21 Katie Kits Delivered – Lavanila and Beautiful LED Candles Included

Thanks to all of your generosity, yesterday we stopped in the radiation clinic and delivered 21 new Katie Kits. Just in time as they were down to 2 left.  While we wish Katie was still here to do so herself, it feels comforting to be able to continue her vision of giving back directly in a heartfelt way to women (and men if they would like one too) going through an awful stretch in life — cancer treatment.  Walking the halls brought back memories of Katie facing the tough parts of radiation treatment with her usual strength, carrying her assortment of things to make the process a little easier.  Thus the Katie Kit got it’s start with her own experiences with metastatic breast cancer… born out of how Katie herself kept calm during the scary experience of what she described as: being in a cold room, with a loud machine, lying on a table in a sometimes uncomfortable, custom alignment cradle, where you can’t move at all for the sometimes long (10-15 minute) treatment because “you are literally being burned from the inside out.”  And then the course of treatment can be 20 days long, going 5 days a week.  For Katie, radiation was tougher than chemo.

So, from the 3 iPods Katie had specified (and we donated a few years back) for each treatment room with several playlists to choose from (made by Katie’s dear friend Nick), so if you don’t have your own music there is always some available.  To the vanilla aromatheraphy that Katie found research that helps to relax and treatment outcomes. To the IMAK weighted eye mask, to help also to calm.  To the vitamin E and aloe caplets that her good friend Jill found for her, and the Eucerin lotion, that were the best she found in treating the burned skin areas post-treatment.  To the water bottle to stay hydrated.  To the pair of headphones that stay on, for use with the onsite iPods.  And to the virtual hug from Katie herself, with the gift of some of her artwork which she began doing as an outlet after her cancer diagnosis.  It’s all meant to make others feel a little less alone in that cold treatment room.

We were able to really save costs, and supply more kits, with generous discounts from both Lavanila, whom gave us half off our order of Katie’s favorite vanilla fragrance, Lavanila roller-ball (we got a smaller-sized version), as well as a current and future order discount from Zazzle.com for the beautiful new tote bags with 4 designs of Katie’s artwork printed on both sides.  We didn’t want to diverge from Katie’s vision and her product choices, and thankfully after discounts each kit is down to $70 – from the about $85 previously.

An added treat for these kits is a customized LED candle in each bag, made beautiful by family friend Brenda McDonald-Cunningham, who glues custom paper and decorations to each one.  Brenda has a huge heart and donated these, spreading some love with her creativity.

The four designs on the tote bags (16″ x 16″) with Katie’s beautiful artwork on both sides…

Here are Tammy (Katie’s Mom) and Barbara wrapping up each LED candle on the dining room production line…

Some more of the supplies…

Assembly…

The Katie Kit Items… (candle wrapped up and the small vanilla roller-ball in front)

21 Kits, Thanks to you all, Ready for the clinic…

Click here or on image below to view / download the Katie Kit Handout that we include with each kit, with product list and music selection details…
(Might need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDFs)

More details about donating and the history of Project Give-Back here.

Thank you again to all who donated and/or supported my fundraising bike rides in past years.  Without your love we wouldn’t be able to still keep spreading Katie’s love.  This year again going to do the back-to-back 100 mile bike rides, on weekends in both July and Sept.  Appreciate your continued support for Katie Kits to help women directly.

— Much, much love from Tammy (Katie’s Mom) and all the rest of us.