While the heat index may have been sizzling outside, on July 16th, 16 boys and 22 girls at MD Anderson Cancer Center, along with their parents and siblings, enjoyed a wonderful morning of cool activities, family fun, as well as a delicious catered lunch. For A Day wants to extend a warm thank you to Advisory Committee member Amanda Klein for doing such a wonderful job in coordinating the event.
We would also like to give immense thanks to our amazing corps of volunteers: Vera Rocha, Luciana Gama, Christiane Gontijo, and Roberto Ribeiro. Vera, Luciana, Christiane and Roberto put forth a lot of love to make the event fun and memorable for all the children and their families. Quite simply, the day would not have been possible without the brilliance and dedication of Amanda and these volunteers.
At the event, Amanda was happy to see the family who went on our most recent Family Experience Activity on June, in which the family of seven was able to spend a full day at Downtown Aquarium. The girl's mother thanked us again for the All-Day Passes.
There were many activities to keep all the children busy and engaged. At one table, we had sparkly tiaras and awesome superhero capes and masks. We also had gorgeous yarn wigs and beautiful knitted beanies from the Magic Yarn Project. Another table was filled with cute makeup kits and assorted nail polishes. Two more tables were loaded with fun craft activities: coloring drawstring bags, and cups and puzzles for the children to decorate and personalize.
To bring some cool relief from the heat, and also add a touch of royal flair to the event, Queen Elsa made a surprise appearance. Queen Elsa had a great time interacting with the children. She was also excited to pose with the children as a volunteer took photographs with a polarized camera so that that the children had mementos to take home. We want to give our warm-hearted thanks to LeeAnn at Houston Hero Headquarters for making it possible for Queen Elsa, as well as other beloved super heroes and characters, to visit the children who attend our monthly events.
California Pizza Kitchen provided a delicious lunch of pizzas and salads for a total of 60 people at the event. When one of the staff members at MD Anderson told me that all her pediatric patients loved pizza, I decided to call one of the managers at California Pizza Kitchen - Post Oak. He was very happy to confirm that they would be able to provide the lunch. The children all loved the fresh and tasty lunch.
For A Day gives special thanks to our sponsors: Goldfish Swim School, Smile Sonrisa Dental, Global Welding Services, and Elite Care 24 Hour Urgent Care. Our appreciation runs deep for our spectacular sponsors and all our kind-hearted donors. It is because of you that we are able to make these events happen. It is because of your love and support that we are able to turn treatment days to fun days for children with cancer and other serious illnesses.
