ELLA'S STORY

Hi. I'm Ella Glassman. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. Her fight was the motivation for me to find a way to help other women going through breast cancer treatment. In 2018, at age 13, I decided to host a mini-golf tournament to raise money to make chemo care packages for patients at University of Miami's Sylvester Cancer Center in Plantation, Florida. I was able to raise over $1,000! With the funds raised, and with some additional donations, I was able to buy simple comfort items and assemble care packages which I personally delivered to the patients at the Sylvester Chemo Center. This experience filled my heart with determination and love. It meant the world to me to sit with women going through one of the most difficult experiences in their lives and have the chance to make them smile, even if for just a moment.  I knew this project had to continue!

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I continued to make care packages and deliver them on a regular basis, spending time with patients. When COVID happened in 2020, safety restrictions were put into place so that chemo patients could no longer have visitors with them during treatment - no family or friends! I could no longer visit with patients to deliver care packages due to risks from contamination. Coincidently, it was during this time that my grandfather was going through chemo at the Sylvester Cancer Center for pancreatic cancer. He told me how lonely it was not to have a support system with him during his treatments. He inspired me to find a way to keep Chemo Care Wishes going. I contacted Sylvester and they agreed to permit me to make and deliver greeting cards for the staff to hand out to patients during their treatment. I personally made hundreds of cards for distribution over the following two years!

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In 2022, I decided to find a way to help more patients and bring other local students into the mix.  In February 2022, I hosted my first Chemo Care Wishes Pink Day Pizza Party. Students from five local schools came together to help make 450 greeting cards and collected donations to assemble 150 care packages. I have continued to receive support from students all over Broward County! Chemo Care Wishes is an ongoing project that is always on the hunt for individuals and groups to help with our simple mission -- letting cancer patients know that their local community cares! 

 

We are now able to bring care packages and cards to UM Sylvester and Broward Health Medical Center Breast Caner Treatment Center in Fort Lauderdale. HAPPILY, I AM NOW ABLE TO VISIT PATIENTS AGAIN AND PERSONALLY DELIVER CARDS OF SUPPORT AND CARE PACKAGES.

 

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