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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cOur first few days were a whirlwind. We were quickly transferred to Duke Hospital, and when things were finally getting settled, I stepped out to get a cup of coffee and couldn\u2019t even find my wallet. You are thrown into a cancer diagnosis not knowing anything you\u2019ll need,\u201d Connie shared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t long before the Parkers knew they wanted to ease the burden of other families facing pediatric cancer by providing the hospital with necessities for getting by in the days following the initial diagnosis. The idea for Claire\u2019s Care Box was born. Soon after her passing, they established the Claire Parker Foundation. The care box was their first outreach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connie said, \u201cIt\u2019s a survival kit. When you get hit with pediatric cancer, it\u2019s earth-shattering. We wanted to provide some support for when their world has just been ripped out from under you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Claire thrived on being prepared. Like many children, she found comfort in her pacifier. Her binky was no exception, as her stash proved. Providing items that soothe and comfort the pediatric intensive care patients and their families is a natural extension of Claire\u2019s love of people and her smart, strong personality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cClaire kept a bucket for her binkies. She always switched them out for a fresh one, sometimes keeping one in each hand,\u201d Jordan recalled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first boxes went to Duke. According to the foundation\u2019s website, Claire\u2019s Care Box holds a stuffed animal to comfort the child, two handmade pillowcases to make the hospital feel like home, hygiene items for the parents, a journal for reflections and note-taking, foundation information, and a $100 gift card for gas and food expenses. The response to the boxes was overwhelmingly positive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen we started with the care box, we thought it would go to one hospital, but it was received well and quickly spread to hospitals around the region,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cOver the next few years, the relationships with hospitals grew, and as that trust was built, we began to meet with hospitals and ask them about their specific needs. Every product we have developed has been based on those needs.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other boxes soon followed. The Creative Therapy Bag provides adolescent and teenage patients with tools for artistic expression and escape. The Birthday Box provides hospitals with items to celebrate the child on their special day. The End of Treatment Box celebrates the last day of chemo with an autograph pad, a camera to celebrate the day, a special bell to ring and keep, and a commemorative patch to sew on a blanket or other special item. The Family Care Cart delivers easy access to snacks and drinks for families and their children while undergoing treatment. The Grief Support Program is offered to families entering hospice and continues for years after the death of a child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Claire House project recently emerged as a natural extension of the Parker family\u2019s commitment to helping others. Recognizing the potential in abandoned homes around their community, Jordan envisioned renovating these blighted houses, selling them, and using the proceeds to fund the foundation\u2019s work with children battling cancer. Local contractors and volunteers rallied behind the initiative, transforming neglected structures into symbols of hope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each renovated home revitalizes the neighborhood and provides essential resources for families facing challenges similar to those Claire and her parents had endured. The Claire House project became a powerful way to honor Claire\u2019s legacy, turning empty houses into vessels of healing and support for those in need.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cClaire\u2019s very short life had a purpose. It gave us an immediate purpose, too, and gave us a way to stay connected to pediatric cancer since it was such a big part of our lives,\u201d said Connie. \u201cGod is good all the time. We are good now because God is good. Our identity is not rooted in cancer \u2014 it is rooted in Him.\u201dGN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The pastel tulle tutu fanned out over her sweet bare feet, worn over her onesie. She smiled, not just with her mouth, but with her nose and eyes. It was a day of ones \u2014 of firsts. The number one on Claire Parker\u2019s first birthday outfit forever memorialized a day of celebration. The family gathered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":22772,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lynchburg-va\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/12\/1-4-1024x683.png\")
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