Sickle Cell Camp

The Sickle Cell Summer Camp program is a five day out-of-state road camp It is the only camp in the Phoenix Metropolitan area created to meet the unique medical, physical and emotional needs of children with sickle cell disease. The camp will cater to sickle cell children between the ages of 7 – 17 years old. Children with the sickle cell disease are unable to participate in ordinary summer camps due to sickle cell related limitations. Traditional summer camps ordinarily offer hiking in high altitudes, swimming, and many other activities that children who suffer from sickle cell are unable to participate in.

Parent volunteers and Quest to Cure’s staff will supervise campers in a 5-1 ratio. A physician and nurse team from Rainbow Pediatrics will provide as-needed on-site medical care. The road camp program is about fueling sickle cell children with memories that will sustain and inspire them. This out-of-state experience provides not only education and fun activities, but also opportunities to network and form friendships. A variety of recreational, educational and therapeutic activities are available to the campers. This includes heated pool privileges, exercise through sports, arts and crafts, educational videos on sickle cell and health and safety issues; as well as joining discussions targeting pain coping techniques and methods to recognize triggers that produce pain crises; and as always FUN, FUN, FUN!

Joshua’s Journal

Joshua’s Journal is a Quest to Cure Literacy Program and is designed to enhance the intellectual abilities of children who suffer from Sickle Cell Anemia and other variations of the disease. Sickle Cell Anemia is a genetic blood disorder notorious for causing reoccurring pain, infections, blindness, stroke, damage to vital organs, and death. As a result, children with Sickle Cell Anemia are prone to missing considerable amounts of school days throughout the year.

Our primary goal is to ensure that these children receive a proper education despite inevitable incidents of absenteeism. It is our mission to identify and address any issues that children with sickle cell disease may face where education is concerned.

We encourage teachers and high school honor roll students around the valley to volunteer their time in helping theses students in the areas of Reading, Writing, English, Science, Art and Math.

Quest to Cure’s Joshua’s Journal program mission is to help parents and teachers work together to achieve school success for children with Sickle Cell Anemia. We anticipate implementing this program in the fall of 2009.

Bedside Buddies

The Bedside Buddies Program was created to build the self-esteem of the hospitalized child/youth. Children hospitalized due to ongoing serious illnesses may oftentimes feel alone; like no one understands their needs. Caretakers of special needs children/youth tend to alienate themselves in order not feel as if they are dependent upon others such as family members and friends. They do not want to feel as if they are a burden or incapable of caring for their child.

Quest to Cure’s Bedside Buddy Program is designed to utilize volunteers to visit children/youth in the hospital. The Bedside Buddies volunteer will visit the hospital bringing story time, stuffed animals, lunch, and parent relief and any personal items the patient may need. Quest to Cure’s mission is to provide respite for the parent/caretaker while linking them with parents like themselves which would eventually create strong parent-to-parent support.

School Success Program

The School Success Program is a sickle cell education program, which caters to school aged youth who suffer from sickle cell disease. Its purpose is to educate and bring awareness to the  educational professional and school personnel of the protocol needs and emergencies associated with the sickle cell carrier through an informative power point presentation. Quest to Cure advocates will also attend school/IEP meetings to assist parents/caretakers with the proper materials needed to successfully serve the child in question.

Sickle cell disease adversely affects the physical and psychosocial well being of the child. These adverse effects are intensified by the lack of adequate information, education, and social supports. Knowledge of the medical aspects of sickle cell disease and its psychosocial impact enhances the teacher’s ability to relate to the special needs child in a supportive manner, provide the child with accurate information and foster the child’s self-esteem.

Through our easy to read literature, which will be provided as handouts, teachers and other school personnel will be able to make positive educated decisions minus general assumptions about the medical or psychosocial status associated with sickle cell. ‘Quest to Cure’s objective is to establish a strong bond between the school personnel, parents/caretakers, ad medical professionals to assure school success.

Holiday Help/Referral Program

Quest to Cure participates with Toys 4 Tots in assisting under privileged children/families with Christmas toys and a holiday dinner. We also network with other organizations and companies who may want to assist us in adopting families throughout the holiday season.

Family Service/Resource and Referral/Funeral Fund
Quest to Cure sickle Cell Foundation has newly founded and funded and emergency assistance/funeral fund program. This program was developed to assist Quest to Cure families in times of financial need. The program offers emergency funds for rent, utilities, food and funeral expenses. Because the funds are limited we are only able to extend our financial assistance once per year per familyffered, with the exception of death.

Support Groups/Family Fun Days

Quest to Cure offers a quarterly family fund day and/or breakfast support group. The programs are geared toward bringing our sickle cell communities together while bringing forth awareness.

Our Mission: To help children with sickle cell focus more on life not pain, and to heighten awareness as it relates to sickle cell disease while bringing our sickle cell communities together.

PIC OF THE MONTH

The African American Cultural Committee Members
At 2009 Jazz Event




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