Bi-Lo Charities Children's Cancer Center

Check us out on Instagram!

www.instagram.com

Our Amazon Wish List is updated with some items we are in need of for the patients and families we treat. These items are used for kids and teens in our outpatient clinic as well as on our inpatient hospital unit to help make the treatment journey easier. Take a look!

Check out my list on Amazon

Thank you, Medicinal Whiskey Charity for your incredible ongoing support!

Our community is awesome! We can't thank these sponsors enough for supporting our Kentucky Derby party and helping us raise $150,000 for Clement's Kindness and BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center.

We are so thankful for support from our community partners like Cole’s Victory Lap!

Check out and consider attending this awesome event! We so appreciate Medicinal Whiskey Charity’s support of our patients and families!

Help us support two amazing Greenville, SC charities, Clement's Kindness Fund and Bi-Lo Charities Children's Cancer Center, at our Kentucky Derby party May 4.

Join us for a fun event, presented by Bardstown Bourbon Company. Enjoy, great food, full bar, incredible bourbon selections, and LIVE music by The Dirty Guv'nahs.

For tickets and sponsorships visit https://go.rallyup.com/mwcderby/Campaign/Details

Help us make a difference this week! Sign up now to donate blood TOMORROW at Under the Carolina Moon! 🫶 You can sign up now at this link: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/219237

Congratulations to our own Cathy King, recipient of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses! Cathy has been a nurse for over 40 years and continues to work tirelessly to support our clinical team and impact patients and families as the Nurse Manager at the BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center. Cathy, you truly are extraordinary!

We at the BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center want to wish our patients and their families a very happy holiday season! It is a privilege to be part of your care team and we wish you all the best in 2023!

It's ! And our Amazon Wish List is updated with items we use throughout the year to help make the treatment journey easier and more fun for our patients and families!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/H46356A7KTDH?ref_=wl_share

Check out my list on Amazon

Help us make Halloween fun for our patients! Check out our Amazon Wish List of Halloween goodies!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1RTIXJAL4B5VR?ref_=wl_share

Check out my list on Amazon

Raise awareness this September!

The Blood Disorders Association of South Carolina awarded
“Making a Difference” to the Prisma Health Upstate Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) team.

Accepting the award from Prisma Health Administration at the BDASC Conference on Friday 6/10 was Jim Agnew, CEO and Adrienne Talbert, COO. Mr. Agnew and Mrs. Talbert then made a special trip to the BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center first thing on Monday morning to present the award to the HTC team.

Accepting the award are Austin Vickery, Research Data Specialist, Diana Moreno, RN, Hemophilia Nurse, and Dr. Leslie Gilbert, Medical Director of the Prisma Health Upstate HTC. We are so proud of the work they are doing for patients and families!

Help us restock our supply of fun, kid-friendly BandAids! See the link below for our Amazon Wish List of BandAids!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y936JD97FTZM?ref_=wl_share

The BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center could not care for patients and families the way we do without assistance from the organizations we have highlighted this month. They consistently provide support by granting wishes, sending hats, compiling resources, contributing financial support, and many other services to help make this journey for our patients and families a little bit easier.
We are also incredibly thankful for the donors within our community, from former patients to church groups and student associations, who go out of their way to collect toys, blankets, arts and craft supplies, gift cards, and much, much more to donate! Because of these gifts we are able to make the clinic and hospital environment more kid-friendly and provide items of comfort when they are needed most!
To find out more about the items we use most and currently need, visit our wish list at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3SRLRVWH0LXPI?ref_=wl_share

Check out my list on Amazon

Beyond service, Credit Unions are built on the “people helping people” philosophy. The Upstate SC Credit Unions partners with the Prisma Health BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center to enrich the lives of their members, families, children, patients and the community of Upstate SC. Through the snack cart initiative, the group has made a tremendous impact by donating over $13,000 in snacks from cookies, chips, drinks and special sweet treats to lift the spirits of the patients and staff that work so hard every day to fulfill a mission. These snacks are a welcome distraction for patients on any given day and it is greatly appreciated!

The Outdoor Dream Foundation is a wish organization based here in South Carolina that specializes in granting outdoor adventures to children who have been diagnosed with terminal or life-threatening illnesses. Since 2004, more than 1,000 kids have been impacted by the outdoor adventures granted by Outdoor Dream. This organization gives these children the chance to follow their adventurous side!
https://outdoordream.org/

Making Adventure Dreams Come True | Outdoor Dream Foundation Making Adventure Dreams Come True on Outdoor Dream Foundation…

Skyla Strong
In memory of Skyla Forcier, the mission of Skyla Strong is to bring smiles to brave children battling cancer in hospitals and to offer a unique kind of comfort and encouragement to their families and loved ones during these extraordinarily difficult times. With an empathy that comes from personal experience, the Skyla Strong Foundation supports our patients in the hospital by making weekly donut deliveries to the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit, often bringing a bag of fun toys and crafts for the patients as well! In addition to these encouraging deliveries, the Skyla Strong Foundation steps in when treatment options become limited to help families create lasting memories together.
Cole's Victory Lap
The mission of Cole’s Victory lap is to honor the legacy of a precious boy named Cole by making the journey of other families battling pediatric cancer a little more bearable. Recognizing the importance of the ‘little things’, Cole’s family and friends come together to provide snacks and drinks through Cole’s ‘Nack Cart for our patients on the inpatient unit. They also keep us stocked with fun and kid-friendly sheets, blankets, and other fun items to make hospital rooms more cozy and provide access to movies and TV shows through Disney+ and Netflix.

Thank you Skyla Strong and Cole’s Victory Lap for doing so many of the not-so-little things that have such a big impact on kids and families!

The Thomas Epting Faith Fund was created by Amy and Tom Epting in honor of their son, Thomas, who was four-years-old when he was diagnosed with leukemia and seven-years-old when he had a relapse of his leukemia. Shortly before his 16th birthday, Thomas was diagnosed with brain tumors- a result of his treatment for leukemia. In spite of his long history with illness, Thomas lived life with courage and grace and was very strong in his faith. During his illness, he received several wish gifts from friends and organizations. The gifts helped him stay connected with the world outside of the hospital and greatly enriched his quality of life. The Thomas Epting Faith Fund is a wish granting foundation that benefits patients referred by the staff at Prisma Health Upstate BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center. It is unique as most wish granting foundations only grant one gift per child for children eighteen years old or younger. The Thomas Epting Faith Fund serves young adults who are ineligible for other wish granting foundations as well as children who need more than a one-time gift due to special medical circumstances. Each gift includes Thomas’s inspiring story of faith which sustained him in life and throughout his long journey of illness.
Thank you, Thomas Epting Faith Fund for all that you do for our patients and families!

The Ellis Mayfield Foundation was created over 15 years ago by Charlie and Shea Mayfield in memory of their son Edward “Ellis” Mayfield who died from a pediatric brain tumor. Ellis was an ordinary 1st grade student who had something extraordinary happen to him: Ellis developed a brain tumor. The tumor was found the day after his sixth birthday and in 22 months he would leave this world. What was special about Ellis was not that he had a life-threatening tumor, but that he faced death square in the eye and was still able to smile. Through surgeries, chemotherapy, and weeks of radiation, you still saw that smile, and through his smile you felt his indomitable spirit. It is his smile and that spirit that Charlie and Shea wanted to keep alive.
The Ellis Mayfield Foundation was created for the sole purpose of keeping Ellis’s spirit alive by helping children in the Upstate of South Carolina who are facing uncertainty, just like Ellis, yet are still able to smile. The Foundation provides financial support not only to families of children with pediatric brain tumors but also to adolescents, and young adults with brain tumors who are treated at Prisma Health Upstate BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center. Since the Foundation was established, Ellis’s spirit continues to live on through the generosity of the Foundation and his loving parents who are dedicated to helping others.
Thank you, Ellis Mayfield Foundation for all that you do for our patients and families!

The mission of the Greenville Cancer Society is to create new hope and improve the quality of life for local cancer patients and their families. Since 1965, the Cancer Society of Greenville County has provided free of charge programs, services, education, assistance and support to meet the changing medical, financial, emotional, and educational needs of cancer patients and their families in Greenville County and those being treated at the BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center.
From providing practical items such as nutritional supplements to offering financial assistance and medical supplies, the Greenville Cancer Society supports many patients on their journey through treatment. The Greenville Cancer Society also offers free support and counseling to help families through this difficult time.
To learn more, please visit, http://www.cancersocietygc.org

Cancer Society of Greenville CountyCancer Society of Greenville County Every day, thousands of people who live in Greenville fight for their lives. Fortunately, they are not alone. Annually, the Cancer Society of Greenville County makes a tremendous difference in over 3,000 lives.

“Wishes are more than just a nice thing. And they are far more than gifts, or singular events in time. Wishes impact everyone involved—wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. Parents might finally feel like they can be optimistic. And still others might realize all they have to offer the world through volunteer work or philanthropy.” – Make-A-Wish South Carolina
For our patients who qualify, Make-A-Wish truly has a tremendous impact. Often, these wishes help to bridge the gap and extend hope and joy in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances in a way that meets a child right where they are. So many normal childhood and family experiences are set aside during the treatment journey. A child’s wish, whatever that might be, is a chance for them and their family to step out of the difficulties they may be facing, and enjoy the wish together. Thank you, Make-A-Wish for bringing joy to so many kids and families in the midst of difficult journeys!
www.sc.wish.org

Spark Joy. Create Hope. You can help grant more wishes today.

The Blood Connection is the Upstate’s community blood center, supplying all blood products for every Upstate hospital, including Prisma Health. In order to meet the daily needs of local hospitals, TBC must collect more than 700 blood donations per day. Community blood donors are the only source of blood donations, as blood cannot be replicated. Blood products are used for a variety of reasons, such as cancer treatments, sickle cell disease, surgeries, and transplants. YOU can help support The Blood Connection at community events and blood drives. The key to a stable blood supply is dedicated blood donors who choose to give back to their neighbors by sharing life. Donating with TBC is the only way to donate local!

“I need eight people to donate (a unit of red blood cells) every three weeks for me to live my life,” says Vereen, who requires treatment every 21 days to combat sickle cell anemia, an inherited — and painful — condition characterized by misshapen hemoglobin that inhibit adequate flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body. “It means so much that loyal donors take time out of their own busy lives to make such a difference in mine.”

**The Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program at BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center is grateful for The Blood Connection and their efforts! **

To hear more about the importance of blood donations and sickle cell anemia, please take a moment to watch this video presented by Blood Connection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhwOexPWRGc

How Blood Transfusions Affect Sickle Cell Anemia Discover how blood transfusions helped this man live a normal life with his family! Located in Greenville, SC.

Little Wishes grants wishes of chronically and critically ill, hospitalized children to ease their discomfort, bring them moments of joy and brighten long hospital stays. Fulfilling wishes for everything from toys to special snacks to comfy pillows for their hospital room, this organization helps make frequent or extended hospital stays for our patients a little more fun!
www.littlewishes.org

Little Wishes | Little Wishes™ grants the immediate and ongoing desires of hospitalized children. Little Wishes™ grants the immediate and ongoing wishes of hospitalized children. Little Wishes™ brings moments of joy and much needed distraction to brighten long hospital stays. Our Mission Little Wishes™ grants the immediate and ongoing wishes of chronically and critically ill, hospitalized ...

We are so grateful for Community Based Organizations! CBOs work at the local level to meet community needs. One such organization in Upstate South Carolina is the L.D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Foundation

Founded in 1974, the L.D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation has worked to provide education, counseling, and raise awareness regarding this silent disease. The mission of the foundation is to optimize the quality of health care and the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by Sickle Cell Disease. The following services are provided: Screening, Testing, and Counseling. L.D. Barksdale services Region I (Upstate of South Carolina), and the following counties: Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Seneca, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York. Please contact the foundation to get free testing. Know the facts and help educate others!

BIG Thank You to the L.D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation!

http://www.barksdalesicklecell.org

LD Barksdale Sickel Cell Anemia Foundation

The Carolina S**g-Club has been a faithful supporter of Camp Courage for almost 25 years. The club, which formed in 1980, is comprised of individuals who love to dance the S**g, the South Carolina State dance. The S**g Club meets regularly at various clubs across the State to dance, socialize, and keep the s**g alive! Philanthropy is the heart and soul of this organization and they have several fund raisers throughout the year. At their annual Christmas Party, they present a check to Camp Courage and over the years they have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Camp. CSC has been one of our most faithful and long-standing donors. This year, the Carolina S**g Club kept up their tradition of joining in our Camp Courage dance party by participating in our virtual Camp dance party!

Bob and Miriam Holcombe turned the devastating loss of their granddaughter, Jennie, into their family mission. Each year, in memory of Jennie, the Holcombe family sponsored a family at Prisma Health Upstate BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center for Christmas. For greater than twenty years, Mr. & Mrs. Holcombe and their family of elves made holiday magic happen for a special family they never met. Each year, the Holcombe’s generosity made it possible for a family going through very difficult treatment to enjoy the holiday without worrying about the time and expense associated with making that special day happen. Like Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves at the North Pole, the Holcombes in Anderson, SC, gathered the goods, Miriam lovingly wrapped each one with care and, in time for the holiday, Bob, Miriam and Jennie’s twin sister, Natalie, delivered the packages to the BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center to make their way to a special home in time for Christmas morning. This year will be very different for the Holcombe family and BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center as we remember Bob. Our staff will always be very grateful to the Holcombe family of Anderson, SC for supporting so many of our special families for so many years.
In loving memory of Robert Holcombe, Sr.

Hemophilia of SC
Hemophilia of South Carolina is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness for and advocate on behalf of individuals with bleeding disorders. HSC provides multiple services for our patients with bleeding disorders including Hemophilia. They provide:
• Education in the form of symposia, workshops, and family events.
• Community and support groups for individuals with bleeding disorders and their families
• Patient camps, family camps, and a teen retreat each year
• College Scholarships for patients and family members of patients with bleeding disorders
• A HUGE part of what they do is patient advocacy at the local, state and federal government levels
• Public awareness campaigns and fundraising events
• HSC provides financial assistance to families year round, however, due to the COVID 19 pandemic, funding has been increased for qualified individuals and their families.

For information, contact [email protected] or 864 350 9941
www.hemophiliasc.org

Hemophilia of South Carolina Serving all bleeding disorders.

St. Baldrick's Foundation Foundation, a volunteer driven organization, lives to find a cure for pediatric and young adult cancers. But they’re not stopping there, as a cure is not enough. During treatment young people face all kinds of side effects, some very uncomfortable, others life-threatening.
That’s why St Baldricks also funds research to improve supportive care for patients. In addition, a lot of research is focused on preventing the lifelong damage that results from surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapies given to young people.
For example, right here in the Upstate, In the last three years, St. Baldricks has made multiple grants to local hospitals including a $50,000 grant to the BI-LO Charities Children's Cancer Center/Cancer Institute's Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology program. Previously, we have also received grants to fund our research office to help us offer clinical trials to young patients with cancer.
Follow them at or on Twitter for future details. You can also visit https://www.stbaldricks.org

St. Baldrick's Foundation A childhood cancer charity funding the most promising research to find cures for kids with cancer.