Comfort Kits

The Foundation sponsors numerous initiatives throughout the year, for example: “supporting families and organizations dealing with pediatric cancers". One primary manner in which the Foundation provides this assistance is through the Comfort Kits given to families upon their initial arrival at Scottish Rite.

Many patients and their families arrive at the hospital from out of town and even out of state. In some cases, the patient requires immediate treatment and is admitted to stay over night. Even though the trip may be expected, quite often the family is not fully prepared for an overnight stay.

The Comfort Kits consist of all those items that a family may need but didn't prepare for or may have forgotten such as … writing materials, toiletries, money (quarters), snacks, camera, and a prepaid calling card.

The idea for the Comfort Kits initially came about in the summer of 2002 when Christopher and Christie Wheeler brought their son, Owen, to the hospital for treatment. A family friend, Dr. Walton from Ellijay, Georgia, brought in a collection of items to help the family with their stay. Dr. Walton obviously knew what the Wheeler family was going through and understood their ordeal, as his daughter was a brain tumor survivor.

The first round of 25 Comfort Kits was put together and delivered during the 2003 holiday season. During that time, we have been most fortunate to have met a true friend of the Foundation in Colgate-Palmolive. Since that time, Sarah Kellen (pictured above), an employee of Colgate, has been instrumental in providing donated items of Colgate products that have really helped to fill out the Kits. Through Colgate's support, another 25 Kits were supplied in October 2004.

Says Mary Faith Laughlin of Scottish Rite who delivers the Comfort Kits to the families, “What an extremely thoughtful gift for our patients and their families. I look forward to partnering with you on this incredible blessing...”

In a thank you note from Galit, a cancer patient at Scottish Rite last year, “I was at Scottish Rite Hospital and received a gift card from you and I will truly enjoy it. My mother was also given a comfort kit which was very helpful and handy. Thank you.”

Thank you so much to Sarah and others at Colgate-Palmolive for partnering with the Owen T. Wheeler Foundation on this initiative and making things just a little easier for these families at this most difficult time.