Hospital Based Programs-

Arts and Crafts: Several times a week, Children's Cancer Connection volunteers visit the clinic at Blank Children’s Hospital to facilitate arts and crafts with the kids!  These children could be patients waiting to see a doctor or have a procedure or brothers and sisters waiting for their sibling.  Either way, these volunteers reduce boredom and anxiety for the kids!  

End of Treatment Parties:  When a child reaches the end of his or her treatment, it is a milestone to be celebrated!  Children's Cancer Connection helps families celebrate this important moment with a party including cake and surprises! 

Beads for Bravery:  The Beads for Bravery program provides children with beads that are symbolic of specific occurrences or milestones they reach during treatment.  These beads then become a tangible record of all the child has overcome, as well as a great tool for the child to use when sharing their cancer journey with others.  Two examples of beads include a remission bead and a cat scan bead.

Poke Box:  Every time an oncology patient at Blank Children’s Hospital receives a “poke” or other painful procedure, they are invited to come select a toy from the “poke box” provided by Children's Cancer Connection.  These toys can help make the procedure a little less ouchy, and help children focus on the toy and not the upcoming “poke.”

Family Resource Notebooks:  Children's Cancer Connection provides every newly diagnosed child at Blank Children’s Hospital and The University of Iowa Children’s Hospital a fun bag with a few items inside to keep them busy during those first long visits with the doctors.  The bag also includes a binder for parents that includes a wealth of information to help them through their cancer journey, including places for them to keep track of meds and protocols and a resource section with information on the various groups that provide services to families touched by childhood cancer.