Thursday, September 27, 2012

A Care Package for a Sweet Girl

Hello guys.

A sweet camp friend of mine, Amanda, was just diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma last weekend. Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of lymph tissue that affects the spleen, borne marrow, or other sites.

I met Amanda last summer at my summer camp, and I have known her sister, Shauna, even longer. Shauna and I went to camp two years ago, met back last summer, and have remained friends throughout those years. It was so much fun meeting her sister this year and it was heart breaking to learn she was diagnosed with cancer.

Amanda and Shauna live about 45 minutes away from me and we have never gotten the chance to see each other except for summer camp. We text and talk are still friends throughout the school year, but it's not the same as going to the same school or living in the same neighborhood, which makes it even more sad knowing that I won't get to see them and offer my support face-to-face.

My mom came up with a great idea to send Amanda a care package filled with goodies so she isn't bored throughout chemo or her months of home-schooling, and she knows that we wish her the best. But, I don't know what to put in the care package!  I've already started a small list below:

  • the latest issue of Seventeen and Teen Vogue
  • The Dark Unwinding (a really excellent novel)
  • nail polish
  • iTunes gift card.
I still need some more ideas, though! Please suggest anything that you think a 12-year-old girl would like. Whether it's favorite novels (please, nothing cancer related or depressing or inappropriate), favorite magazines, favorite movies, or things you like to do in your free time. I'd really appreciate this (and I know Amanda would too).

My mom and I are planning to put these items in a colorfully decorated box and send them to her so she knows even her camp friends are looking out for her. :-)

Thank you for your suggestions- I can't wait to read them!
~Margaux

8 comments:

  1. Hmm... maybe some of her favorite candy? The list is already so awesome! I bet she will love it!!

    Hannah

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  2. This is a very sweet thing for you to do. She and her family will be in my prayers. Is she a shopper? Maybe you could get her a gift card to her favorite store, or the old fashioned cash! I'm sure she will love it! When it's all ready you should make a post about whats in it and pictures of the box!

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  3. You have some great ideas! My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables. I also really love the movie Enchanted. Maybe she would like those...? I don't really know her personality though. Amanda is lucky to have a great friend like you! ~Claire

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  4. Maybe a subscription to Girl's Life magazine!

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  5. Some books that I really like are the Mother Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick, and The Candymakers by Wendy Mass. Another thing that I like are the Nancy Drew computer games. I don't know if you've ever heard of them, but they're really fun!!! :)

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  6. As for suggestions - that really depends on what she likes! I will say it's a universal feeling for teenage (or almost teenage) girls to like magazines - Teen Vogue was a great suggestion on your part, because it's stylish without being overly campy or something (cough-Tiger Beat-cough).

    For me, personally, if I were in Amanda's situation, I would love to be sent novels and movies. As corny as it sounds to suggest a Roald Dahl book to a twelve-year-old, I would really suggest the book "Danny the Champion of the World" by Roald Dahl himself. It's a really sweet book - I don't remember if it's depressing or not since it's been awhile since I last read it - but I remember really enjoying it and read it really frequently.

    And as for movies - I love romantic comedies from the 80s and 90s (they sometimes tend to be better than the ones made to day), and so I recommend the ever-hilarious and quotable The Princess Bride and the equally adorable Only You. They're absolutely hilarious!

    Give my love & support to Amanda and her family!

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  7. What sweet comments! Maybe a game book like crosswords, suduko or wordfinds.

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  8. If shesbtwelve givet hr da book " twleve finally" by wendy mass best book evaaaaa luv ya girll tell amanda i luv her n send her manlubvvv see ya babbyyy getbbetta manda

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