Jenna's Rainbow Foundation is committed to help support the children, families, and communities dealing with the challenges of combating pediatric cancer.
Camp Sunshine
For the 3rd consecutive year, JRF will completely fund 42 families from all parts of the United States, to attend one week of camp at Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine. Camp Sunshine provides families whose child has a brain tumor, much needed respite, comfort, and care in a medically supervised and therapeutic environment at no cost to the family. Ongoing support services are continued through the year as follow up provided by the ChildrenŐs Brain Tumor Foundation, NYC. Read more about Camp Sunshine.
Camp Dream Street- The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
JRF funded and organized its 5th annual carnival at Camp Dream Street this past August. Camp Dream Street is a one week tuition free camp held annually for children struggling with pediatric cancer or other blood disorders and their siblings.
Rise to Action- Conference for Pediatric Cancer Survivors
Fall 2007 brought with it a unique opportunity for young survivors of pediatric cancers including brain tumors to come together for a weekend of networking and education. Topics included information about late effects of treatment and follow up care, advocacy training, education and employment challenges, socialization, insurance and disability challenges. JRF provided funding as a bronze sponsor of this conference. Many large national groups and hospital participated in the planning and outreach of this conference.
Pediatric Brain Tumor Conference- Hope and Healing
Held at the ChildrenŐs Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center with the Childrens Brain Tumor Foundation, families were given the opportunity to learn about the latest treatments from medical professionals from around the country. JRF participated in funding this educational program.
Teen Recreation Room - Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center
JRF has funded the establishment of a teen recreation lounge in the oncology wing giving hospitalized teens the comforts of home with state of the art video games, computers, televisions, and other forms of entertainment.
Friends of Karen
JRF continued its commitment to provide funds to families in medical and financial crisis through a grant to the Friends of Karen foundation.
Holiday Toy Drives
JRF continues its annual toy drives held in the Tenafly elementary schools, Smith and Maugham. Toys and gift cards are donated to children and their siblings facing the challenges of brain and spinal cord tumors. Toys are distributed both at a holiday party and bedside in area hospitals.
Teen Survivor Intern Program
For 5 summers, JRF initiated and funded a paid summer internship program for teen brain tumor survivors living in the NYC area. This program has enabled teens to develop work skills, socialization, and self esteem development under the supervision of a Child Life Specialist. This program is now being expanded on to serve a greater number of survivor interns in a larger number of settings, coordinated by the ChildrenŐs Brain Tumor Foundation, NYC.
Direct Financial Grants to Families
JRF gives grants to meet specific financial challenges facing families undergoing treatment to fill the gaps where other organizations could not step in. Grant amounts have varied depending on need and specific circumstances. Referrals must be made by a professional team to indicate need and evaluate.
JRF Information and Referral
JRF has provided information and referral services to many newly diagnosed families via phone, and email helping to insure that families receive access to optimal care, information, and resources.
Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is a one week camp for critically ill children and their families providing much needed respite away from home with the support of their medical needs at camp. JRF has provided the funding to collaborate with the Childrens Brain Tumor Foundation, NYC to provide 42 families whose children have brain tumors the opportunity to experience Camp Sunshine, its activities, support services, and respite in this very unique environment. With specially trained medical support staff on site, families are able to leave their home and hospital environment and have this much needed quality family time to relax, receive support, meet other families facing the same challenges, and most importantly create family time and important memories.
PROGRAMS FROM YEARS PAST
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
This past year has been filled with fabulous community service projects. The desire to assist children and their families remains at the heart of community efforts on behalf of Jenna's Rainbow Foundation. We give sincere thanks to those who have kept JRF in the forefront of their minds and lives.
- In June 2004, Rachel Gerber arranged for The Blue Moon Café in Englewood, New Jersey to donate 20% of the proceeds of lunches and dinners purchased during community night. The funds raised helped buy small gifts to fill toy boxes at Beth Israel Hospital and Roosevelt Hospital in New York.
- Lizzie and Jessie Shevins organized a candy sale at a Tenafly Middle School basketball tournament in March, 2004. The funds raised were used to present gift certificates to teens celebrating their birthdays at Beth Israel Hospital. Lizzie and Jessie also set up a dog contest booth and volunteered their time at the Spring Rainbow Fair.
- JRF extends a warm thank you to the student council and families of the Smith Elementary School and Maugham Elementary School in Tenafly, New Jersey for collecting an abundant supply of toys for holiday distribution. The items were donated by Jenna's Rainbow Foundation to pediatric services at Beth Israel Hospital South and Montefiore Children's Hospital in New York.
These school's community efforts made many children smile this holiday season.
FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES
- Jenna’s Rainbow Foundation has provided the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) with a $10,000 grant in honor of Tenafly New Jersey resident Leigh Ann Brodsky. This grant will be used to send children with brain tumors and their families to Camp Sunshine, a specialized week- long summer camp in Maine. Leigh Ann’s support of CBTF began after she witnessed Jenna’s struggle with her illness. She helped raise funds at two very successful dinners, as well as promoting public awareness of pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors. Our deep thanks to Leigh Ann for making a difference in the lives of children with brain tumors.
- The JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, New Jersey holds Camp Dream Street, a one- week summer camp for seriously ill children and their siblings. This past August, JRF was able to fulfill Camp Dream Street’s wish by hosting a carnival. It was staffed by the following teens who chose this project as community service projects: Ashley Kang, Alyssa Potolsky, Justin Rocke, Jessie Shevins, Lizzie Shevins, Harry Shulman, Rebecca Ulrich and Jesse Wachtel.
- During the summer of 2004 former teen patients received a stipend from JRF to work at the INN at Beth Israel Hospital in New York as summer interns assisting staff, patients and their families. Jobs that needed to be done ran the gamut from making coffee to watering plants and delivering fast food to patients. One volunteer even dressed up as Santa for “Christmas in July”. Others staffed the INN’s playroom engaging patients in games and conversation. JRF sincerely appreciates the efforts of these young people.
PORTRAITS OF FAMILIES
During and after Jenna’s two year struggle with a brain tumor, the Kamil family experienced an outpouring of community support. As an outgrowth of this caring, Jenna’s Rainbow Foundation was formed. Friends and family have sustained the level of fundraising over the years to help families in crisis. We are grateful that JRF can fill the void other pediatric brain tumor foundations are unable to address.
The following are examples of how JRF donations are helping those in need. Privacy of all individuals has been maintained.
- In the fall of 2003 Jenna’s Rainbow Foundation was asked by Beth Israel North to provide aid for a family with a 5 year old boy with an inoperable brain tumor. The only way the child could leave the hospital and be attended to at home was if JRF funded homecare. Help was particularly essential in this situation because the child’s father had died of cancer several months before and there were two healthy siblings at home as well. Everyone who donated time and money to JRF helped this child spend the remainder of his life at home with his family. A last wish was met and an unbearable journey, in some respects, eased.
- This past year JRF assisted a family who required childcare for two children at home while their toddler was undergoing months-long intensive treatments for an otherwise fatal tumor at Tomorrow’s Children at Hackensack Hospital in Hackensack, New Jersey. At the Spring Fair in May, the family came by to express their appreciation to JRF for the generous funds provided during their crisis.
- JRF recently received a request to help a high school boy who over the years has been affected by several brain tumors. As a result of these recurrences, he is quadriplegic and requires round-the-clock nursing care. Only 50% of homecare is paid for by the government and there is no health insurance available to help cover a child receiving this level of nursing care at home. JRF has been able to supplement the cost and meet the challenges of shrinking insurance coverage. Our assistance allows this young man to live at home with his loving family, continue to go to school and be an inspiration to all who know him.
We at Jenna’s Rainbow Foundation feel blessed to work with supporters and friends in the community who play a role in helping families in profound need. On behalf of these families, we thank you for continuing to make the world a better place for children with spinal cord tumors.