Christmas Without Cancer 2023

 Happy Holidays!

I hope you've had a great 2023 so far and that you and your loved ones are enjoying the holidays. I am writing today about our annual Christmas collection for a family dealing with Cancer.

Any many of the people reading this recall, this is a tradition that was inspired 20 years ago this year. We began doing this in memory of Kristin Schubbe, who was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer at age 24, and while pregnant.  She gave birth to a healthy son, but was unable to work. She needed help with getting to the doctor, caring for her son, and so on.  The medical bills mounted as did other challenging circumstances and complications for her husband and family. Kristin faced it head on, but when she found out, just before Christmas, that the cancer spread to her brain it became harder for her to keep her spirits up.  As determined as she was and as hard as she had been fighting, it was wearing her down mentally and emotionally.

That’s where people stepped in to help.  A nurse from the hospital organized a collection.  They were thoughtful, carefully prying for information about where they shopped, what they liked.  Kristin had no idea. She just thought that they were “bringing by a few bags of groceries.” They showed up and unloaded until her living room was full.  I’ll never forget the look on her face. She just stood there, staring, even long after they left. It can’t be overstated how much this raised her spirits.  It was like a complete reset back to faith and determination. The thing is though, as I alluded to above, is that it wasn’t about the stuff. She was most impacted by the cards, the letters, the personal words of encouragement, all from strangers.  It made Kristin realize that, come what may, she wasn’t alone, and there was reason to have faith. She celebrated Christmas that year like she wasn’t sick at all. That is a gift beyond words, beyond dollars—because it was the last one she had, and it would have otherwise been spent in despair.  Instead she and her son had their only Christmas together as if it were the first of many. She sat down that night to write a thank you letter to God, and I really encourage you read (or read again) about what have the chance to do for somebody here. 

Thanks to everybody's contributions, our family and friends have carried this on in Kristin's honor for 19 years now and helped over 23 families in that time.

We are asking for your help this year for Jackie and her two daughters, Addy (8) and Rory (5). in 2021, at age 6, Addy was diagnosed with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, a large tumor on her liver. After undergoing surgery to remove a large mass and about 80% of her liver, Addy's scans were clear and she was doing well from January 2022 until January of 2023, when a mass was discovered on her diaphragm, and then quickly to her lungs, which now have multiple cancerous nodes that cannot be removed at this time. Addy has been undergoing progressively aggressive chemotherapies which, for the time being, are keeping the cancer from spreading any further. You can imagine the challenges and difficulties faced by the entire family from circumstances like this. Jackie's ability to work has been limited, and they've moved in with other family.

We would like to help them have a great Christmas this year, one where maybe they can forget about cancer and illness for a while and enjoy the holiday together.

There are lots of charities and ways to give this year.  We hope you will consider donating to Addy, Rory, and Jackie.

To donate, there are several options:

1. Purchase items from the wish lists and send our way.  If you need a pickup, let me know.

This Amazon wish list. This is a list Addy created that contains items for both she and her sister, although we are not sure which is which.

2. You can also donate via PayPal/Zelle at davekush15@gmail.com (let us know if there's something specific you'd like us to purchase or if we should pass the cash along directly). 

3. Gift cards, checks, etc are also welcome. Please do not mail gift cards or cash. We can pickup.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if some assistance is needed.  I can be reached via davekush15@gmail.com or call/text at 708-296-5664.

Thank you for your generosity!

Dave

Wish Lists (click here for Amazon wish list)

Christmas without Cancer 2022

   Happy Holidays!

I hope this letter finds you well, and your family enjoying this holiday season. I am writing today about our annual Christmas collection for a family dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

Any many of the people reading this can remember, we began doing this in memory of Kristin Schubbe, who was diagnosed at age 24 while pregnant.  She gave birth to a healthy son, but was unable to work. She needed help with getting to the doctor, caring for her baby, and so on.  The medical bills mounted. She was determined and faced it head on, but when the cancer spread it became harder for her to keep her spirits up.  As determined as she was and as hard as she had been fighting, it was wearing her down mentally and emotionally.

That’s where people stepped in to help.  A nurse from the hospital organized a collection.  They were thoughtful, carefully prying for information about where they shopped, what they liked.  Kristin had no idea. She just thought that they were “bringing by a few bags of groceries.” They showed up and unloaded until her living room was full.  I’ll never forget the look on her face. She just stood there, staring, even long after they left. It can’t be overstated how much this raised her spirits.  It was like a complete reset back to faith and determination. The thing is though, as I alluded to above, is that it wasn’t about the stuff. She was most impacted by the cards, the letters, the personal words of encouragement, all from strangers.  It made Kristin realize that, come what may, she wasn’t alone, and there was reason to have faith. She celebrated Christmas that year like she wasn’t sick at all. That is a gift beyond words, beyond dollars—because it was the last one she had, and it would have otherwise been spent in despair.  Instead she and her son had their only Christmas together as if it were the first of many. She sat down that night to write a thank you letter to God, and I really encourage you read (or read again) about what have the chance to do for somebody here. 

Thanks to everybody's contributions, our family and friends have carried this on in Kristin's honor for 18 years now and helped over 22 families in that time.

This year we are collecting for Marina and her two children Angela (15) and Isaiah (6). They lost their father earlier this year to colon cancer. Since then, the family has been working hard to get by and try to move forward. Isaiah is receiving grief counseling and has been enjoying art therapy. (We are still receiving more information and will update this periodically.

There are lots of charities and ways to give this year.  We hope you will consider donating to Marina, Isaiah, and Angela. There are some short wish-lists below, and as always are happy to accept anything you'd like to donate.

To donate, there are a couple options:

1. Purchase items from the wish lists and send our way.  If you need a pickup, let me know.

2. You can also donate via PayPal/Zelle at davekush15@gmail.com (let us know if there's something specific you'd like us to purchase or if we should pass the cash along directly). 

3. You can buy something from this Amazon wish list. These are items we picked based on the lists below. Definitely not restricted to this list or these particular items.

4. Gift cards, checks, etc are also welcome. Please do not mail gift cards or cash. We can pickup.

General: We are going to purchase a Gift card for a hotel-indoor water park and can accept donations towards that

Please let me know if you have any questions or if some assistance is needed.  I can be reached via davekush15@gmail.com or call/text at 708-296-5664.

Thank you for your generosity!

Dave

Wish Lists (click here for Amazon wish list)

Isaiah (6)

• Size 7-8
• Jeans
• Socks
• Underwear
• Shoes (size 13)
• Jacket (size 8-10)
• Bed sheets (cars)

Angela (15)  

• Size Medium (women's)
• Shoe Size 8 (like Vans, Converse)
• Makeup
• Earrings
• Hair products
• Air Pods

Marina (mother)

• Size Large or Medium
• Shoes (8)

Gift Cards/General

• Walmart
• Target
• Movie Theater 
• Kohls
• Macys

Christmas Without Cancer 2021

  Happy Holidays!

I hope this letter finds you well, and your family enjoying this holiday season. I am writing today about our annual Christmas collection for a family dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

Any many of the people reading this can remember, we began doing this in memory of Kristin Schubbe, who was diagnosed at age 24 while pregnant.  She gave birth to a healthy son, but was unable to work. She needed help with getting to the doctor, caring for her baby, and so on.  The medical bills mounted. She was determined and faced it head on, but when the cancer spread it became harder for her to keep her spirits up.  As determined as she was and as hard as she had been fighting, it was wearing her down mentally and emotionally.

That’s where people stepped in to help.  A nurse from the hospital organized a collection.  They were thoughtful, carefully prying for information about where they shopped, what they liked.  Kristin had no idea. She just thought that they were “bringing by a few bags of groceries.” They showed up and unloaded until her living room was full.  I’ll never forget the look on her face. She just stood there, staring, even long after they left. It can’t be overstated how much this raised her spirits.  It was like a complete reset back to faith and determination. The thing is though, as I alluded to above, is that it wasn’t about the stuff. She was most impacted by the cards, the letters, the personal words of encouragement, all from strangers.  It made Kristin realize that, come what may, she wasn’t alone, and there was reason to have faith. She celebrated Christmas that year like she wasn’t sick at all. That is a gift beyond words, beyond dollars—because it was the last one she had, and it would have otherwise been spent in despair.  Instead she and her son had their only Christmas together as if it were the first of many. She sat down that night to write a thank you letter to God, and I really encourage you read (or read again) about what have the chance to do for somebody here. 

Thanks to everybody's contributions, our family and friends have carried this on in Kristin's honor for 17 years now and helped over 21 families in that time.

This year we are collecting donations for Jauane, her two daughters, and her mother. In 2019, at age 29, Jauane was diagnosed with breast cancer after getting a routine mammogram. It runs in her family--by age 35 her mother and both aunts had been diagnosed with the same illness. During her bout with cancer she had to have a double mastectomy.

This past August, Jauane found another lump. Tests have confirmed that her cancer is back. At the time this was written, she was getting a second opinion, but will likely be undergoing both chemotherapy and radiation. Prior to the reoccurrence, Jauane was teaching special education in Chicago. She has now had to go on leave to take care of herself and her family. Her mother has moved in to assist as well.

It's hard to imagine, especially at her age with such young children, what this woman must be going through. In talking with her, she sounded worried but resolute about the future. She's just worried about surviving more than anything, and being able to be there for her girls. She provided some wish-list items for the girls, but it was pulling teeth to get her to suggest anything for herself--other than items with which to show gratitude for her mother and everything that she has done.

There are lots of charities and ways to give this year.  We hope you will consider donating to Jauane and her family.  We have some short wish-lists below, and as always are happy to accept anything you'd like to donate.

To donate, there are a couple options:

1. Purchases items from the wish lists and send our way.  If you need a pickup, let me know.

2. You can also donate via PayPal/Zelle at davekush15@gmail.com (let us know if there's something specific you'd like us to purchase or if we should pass the cash along directly). 

3. You can buy something from this Amazon wish list. These are items we picked based on the lists below. Definitely not restricted to this list or these particular items.

4. Gift cards, checks, etc are also welcome. Please do not mail gift cards or cash. We can pickup.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if some assistance is needed.  I can be reached via davekush15@gmail.com or call/text at 708-296-5664.

Thank you for your generosity!

Dave

Wish Lists 

Justice (7) female

size 8 in clothes and 2 in shoes

-hoverboard

-skateboard

-a Chucky doll

-race cars

Kynnedi (3) female

size 5 clothes, 2 in shoes

-a Chucky doll

-a baby doll

-motorcycle

-dollhouse

-play kitchen set

Jauane (32)

-size adult small

-Matching family pajamas, including a set for her mom (adult large)

-a plaque of appreciation for her mom's help

- Boots (size 8-- This was one of the only specific item I could get from her.)

Mom (adult large)

-Coat

-Robe 

-Boots (size 9)

Restaurants

-Applebees 

-TJI Fridays

-Chilis

Shopping

-Fashionova

-Food For Less

-Walmart

-Pete's

Kristin's Thank You Letter

12/23/03

11:30 p.m.

Dear God,

            It is the day before Christmas Eve, and as I have told You before many times this week, I have been feeling pretty low.  But I know that sometimes You have to take a step back and let me try to do things on my own. Although it felt like it would never come, patiently I waited for that feeling of security.  That “knowing” that You were taking care of me and even though I hurt, You would not let anything hurt me. I keep reassuring myself that people can, and do beat cancer, so why not me? I am a young, strong, mother, and You, Yourself, know what parenthood can do to a person’s strength and determination!

            I come to you with my usual “thank you’s” and prayers, but also with a few extras tonight, too.  I am very blessed with many wonderful family and friends. I have a beautiful son, a wonderful husband, and many more friends than I knew of.  Tonight, the night before Christmas Eve, Santa came. Can you believe it? I am 25 years old and Santa Claus came to my house. On Christmas Day, Joe and I will watch Joey open gifts that WE didn’t even know he was getting!  We will watch him with as much wonder and awe as he will have for the magic of that moment! Can You believe how lucky we truly are? Can You imagine years from now, when we sit down to watch the video of Joey’s first Christmas, how amazing it will be to be able to tell him this story?

            I am convinced that there are some people who aren’t just people, they are angels.  A couple weeks ago, Suresh from 7 East at Christ Hospital called me and told me that they had chosen our family as this year’s “Adopt-a-Family.”  We were beyond touched by their offer and their gifts over the Thanksgiving Holiday. I am disappointed in myself that I got wrapped up in all the chaos with our “news” of the lesion that I didn’t even send them a thank you card or make the cookies I was going to bake.

            I talked to Gerri from 7 East and she mentioned that she would be bringing over not only gifts from the hospital, but also gifts that her family and friends wanted to give as well.  We had NO idea the magnitude of this gift. She brought her neighbor and her son Marty to help carry things in, and Joe and my brother Dave still had to make a couple trips as well. In minutes, our dining room and living room were full.  There is more food than we can find place for. Baby food, juice, diapers, toys, clothes, wipes, the list keeps going. We’re still not cleaned up! As if that wasn’t enough, there is an unbelievable amount of gift certificates to Jewel. Gerri got me a pedicure.  I can’t wait! (Maybe I’ll have them do my toes while their drilling those holes in my head, at least I know the polish won’t smudgeJ) Joe is so excited to go to Wal-Mart and go shopping for some clothes. He lost 45 pounds in four months and is very proud of his accomplishment, but now his clothes hang off of him!  Also, since he uses his own version of the Atkins diet and is a big meat eater, he is really excited to take the George Foreman Grill to work and grill some fresh brats or burgers. He’ll be a hero! It has been so long since we have had time to just rent a movie and relax. It seemed like we were just starting to get back into the good old “normal” feeling again and now things are all crazy again.  Maybe we just need a good funny movie and to snuggle up after Joey goes to bed to help us remember how strong this is going to make us. Joe will probably fall asleep half way through, but then again, I guess that would be what makes it feel so normal, You know? Now, here is something so interesting. I have never been to the Hancock Observatory, and I used to be a downtown connoisseur. This, of course, means that Joey has never been there, and I am so excited to be able to plan another first for him.  Michael’s Craft sore is having a huge sale after Christmas and I have been longing to get back to my crafts that I love so much. Originally, I thought this may slow me down, but now, that 70% off scrapbook aisle is calling my name. K-mart, Kohl’s, Marshall’s, and Babies R Us… You know what they say; the best kind of therapy is retail therapy! And I believe it! Then there are some personal gifts. The Joyce family sent me a Christmas pin and earrings, and some lotions. I’ve said it before...when you have no hair, the only thing you can do to feel like a girl is smell good!  (And get a pedicure.) Michele and Erin sent a snowman ornament. We already hung it on the tree. There are piles of clothes for Joey. Soft fleece, sports stuff, car stuff (which his daddy loves) and Elmo! His favorite! There is even a Noah’s Ark play-set in the toy box. I’m excited, because we’ve been trying to read his children’s Bible and now he can learn about it even more. The dog had a treat and a raw hide bone and the cat is purring louder than I’ve ever heard him, because he had some tuna cat food tonight, which he’s never experienced before. I can’t even name everything, there is so much stuff.  For a long time, we just sat and starred at is all, in awe. I can’t believe there are people that are like this, this giving and caring, that they would do so much for a family that most of them haven’t even met, and didn’t think twice about it. And at this time of year! When money is tight and times are tough, when there’s so much to buy that you sometimes forget to be thankful for what you have, people are thinking about me. My son. My husband. My family, my life, my holiday. As we sat around and starred at the wonderful clutter, my brother said “This is the kind of power you have behind you right now.”

I feel recharged.  I feel hopeful. I feel strong.  I am in awe of Your works. I am humbled.

I know the next few months will not be easy.  The last ten haven’t been a piece of cake themselves.  But I can and I will beat this. I am going to be the biggest, best survival story you have.  Just watch.

Before I go to bed, I just really wanted to say thank you for all of the wonderful doctors and nurses that I have. Last week, when I was in the hospital, I heard Gerri come onto her shift and as for me to be her patient.  It felt so good to have that comfort at a time when I was really scared. You know, it has been really difficult to go through all of this since I lost my mom, a year and a half ago. She was a nurse and excited to be about to be a grandma when she passed, and it has been hard to not call my mom for questions, advice, or help.  Gerri reminds me a lot of my mom. I think we have that same sarcastic sense of humor, which is really great because there are only a few of us like that. But she has been so supportive and insistent that I can beat this, and that I am as comfortable as I can possibly be while doing it. And You know what? I believe her. Oddly, no one really told me what was going on with this new lesion.  (Maybe they did, I wasn’t really too with it last week or this week.) But, after I talked to Gerri, I felt like she had cleared some things up for me and I just felt better. Modern medicine is amazing because it can help so much and take away so much pain, but the feelings I experienced tonight because of these amazing people just changed me. I know that this tradition will definitely be one that continues in our family for years to come.  Next year, we will adopt a family, and we will spread Your grace the way that they have. And the year after that and the year after that…

I know we usually keep our conversations pretty private, but I hope you don’t mind if I pass this letter along.  I really want them to know how their actions have changed who we are. In one night, I have a whole new take on things.  Am I lucky or what?

Love,

Kristin Schubbe

(Joe and Joey, too)