Leukemia Charities and Ways You Can Help

I will share with you some leukemia charities and other ways that you can help fight leukemia.

As a mother I want to "make it all better" but I can't when it comes to cancer. So I have found that by giving what I can to cancer charities I feel that I am doing something to help fight the disease.

Giving to a leukemia charity does not necessarily mean giving your own money. If you want to help fight leukemia but don't have money to donate for research, don't worry, I assure you there are others ways to help.

If you are looking to donate through a fundraiser or even organizing a fundraiser there are many ways that you can do just that. Be sure to check out our fundraiser page.

We just participated in our local Relay For Life that benefits The American Cancer Society. Together we raised $129,700! I personally donated very little in money but I donated a lot of time and energy being the co-captain of our team. You could form a team and help raise money also.


Candles For A Cure

I have taken two things that I am passionate about.....finding a cure for leukemia and making our house smell yummy with candles and have combined the two into Candles For A Cure. You can help find a cure for leukemia by purchasing candles. I will donate a portion of your order to a leukemia charity.


Knit Chemo Caps

If you already know how to knit or would like to start you can knit Chemo Caps for cancer patients. Chemotherapy can cause hair loss which can cause cancer patients to be concerned about their appearance. They may also get cold easier. Having a hand knit hat that they know someone took time to knit for them can have a very special meaning and lift their spirits. If you would like to begin knitting chemo caps visit www.chemocaps.com for more information and patterns.


Donate Hair

If you have long hair you could get it cut and donate your hair. Your hair could be used to make a wig for patients who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy.


Donate Blood and Platelets

Another way to help is by donating blood and platelets. I never realized the importance of donating until I sat in a hospital room watching the blood drip from the bag, run through the tube and into my son. The chemo he was receiving was not only killing the leukemia cells but also the blood cells that he needed to live. He needed a blood transfusion to live.


Bone Marrow Registry

Have you ever considered being a bone marrow donor? You have the power to help patients with leukemia and other life threatening diseases by joining the National Bone Marrow Registry. For more information you can go to www.marrow.org.


Donate Time and Talents

We are all blessed with special talents. You may choose to donate your time and talent at a Children's Hospital. At the hospital our son goes to, there is a man who is very talented with singing and playing the guitar. He walks the halls playing music and participates in the week long summer camp for children with cancer.

Well you may say that you don't have a talent to share. But your time may be the best thing you can give. When Kaden is hospitalized, he enjoys the activities with Child Life. Child Life volunteers paint with him and bring him all sorts of things to do. They also give him toys and small gifts while he is hospitalized. Some of these are donated. So you could go to your local dollar store and buy a few toys or gifts to donate to a children's hospital.


Send Cards

Maybe you enjoy sending cards and small gifts. There are organizations that provide a way for you to send cards to lift the spirits of those dealing with leukemia and other diseases.


Donate Money For Research

If you are looking to donate money to leukemia charities for research The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be a great place. You may also wish to donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

If you are looking for ways to raise money to donate here are a few ideas:

* Yard / Garage Sale
* Sandwich Sale
* Bake Sale
* Spaghetti Dinner
* Craft Sale
* Cans at local businesses for people to donate
* Beaded Bracelets (kids will love to do this)
* Rubber bracelets (we had ours personalized "Pray For Kaden And A Leukemia Cure")
* Raffles (gift basket, quilt - we had a quilt donated that we raffled off for Relay For Life, here is a picture)

Do you know of a great leukemia charity? Share it!