CARMEL, Ind. – One local family is asking people to help them “give a sheet” for kids battling cancer in the hospital.
The Halevi family began the organization called “Sheets from Home” back in 2011 after their son Tamir won his battle with Neuroblastoma.
They found a way to make his hospital room a little brighter.
“She ripped off those boring white hospital sheets and she put on Spongebob on his pillow case, bed sheets and it was really cool it lit up the room,” Asaf Halevi said.
Now they send colorful bed sheets full of cartoon characters to hospitals across the country, bringing smiles to thousands of kids’ faces.
They often work with doctors at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital after getting to know them throughout Tamir’s stay in the hospital. Dr. Bassem Razzouck, Medical Director for Cancer and Blood Diseases at the hospital says he’s seen the impact the sheets have on kids there.
“I have a patient upstairs now who is 15 years old who brought those colorful sheets and whenever we talk about them we kind of distract her from focusing on the nausea and vomiting from the chemotherapy,” Dr. Razzouck said.
They started a new campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness month called “I Give a Sheet, What About You?” They are hoping to increase the amount of sheet donations.
“Unfortunately children continue to get sick with cancer so that’s our sadness but also our inspiration to keep going with this,” Halevi said.
Dr. Razzouck says part of the awareness month is also about taking a moment to make sure your kids are healthy. He says always be on the lookout for abnormalities like unexplained weight loss, nose bleeds or abdominal swelling. He recommends going to see a doctor if something seems off.
They say you can send brand new bed sheets to the address on their website or there’s a link to donate money, and then they will go out and purchase sheets.
