Hills pupils continue to help cancer patients

MINGO JUNCTION -- Second-grade pupils at Hills Elementary School showed kindness to cancer patients throughout the month of March.

Children prepared chemo care bags for those at the Tony Teramana Cancer Center.

The service-learning project was begun eight years ago by Sarah Hibbits, who serves as the Orton Gillingham specialist at the school.

The annual collection was taken during March and will be distributed to those at the center.

Hibbits noted thousands of bags have been donated since the second-grade class she was teaching eight years ago started the project.

Today, the there are more than 60 pupils who participate.

"This year, I am no longer teaching second grade," Hibbits stated. "However, the second-grade teachers decided they would like to continue this project. Watching the community come together, as well as the response that we receive from patients, caregivers and the Teramana nursing staff, made a big impact on those teachers. They wanted to keep the project going, but it is overwhelming. So, I am going to continue to help the second grade while in my new role."

Items pupils collected included: Individually-packaged snacks, saltines, bottled water, Gatorade, tuna or chicken lunch packs with crackers, Chapstick, lotion, Biotene, wet wipes, tissues, hats, scarves, blankets, slipper socks, puzzle books, adult coloring books, notebooks, journals, pocket calendars, playing cards, puzzles, card games, Bibles and ear buds.

Hibbits said the items are greatly used by chemotherapy patients. The intent is to make their treatment more comfortable.

"Each item that we are including was chosen after careful research on what products are most beneficial while going through chemotherapy treatment," Hibbits commented.

Conversations with those going through treatment, as well as with her own mother, helped to decipher what items are need, she said.

"She often had very rare side effects and all of these items were very helpful to her," Hibbits said of her mom.

Hibbits explained the pupils previously had four weeks to collect the items. That time has been extended to six or eight weeks to ensure all items are received.

Once the collection is turned in, the items are placed in colorful totes which include hand-made cards with a message of positivity and support from pupils.

Finished bags are then presented to an official from Trinity Health System during an event at the school, it was stated.

But the annual project can be costly, with each bag averaging around $20, Hibbits said. Therefore, the school invites the community to assist each year in helping to defray the cost.

Students gather sponsors who help fill the bags, Hibbits explained, adding if the sponsor wishes, their name can be included in their sponsored bags.

A personal card or note can be added to the bag from the sponsor, she said. Hibbits said, "Someone people know has been touched by the disease."

"The care package was a reminder that they are not alone," she continued. "The more we can give, the more lives we can impact. Most likely, we know someone who has been diagnosed with, or even passed away from cancer. We are looking for a way to give back and honor his or her memory."

Hibbits stated in addition to items, monetary donations in the form of cash or check are accepted for the project.

"This is a project that is very near and dear to my heart," she said. "It was inspired by my mom during her battle with breast cancer. She passed away in 2016, but her memory lives on through this project."

Hibbits said the service project impacts the children, as they are doing something for others.

"The purpose of this project is to encourage the kids to give back to the community," Hibbits said.

"As adults, we want to teach our kids the importance of selflessness, empathy, kindness and compassion," she added.

"These children are our future leaders and it is important to instill these traits at an early age. The kids learn that small acts of kindness can have a huge and lasting impact and that they can make a difference."

"Students who complete this project remember it fondly, as well as how much the bags are appreciated by their recipients," she said.

"Often, when you do not actually see the face of the person who is receiving the gift, it is difficult to have a connection and understand the impact that each student is making," Hibbits explained. "The students love receiving cards and hearing about what their project meant to others."

Hibbits is grateful to the community donors for their continued generosity. She stated the project would not be successful without their support.

"This project is a huge undertaking and we would never be able to complete it without the outpouring of love, kindness and generosity from the public," she concluded. "This project has become a challenge over the recent years." She explained the increase in prices has slowed donations and hopes the community will continue to help the school with its annual program by donating during its next school year's collection.