Families whose children are newly diagnosed with cancer and admitted to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC will receive more backpacks of essentials needed for a lengthy hospital stay.
Lincoln Learning Solutions, based in Rochester, Pa., has donated 30 backpacks, or “Go Bags,” to Genre’s Kids with Cancer Fund. The donation was made following a request for help from PA Cyber junior Kayleah Beedon, who interns with the organization.
Based in Irwin, Pa., Genre’s Kids with Cancer Fund is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit committed to assisting families battling childhood cancers. The organization was started by the parents of Genre Baker, who was just 8 years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Memorial Day in 2009.
Daunette Baker, Genre’s mother and president of the organization, said Lincoln Learning Solutions’ donation will provide two months of help to cancer parents. Genre’s Kids supplies each newly diagnosed family with a Go Bag filled with essential supplies and toiletries.
“We are so thankful for the donation of 30 Go Bags. These Go Bags provide the desperate parent who has just heard the words, ‘Your child has cancer,’ with all the necessities they will need to get through the next several days or weeks. The parents don’t have time to think about themselves, so — hopefully — we have put together all the supplies they need to do so,” Baker said.
Providing help to parents during their time of need is important to Lincoln Learning Solutions, said George Pacinda, vice president of philanthropy.
“We appreciate Genre’s Kids’ mission to provide parents of children diagnosed with cancer some relief during their hospital stay,” Pacinda said.
Go Bags contain items such as shampoo and conditioner, lotion, a hair brush, disposable razors, men’s and women’s deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, pens, pain reliever, and adult socks — everything a parent would need to get through their long hospital stays.
Genre’s Kids delivers 12 to 15 backpacks each month to oncology social workers, who are the first point of contact with families after diagnosis.
Kayleah initially approached Daunette Baker with the idea to solicit a donation of Go Bags from her school. Baker’s son Genre is a personal friend of Kayleah.
“Many families aren’t prepared when their child is diagnosed and admitted,” Kayleah said. “These bags include items that a family would need for their initial first stay at the hospital.”
