If You Can’t Go to School, We’ll Bring School (at least the fun part) to You

As kids around the country prepared to go back to school, Hope for Henry treated 150 kids at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital to new school supplies, book bags filled with books and a room-to-room party featuring Elmo, storytellers, a magician and a team of caricaturists.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

On August 31, Hope for Henry took 175 patients and families from Georgetown Hospital to a Washington Nationals game. As you can see, we all had a wonderful time. A special thanks to Most Valuable Kids and the Washington Nationals for the tickets to the game.

Bringing Sunshine to Hospitalized Kids

The Hope for Henry Summer Carnival was a huge success. The kids came to the hospital to see their doctors and left with arms filled with penny candy, carnival prizes, spin art creations and faces covered with smiles.

Caring jesters

Thursday, August 28, 2008

BY BOB GROVES

STAFF WRITER

Ashley Wingo walked into the hospital as a patient today but was soon turned into a giggling “pineapple head.”

DAVID BERGELAND / STAFF

Brian McNelis painting the face of Lake Hopatcong's Ashley Wingo, 6, to look like a pineapple.

At least that’s what Ashlee, 6, looked like when Brian McNelis finished painting her face yellow, green and orange during a Carnival Day for pediatric patients at Hackensack University Medical Center.

McNelis was one of several entertainers at the event sponsored by the Hope for Henry Foundation of Washington, D.C. Dozens of children were treated to games, juggling, candy and magic tricks, at the Don Imus WFAN Pediatric Center for Tomorrows Children and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack.

“You look beautiful,” McNelis told the chuckling child, who has leukemia.

The foundation was established in honor of Henry Strongin Goldberg, a Washington boy who died in 2003 at age 7 after a lifelong battle with Fanconi anemia, a rare inherited failure of the bone marrow. Henry made many trips to Hackensack for treatment, said his mother, Lauri Strongin.

DAVID BERGELAND / STAFF

Sarah Wingo, 9, of Lake Hopatcong, helping out Josh Edelman during his juggling act.

“Hackensack is known for its expertise in blood diseases,” Strongin said. “If you’re in the mid-Atlantic region, you’re going to come here.”

Henry was a resilient child who never thought of himself as sick, but focused on trying to get better, said Strongin, who the founded organization. Hope for Henry has staged events at Hackensack for the past five years.

“He was an amazing kid,” Strongin said of her son. “He had incredible bravery, a positive attitude, a sense of humor.”

“This is more important than all the money gigs you do,” said McNelis, 45, a Washington clown and actor, who has performed Shakespeare. “Everybody gets a chance to give back.”

Sachi Tejani of Rutherford is only 6, but she has already given something back. Earlier this month, she donated bone marrow to her brother, Neelcq, 8, a patient at Hackensack who has lymphoma. Today, Sachi was watching Doug Young, a magician, perform magic tricks.

“You have to treat them as just kids,” said Young, 36, who wore an electric blue double-breasted jacket. “They have so much love and support around them,” he said. “That really helps.”

E-mail: groves@northjersey.com

HopeLab is definitely on to something important. Great name. Important work.

Video games are among the most popular entertainment media in the world. Now, groundbreaking research shows that a specially designed video game can promote positive behaviors in young cancer patients that enhance the effectiveness of medical treatment.

This research, sponsored by the nonprofit organization HopeLab and published in the medical journal Pediatrics, provides scientific evidence for a growing field of product development that taps into the positive potential of video games and other popular technology to improve human health.

"We have very effective treatments for cancer in adolescents, but they only work if the patient takes them," said Steve Cole, Ph.D., vice president of research at HopeLab and co-author of the article. "This study shows that a strategically designed video game can be a powerful new tool to enhance the impact of medical treatment by motivating healthy behavior in the patient."

The study evaluated the impact of playing Re-Mission(TM), a video game developed by HopeLab specifically for teens and young adults with cancer, on key behavioral and psychological factors associated with successful cancer treatment. In Re-Mission, players pilot a microscopic robot named Roxxi as she travels through the bodies of fictional cancer patients, blasting away cancer cells and battling the side-effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

This study on Re-Mission is the largest randomized, controlled study of a video game intervention ever conducted, following 375 teens and young adults with cancer at 34 medical centers in the United States, Canada and Australia during three months of cancer treatment.

In the study, participants who were given Re-Mission maintained higher levels of chemotherapy in their blood (20%; p=.002) and took their antibiotics more consistently (16%; p=.012) than those in the control group, demonstrating the game's impact at a biological level. Participants given Re-Mission also showed faster acquisition of cancer-related knowledge (230%; p=.035) and faster increase in self-efficacy (370%; p=.011).

"We now know that games can induce positive changes in the way individuals manage their health," said Dr. Cole. "The game not only motivates positive health behavior; it also gives players a greater sense of power and control over their disease -- in fact, that seems to be its key ingredient."

Analyses of study data suggest that patients' increased sense of control over cancer (self-efficacy) was a major driver of the game's effect on medical treatment utilization. To better understand how game play delivers the outcomes highlighted in the Pediatrics article, HopeLab conducted a study that utilizes functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology to analyze the brain regions that are activated when people play Re-Mission. Data from this research will be presented in Tokyo at the 10th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine August 27 - 30, 2008.

"The process to create and evaluate Re-Mission was highly collaborative, often challenging, and an incredible learning experience," said Pam Omidyar, HopeLab founder and board chair. "The publication of Re-Mission data represents the fulfillment of HopeLab's founding vision -- that rationally engineered technology can be a powerful tool to improve the health of young people."

Superheroes Descend on Hackensack for Annual Hope for Henry Celebration

Another Great Birthday Photo

Bringing Birthday Cheer to Hospitalized Kids

Hope for Henry's new birthday program, It's Your Birthday! from Hope for Henry, is bringing birthday cheer - and presents, cupcakes, goody bags and decorations - to ensure that each child's special day is just that. Special.

NBA Star Jeff Green Attends Hope for Henry Summer Carnival

Thanks to our partner Athletes for Hope, Jeff Green of the Seattle Sonics and formerly of the Georgetown Hoyas joined the kids at Georgetown Hospital's Lombardi Cancer Center at Hope for Henry's Summer Carnival. Star athletes like Jeff are heroes to the kids and parents alike who couldn't wait to meet him. While Jeff towered over many of the kids, he had to look up to see the smile on the face of our stiltwalker, Brian McNelis of Tomfoolery.

Summer Fun at Georgetown Hospital

ABC News: Hope For Henry

ABC News: Hope For Henry

It could not have been a more perfect day for a summer carnival. Even though summer is officially two days off, kids being treated for life-threatening illnesses gathered today at Georgetown University Hospital to enjoy the pleasures of the season.

Balloon artists, clowns, magicians and face painters along with midway games, a photo booth, spin and sand art activities, pizza and ice cream were all on hand for the annual Hope for Henry Summer Carnival at Georgetown.

A last minute addition to today's roster was Georgetown's own basketball superstar, Jeff Green, courtesy of Athletes for Hope. Now with the NBA's Seattle Sonics, Jeff swung by to say hello to all of the kids and staff attending the carnival. What a "tall" treat.

All of the patients from the outpatient clinic who could come and the kids up in the PICU and Hem/Onc floor too sick to attend received sand pails filled with fun summer-themed presents and prizes.

Look for media coverage of this fun-tabulous blowout coming soon to this space!

Upcoming Hope for Henry Summer Carnival at Lombardi Cancer Center

Check out this beautiful flier created by Sonia, a friend of Hope for Henry and volunteer at last year's carnival. Everything is coming together for this terrific event. We'll have clowns, jugglers, magicians, sand and spin art, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, pizza, midway games, a DJ and much, much more. If anyone is interested in volunteering, please email laurie@hopeforhenry.org.

Kids Helping Kids

Michael and Rachel Cherner shared their b'nai mitzvah with kids at Georgetown Hospital by asking their guests to make stuffed animal bears, pandas and horses each of which is sporting a Hope for Henry t-shirt. These beautiful gifts will be given to the children who attend Hope for Henry's summer carnival at Georgetown Hospital on June 18.
 

Hope for Henry Hosts Summer Carnivals to Ensure Kids Have Lots of Summer Fun

On Wednesday, June 18, Hope for Henry will bring lots of summer fun - and clowns, magicians, jugglers, face painters, midway games, ice cream, sand and spin art and much, much more - to the kids at Georgetown Hospital. If anyone is interested in volunteering, please email laurie@hopeforhenry.org.

 

Siblings Need Support Too

This is why our sibling program is so important. We give each sibling a Target gift card to enable them to pick out something special and to let them know that we understand how hard it is to have a sick brother or sister.
 

Hope for Henry Superhero Celebration

Athletes for Hope Hope for Henry Superhero Celebration Posting

Adventures With Braxton: Back InThe Bighouse 2

Adventures With Braxton: Back InThe Bighouse 2

Batman, Batgirl and Spiderman Bring Cheer to Hospitalized Kids

Here are a few fantastic photos from the Hope for Henry Superhero Celebration at University of Minnesota Children's in Minneapolis. Batman and Batgirl went room to room visiting patients and families and Spiderman performed amazing break dancing moves, bringing delight and tons of smiles to the faces of these kids.

U of MN Children's Turned Into Den of Superheroes

 


We brought a photo booth and tons of superhero toys, costumes, movies and much, much more to 150 kids going through bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy and other difficult, long-term treatment at University of Minnesota Children's. Spiderman flew in for the day and impressed all the kids with his acrobatics. Here is one of many amazing photos thanks to Minneapolis' own Traveling Photo Booth.

Amelia Helps Hope for Henry

On February 9, Amelia Roscow celebrated her first birthday. With the help of her wonderful parents Rachel and David, she chose to share her special day with kids who are in the hospital and unable to attend birthday parties or other fun occasions. Amelia's friends and families donated hundreds of dollars and dozens of new games including Candyland, Zingo, Parchesi and other favorites. Games like these help fill downtime with fun and entertainment and provide much needed distractions from long, painful procedures.

New Executive Director

Hope for Henry has its first full-time executive director. This is big.

Laurie Strongin, our co-founder, is leaving Fannie Mae where she has worked in community development at the foundation and then the company for many years to devote her indefatigable energies completely to Hope for Henry.

Hooray!

One of Laurie's first orders of business was to take the Superhero Celebration directly to the patients at Georgetown Hospital who weren't well enough to join the festivities last month at the AFI Theatre. We hear that Superman took a quick break from saving civilization from evil-doers to go along with Laurie up to see the kids on the 5th floor.

Superheroes Descend Upon Silver Theatre

Yesterday was fun and so much more.

The real Batman sped in from Gotham, Superman left the Fortress of Solitude for an afternoon and Wonder Woman flew in on her invisible jet all to greet dozens of children and families from Georgetown Hospital at Hope for Henry's annual Superhero Celebration in the AFI Silver Theatre.

Young superheroes were bedecked with capes, and covered with temporary tattoos, and ready to pose for photos with their favorite superhero, or to pose for caricatures as their favorite superhero.

They also had the opportunity to meet one of their own heroes-- National Soccer Hall of Famer John Harkes -- thanks to Athletes for Hope. John was wonderful to donate his time. He was incredibly gracious and the kids loved meeting a real-life star.

Hands filled with superhero action figures, DVDs, comic books (and everything else superhero), and faces covered with smiles, the kids clearly enjoyed their escape from the hospital.

Just as the families from Georgetown were leaving, hundreds of Hope for Henry supporters -- more than 400 in fact from the Washington, DC area and around the country --filled AFI's historic theatre.

Little kids dressed as Batman, Supergirl, Mr. Incredible and Wonder Woman paraded around as the Georgetown Hoyas basketball cheerleaders cheered them on. Kenny Curtis, the incredibly talented host of XM Satellite Radio's XMKiDS morning Animal Farm program, put the "master" in master of ceremonies as he kept the organized chaos of the day rolling right along.

The kids posed for pictures with live superheroes, engaged in a Wii gaming tournament, the "Wii-for-All," rocked out to the band Milkshake and had an all-around great time -- all while contributing tens of thousands of dollars to Hope for Henry.

We can't wait for the Superhero parties for kids at the other Hope for Henry hospitals.

Stay tuned. Same Bat-time. Same Bat-channel.

Superhero Celebration Email Invite

The email reminder for the second annual Superhero Celebration at the AFI Theatre went out to everyone the other day, and RSVP's are pouring in. It is truly exciting to have so many more people planning to come this year.

Like last year, we'll have costumes, parades, real-live Superheroes, cartoons and a photo booth. But this year we're adding caricaturists and Wii competitions.

The entertainment is getting finalized and it looks like we'll have a great band coming to play, and it may be possible that we'll also have a very special guest - a super sports hero - make an appearance and sign autographs.

The capes arrived yesterday. Batman, Superman and making their first appearance at a Hope for Henry event - pink Supergirl capes with great frill and bows.

It is all very exciting and everyone is going to have a wonderful time.

Lombardi Magazine Features Hope for Henry

The Winter 2008 issue of the Lombardi Magazine that Georgetown Hospital publishes has just come out. Look what they are featuring - Hope for Henry!

It is nice to be recognized like this in the community. It is only too bad that there are no more Harry Potter books coming out.

I just read that Amazon bought one of J.K. Rowling's handwritten, hand-illustrated children's book, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," for $4M.

All the money goes to her charity, The Childrens Voice. According to her website, "The Children's Voice campaign wants to make life better for young people in care; across Eastern Europe and ultimately across the whole of the modern world."

The McGinn Group Delivers Gifts, Smiles and More

Today was an incredible day at Georgetown Hospital, thanks to our partner The McGinn Group.

This past Sunday, employees at The McGinn Group went to Toys R Us early one morning before the store was open to the public and bought tens of thousands of dollars of iPods, PSPs, Nintendo DS, portable DVD players and digital cameras along with piles of superhero-themed toys.

Led by company founder Dan McGinn and Hope for Henry Board Members Greg McGinn and Susan Toffler, company employees spent a lunch hour wrapping all the gifts.

Greg, Susan and their children joined me this morning at Georgetown Hospital to deliver gifts to the young patients. Katie was the first to choose her gift, picking a pink DS.

Within minutes, she was busily playing her game in the clinic as she waited for her appointment with Dr. Shad.

I couldn't see her smile as it was covered by a mask protecting her from the threat of germs, but from the sparkle in her eyes, there was no doubt that she was one happy girl. Several dozen patients had their pick, the PSP being the gift of choice.

I saw so many familiar faces as many of these patients attended the recent Hope for Henry Game Night, the Hope for Henry Halloween party and other special events this past year. Because of the serious nature of their illnesses, these patients are here for the long haul.

They often come to the clinic three times a week for hours on end. Having toys like PSPs and iPods to fill those hours with entertainment, smiles and laughter makes it fun and a happy child in the midst of all the frightening procedures and uncertaintly brings so much pleasure and needed relief to their parents.

On days like today, I am so grateful to have partners like Dan, Greg and Susan to help us bring happiness into the lives of these families.

This is the second year in a row the McGinn Group has generously given of themselves to help out these kids during the holiday season.

We look forward to doing this with them again year after year.

Superhero Celebration 2007

Invites are going out shortly for our big Superhero Celebration. Here are some highlights from the last one. What will make the upcoming event fun is that we are going to combine our hospital party and our fundraiser into one big celebration. The people who contribute to Hope for Henry will get to meet first-hand the kids who they're helping.

We are very excited!

Hope for Henry "Game Night" Hosted by Michael Cherner

This was a "first ever" for Hope for Henry Foundation - a Game Night (though it was during the day) - and it was a huge success. There were a lot of kids from the pediatric Hem/Onc clinic at Georgetown who showed up and had a great time. And, as always, we brought Game Night up to the floor for the kids who were too sick to come downstairs to the clinic.



We look forward to having these Game Nights at other hospitals soon.