillowcases and a few caps. Thanks, Ladies - we tip our hats to you!

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4/20/2005 Delivery day again. We started 'doing the loop' in Hartford at The Connecticut Children's Medical Center, where we resupplied them with another batch of pillows for the kids along with some more hats (we are told that they LOVE them).

After CCMC, we went back to the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center and dropped off another 50 neck pillows to them. Not only were the Chemo patients receiving the pillows, but we were told that they will also be sending our pillows to in-patient and hospice patients as well.

The Dialysis Center at Hartford Hospital was our next stop, with an initial delivery of 50 neck pillows. The staff there were very happy to receive them for their patients - we were told that some of these patients are there for treatment three times per week for anywhere from 2 - 10 hours at a stretch - they're going to need pillows. Looks like we can keep our volunteers really busy.

We left Hartford and proceeded to New Britain to New Britain General Hospital George Bray Cancer Center. They were the very happy recipients of 50 neck pillows and after talking to them, we are going to be dropping off some more neck and Chest pillows to them later this week.

We were also given a couple of new ideas for products that the staff at New Britain General thought would be good for us to make for them as well as other hospitals. We are in the process of designing these now and will take a couple of 'mock ups' to them when they are ready.

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4/21/2005 We attended a "nonprofit Fair" at AEtna Insurance in Middletown, where we met and spoke to a lot of very nice people and even got a surprise ... one of AEtna's employees stopped by our booth and delivered to us a dozen knit caps for "preemies" and newborns. THANK YOU, Catherine.

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5/26/2005 Our sincere apologies to those of you who have been anxiously awaiting our updates to this page. Things have been so hectic lately that it has just been impossible to keep everything going and still keep this page updated.

Since 4/21/2005, we have worked with a Girl Scout troop from Bristol, a Girl Scout troop from Verplank School in Manchester, and a Brownie troop in Somers has made pillows for us, too.

We have begun a program with some Wethersfield students who have offered their assistance with folding our 'fact sheets', and packaging pillows for the remainder of the school year.

On 5/21/2005, we were invited to and particpated in a non profit fair at the Rocky Hill Community Center that was sponsored by "Giving Back", a local nonprofit agency that promotes volunteerism. This proved to be both informative and rewarding - we made many new friends and contacts.

We have made many more deliveries in the past few weeks to various individuals, local hospitals, treatment centers and Police/Fire Departments. We even donated pillows to one of the teams that participated in the "Relay for Life" event in Plainville, CT. We are now over 1,000 pillows delivered since we began in January.

Our volunteer base is growing by "leaps and bounds" which is keeping us very busy with the coordinating of activities. We have begun a few more 'product lines' including lap blankets, "preemie" pillows, "preemie" hats and "preemie" outfits ... watch for their pictures on the site soon.

We have been invited to participate in the 13th Annual National Cancer Survivors Day Event at New Britain General Hospital by giving out 300 of our neck pillows to survivors who attend and we have been asked to speak to the survivors and their guests about CuzWeCare and what we are doing.

Since the High Schools in the area are winding down their school year, we have begun our coordination efforts with some of the Senior Centers in the area to get them 'up and running' over the summer months.

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6/12/2005 We made another delivery to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center last week. This one included not only our general delivery of pillows and caps, but a dozen of our new ‘preemie pillows’ designed and made by the Rocky Hill High School Community Service Group and students of Ms. Wolfe’s Family and Consumer Sciences class- Great job, everyone.

As of Sunday (June 5, 2005), we are very proud to announce that, after only six months in operation, we have delivered over 2,000 pillows (plus all of our other items) to area hospitals, cancer centers, dialysis centers, and individual recipients across the country – even one or two out of the country.

We were once again overwhelmed by the reception that we received on June 5th at the 13th annual National Cancer Survivors Day sponsored by New Britain General Hospital and the George Bray Cancer Center. It was an amazing site, to say the least, to stand there and look out upon the faces of 197 cancer survivors and over 200 of their caregivers. Each of the survivors was presented with a neck pillow after the ceremonies were concluded – what an amazing day! Our sincere “Thanks” to the staff of New Britain General Hospital and the George Bray Cancer
Center, especially Tamara Wrenn and Marcia Anderson for all of their support.

Since the 5th, we have received numerous telephone calls from people who were present at the program who want to help and show their support. A very special “Thank You” to all of you, also.

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6/17/2005 We wish to acknowledge the Family and Consumer Sciences class at Southington High School. They surprised us last week with a telephone call saying that they had made some pillows for us. When we got there, Ms. Sullivan presented us with a large number of pillows made from some great fabric prints. A very big "Thank You" to those wonderful students who helped out. We look forward to working with Southington High again next year - and Congratulations to the graduating seniors who made these particular pillows for us.

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6/22/2005 More deliveries today. We replenished the pillow supplies at the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center in Hartford, The Echo Cancer Center in Norwich, and the Infusion Center in Wethersfield.
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7/02/2005 We at CuzWeCare wish everyone a safe and happy holiday.

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7/6/2005 Once again, more deliveries today. This time we headed Northwest to the UCONN Health Center where we dropped off neck pillows and chest pillows to the Carolyn & Ray Neag Comprehensive Care Cancer Center.

We then stopped by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where we left a dozen or so of our new 'preemie' pillow line for them to test out and let us know what they think. They also received a dozen 'preemie' caps for their little ones. Wear them in good health, kids!

From Farmington, we headed SouthWest to the Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, where we left some neck pillows and chest pillows for their patients. The staff there were wonderfully receptive, we know we will be heading that way again soon.

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