Mikeys Way Foundation

OUR MISSION AT MIKEY'S WAY FOUNDATION IS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES. THE FOUNDATION STRIVES TO CREATE CONNECTION AND DIVERSION TO HELP CHILDREN FACE THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HARDSHIPS OF LONG-TERM, DEBILITATING TREATMENT.

MIKEY'S WAY DAY: A MIKEY'S WAY DAY IS WHEN WE VISIT SELECT HOSPITALS TO DISTRIBUTE WI-FI READY, PORTABLE, ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO CHILDREN UNDERGOING LONG-TERM TREATMENT FOR CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES. WE GO ROOM TO ROOM WITH OUR "CONNECTION CART", MEETING EACH CHILD FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ONE ON ONE EXPERIENCE. THE CHILDREN THEN PICK THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. THE GIFT IS THEIRS TO KEEP. WE ARE INSPIRED BY OUR FOUNDER'S VISION TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF HOPE, EXCITEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY STRUGGLE THROUGH THE MISERY OF LONG-TERM TREATMENT.BY KEEPING YOUNG MINDS ACTIVE IN SOMETHING THEY ENJOY AND CONNECTED TO FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES, PATIENTS ARE BETTER ABLE TO TOLERATE THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF LONG-TREATMENT. INTERNET-READY ELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVE BECOME A VITAL TOOL TO HELP CHILDREN AND TEENS COPE, BY PROVIDING BOTH DIVERSION AND CONNECTION. DEVICES DISTRIBUTED INCLUDE LAPTOP COMPUTERS, TABLETS, IPOD TOUCH, ETC. THESE DEVICES CAN ALSO SERVE AS COUNSELING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOSPITAL PERSONNEL AS WELL AS A MEANS TO DIRECT CARE-GIVERS TO ACCURATE POST-PROCEDURE CARE. THE NATURE OF THE ELECTRONICS WE DISTRIBUTE ALLOW OUR MIKEY'S WAY DAYS TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT NOT ONLY ON THE PATIENTS BUT ON THE CAREGIVERS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AS WELL.AN ADDED BENEFIT OF A MIKEY'S WAY DAY IS THE SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT IT PROVIDES TO THE PATIENT. A RECENT ABSTRACT FROM THE US NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE SHOWS THAT PATIENT EMPOWERMENT IS A CORE PRINCIPLE OF PATIENT-CENTERED CARE. ALLOWING THE PATIENT TO POSITIVELY AFFECT HIS OR HER OWN HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND HEALTH STATUS AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THEIR LIVES ARE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL CAN HELP IMPROVE OUTCOMES. THE ABSTRACT CONFIRMS THAT EMPOWERMENT INTERVENTIONS MAY ENHANCE PATIENTS' INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL, RESILIENCE, COPING SKILLS, AND SELF-MANAGEMENT OF SYMPTOMS. A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF A MIKEY'S WAY DAY IS ALLOWING THE CHILD TO CHOOSE THE DEVICE WHICH THEY FEEL WILL BEST PROVIDE DIVERSION AND CONNECTION. THIS EMPOWERMENT, COUPLED WITH THE BENEFITS OF DIVERSION AND CONNECTION, POSITIVELY IMPACTS HIS/HER ABILITY TO COPE AT A TIME WHEN THE CHILD AND FAMILY ARE MOST IN NEED.THE EXPERIENCE OF A MIKEY'S WAY DAY IS ALWAYS THERAPEUTIC AND OFTEN TRANSFORMATIONAL!

MIKEY'S WISH LIST:THROUGH THE MIKEY'S WISH LIST PROGRAM, WISHES CAN BE FULFILLED FOR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WHO COULD NOT BE REACHED ON A MIKEY'S WAY DAY. A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST WILL ASSIST THE CHILD IN COMPLETING A MIKEY'S WISH LIST FORM FOR AN APPROPRIATE ELECTRONIC DEVICE. THE FORM IS EITHER FAXED OR EMAILED TO OUR OFFICE AND THE GIFT IS PACKAGED AND MAILED BACK TO THE PATIENT WITHIN 24 TO 36 HOURS.