Ryans Case For Smiles

A HOSPITAL STAY CAN BE A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR A CHILD ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-CHANGING ILLNESSES. RECENT RESEARCH INDICATES 20% OF CHILDREN WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED WITH CANCER AND 30% OF THEIR MOTHERS SUFFER FULL SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD). THESE RATES ARE COMPARABLE TO THAT EXPERIENCED BY U.S. WAR VETERANS SERVING SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR. THE GOOD NEWS IS TRAUMA CAN BE MINIMIZED AND OUTCOMES IMPROVED THROUGH EXPERIENCES THAT REDUCE STRESS. RYANS CASE FOR SMILES (FORMERLY CONKERR CANCER) WAS FOUNDED IN 2007 TO BRING COMFORT AND SUPPORT TO YOUNG PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN HOSPITALS AROUND THE GLOBE. WE STARTED WITH A SIMPLE GOAL: TO CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE WHIMSICAL PILLOWCASES THAT GIVE CHILDREN AN EMOTIONAL BOOST AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT DEFINED BY THEIR ILLNESS. TODAY, OUR PROGRAMS HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE CHILDRENS ENTIRE FAMILIES SO THEY CAN BETTER NAVIGATE AND COPE WITH A VERY DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE AND AVOID LONG TERM EMOTIO

RYAN'S CASE FOR SMILES, (FORMERLY CONKERR CANCER) WITH 110 CHAPTERS NATIONWIDE AND DELIVERIES TO 400 HOSPITALS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, IS ONE OF THE FEW VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS SOLELY DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY UNDERGO TREATMENT FOR LIFE CHANGING ILLNESSES AND INJURIES. WHILE MANY GREAT NON-PROFITS HAVE A PRIMARY FOCUS ON RESEARCH, WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL- BEING OF THE CHILD AND THEIR FAMILY TODAY AS THEY FACE LIFE CHANGING DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENTS. WE BELIEVE SUPPORTING THE CHILD'S EMOTIONAL NEEDS CAN BE AS IMPORTANT AS PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITATES PHYSICAL HEALING AND PREVENTS FUTURE STRESS-RELATED ISSUES. KIDS NEED TO FEEL BETTER TO HEAL BETTER. RYAN'S CASE FOR SMILES HELPS BY PROVIDING OVER 220,000 BRIGHT CHEERFUL PILLOWCASES TO CHILDREN IN TREATMENT EACH YEAR THAT GIVE AN EMOTIONAL BOOST AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT DEFINED BY THEIR ILLNESS. WE ALSO HOST HOSPITAL SEWING DAYS TO BREAK UP THE MONOTONY OF TREATMENT AND ALLOW THE PATIENTS TO HAVE A LITTLE CONTROL OVER AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY HAVE FEW CHOICES. FINALLY, WE ARE DEVELOPING ONE OF THE FIRST INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS PEDIATRIC MEDICAL POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AND HELP CHILDREN'S ENTIRE FAMILIES BETTER COPE AND AVOID LONG TERM EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.

THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP SIBLINGS AND PARENTS COPE WITH THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH A LIFE-THREATENING CHILDHOOD ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY. AS MANY AS 80 PERCENT OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMATIC STRESS AFTER AN ILLNESS, INJURY, HOSPITALIZATION OR MEDICAL PROCEDURE, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS NETWORK. SIBLINGS ARE USUALLY THE FORGOTTEN ONES. CASE FOR SMILES IS FOCUSED ON OFFERING INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH TRAUMATIC STRESS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AND DEVELOPING MATERIALS TO TRAIN CHILD-LIFE SPECIALISTS TO RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESS SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS IN ALL FAMILY MEMBERS.