The CHEMO Bag

Rock the Bag - Donation Link |

We are having our Rock the Bag Fundraiser today from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. If you are unable to attend and want to support us, you can by donating to our great cause at PayPal and the link is below. https://paypal.me/TheChemoBag?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US

Keeping Panic at Bay |

As we all face uncharted territories, we want to share resources for our friends and followers of The CHEMO Bag. We recognize the importance of breathing and staying calm during stressful moments. This mindfulness helps those going through treatment as well. Please find the following post from Shonda Moralis, with her permission we bring it to you. So breathe and share.....we are all in this together. https://www.shondamoralis.net/post/keeping-panic-at-bay

Thank you Shonda Moralis! |

Blue Zones - information shared by Guide for Hope! |

Blue Zones by Dan Buettner Blue Zones by Dan Buettner is an excellent book for those looking to make a healthy lifestyle change. The book reviews research on individuals who have lived 100 years or more and what they do to stay healthy and active. • Recipes for living longer focus on a plant based diet, with 80-90% of the diet based on plants. Meat is only eaten 3 days each week and in small quantities to add flavor to meals. • In addition to diet, Dan Buettner talks about the importance of community – having a purpose, attending religious services, and volunteering. • He encourages natural exercise through walking, gardening and manual chores such as using a push mower or a hand mixer. • He discusses the importance of spending time with family and friends especially at meals. This time should be spent enjoying one another's company and slow the pace of the meal down, allowing you to feel full sooner and to be mindful of what is being eaten. Giving thanks for the food provided is part of the time spent with family and allows for a greater appreciation for the food prepared. • He encourages a larger meal in the morning or early afternoon and to include a glass of red wine with the evening meal. • Sweets in the Blue Zones are used to celebrate special occasions and not a daily treat. I recommend trying to incorporate some of the Blue Zones principles to improve the overall quality of life. Take the Vitality Test at www.BlueZones.com to see steps you could add to live to 100.

Brian shares his story |

Like so many families, mine has been impacted by cancer. My brother Kevin was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 48. He fought a brave battle, with 39 rounds of chemo and passed away at 51. My mother found out that she had pancreatic cancer 3 weeks before she died. My father was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer 2 years ago and is starting up treatment again. I don’t mention my family’s experience to bring anyone down or to look for pity. What I have observed as a son and a brother is that when a cancer diagnosis is made, your world initially gets very small and scary. And you may deny the diagnosis; you may grieve it or yell and scream because it happened. Or do all three and more. But, at some point, you do battle. You work with your medical team and, if you are blessed, with your support group of family and friends to give you the help, support and encouragement you will need to do battle with the little c (my brother’s term; he refused to give cancer any respect or fear by calling it the Big C). This is where the Chemo Bag comes in. In the whirlwind of medical appointments, treatments, and just trying to live as normal a life as possible, you forget about small things. Creature comforts that help you get through the day. Having seen this, the folks at The Chemo Bag have thoughtfully put together the items that make life more comfortable. Things that someone who hasn’t experienced Chemotherapy will want and appreciate. And as much as the items in the bag help, the message behind the bag mean as much or more. That message is: while we do not know you, we know something about what you are going through. You are cared and loved for; here is something to help you out. We can’t take away your problems, but we can provide comfort and support. Finally, I humbly suggest that you don’t underestimate the power of Faith. Whatever your religion or belief system, it is important to draw comfort and support for your soul while your body is being challenged. I wear a band on my wrist to remember Kevin, along with the inscription of Philippians 4:13- the Biblical source that gave him comfort. Be good to yourself and take every day one step at a time. Brian is a caring soul who works with seniors who need help, his words are meaningful and we appreciate his support of our comfort bags through his sponsorship! Home Helpers

Brian & his brother.... |

It takes a village! |

It takes a village to make things happen, it may be a cliche but very true when it comes to the CHEMO bag. Many volunteers make the magic happen, from drivers to sponsors. Without a group of committed volunteers networking and putting time into the desired outcomes we would not have an organization. What once started by one family's passion to give back has multiplied to many compassionate individuals helping to keep the grass roots organization running. We are always looking for new sponsors and ways to create meaningful bags of comfort. We have recently had three new board members join our efforts and several sponsors. Let us not forget the hand made items that make our bags special, the ladies of knitting groups, church collections and the individuals who drop off a monthly bag of goodies from the dollar store. Those items are valuable and important. If you are interested in donating, please check the acceptable donations list on the website. Our bags are thought out with items that will not brake or go bad. When donations come in that will not fit in our bags, our intentions are to always purpose them for those in need. We are so very grateful for everyone who supports us. Today I want to give a shout out to Home Helpers who have delivered nail files for our bags, their second donation to TCB! Thank you!

Rock the Bag 3 |

Join us for Rock the Bag 3! Fun night of music, raffles, silent auction and community. September 21st at the Clubhouse Grille Pavilion. We look forward to continuing our mission with your support.

Join us for Rock the Bag 3! Fun night of music, raffles, silent auction and community. September 21st at the Clubhouse Grille Pavilion. We look forward to continuing our mission with your support. |

Guest Writer |

Please enjoy our first guest blogger- written by Ruth Phillips, BSN,MS,OCN,BCMAS. Lately, I have been reading a lot about HOPE. I love the HOPE that Chemo Bags brings to patients. Hope is such an important component of healing that I need to share more. Even though Grit by Angela Duckworth isn’t about overcoming cancer...it does speak to overcoming obstacles. A diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming to individuals and their family and friends. So how do we overcome an obstacle such as cancer? HOPE is one part of that process. HOPE, according to Angela Duckworth, can have two paths... one that assumes the “universe” will solve a problem and one that assumes “finding control” over a problem will lead to a solution. I would like to suggest the second path to HOPE.. learning more about a diagnosis, a treatment or even a complimentary treatment .. is the type of HOPE needed for those battling cancer. I relate this type of HOPE to empowerment. It may mean we need to change our inner voice through prayer, meditation and/or visualization. (Yes, I am talking about that little voice inside all our heads that tries to convince us we are not capable of doing something. You are so much stronger than you realize! Don’t let the inner voice tell you otherwise.) Talking through our struggles privately to God or to someone willing to listen can lighten the load we are carrying and even bring clarity when we weren’t expecting it. Finding this control may mean that you need to ask for help and that’s OK too. Friends and family want to help. Let them create a schedule for meals, housekeeping or just a visit to watch a favorite movie. Remind family and friends that just being with you is important. Find ways to laugh together and make memories. Remember to be grateful for the little things like a good cup of coffee or a good friend. There is HOPE for everyone facing a cancer diagnosis – be brave and find the HOPE that is yours. To learn more about guide for hope, you can check out their website at www.guideforhope.com Their mission is to give you HOPE by empowering YOU to take control.

Parade of Shamrocks - great experience! |

The TCB community came out with one thing in mind - build community! Although we were not the biggest group in the parade, far from it, we had huge hearts and lots of fun. First lesson learned - bring more candy! Next year we will be the group known for our candy :) Second lesson learned - people know The CHEMO Bag! As we handed out flyers people acknowledged they had heard about the bags, this was great news for us. Our goal is to build a nonprofit that is sustainable and we can only do this if people understand what we do and how we do it. So we need to share our mission, build our community and bring comfort to those who need it. One day we hope that we won't have any more bags to give away - but not because of us, but because we wiped out cancer for good. Help us share the mission and ask someone if they know about the chemo bag....if not look for more opportunities to come out and support our cause.

small but mighty crowd |

Welcome PS Salon |

Welcome to our new sponsor PS Salon. PS Salon is dedicated to helping seniors feel beautiful enhancing the Senior Living Experience One Service at a Time! Recognizing that seniors often struggle with health issues such as cancer treatments, they are committed to helping our organization by providing support through their Turban Program! We are grateful for their support!

Appreciation Dinner Success |

Every year the board hosts an appreciation dinner for our volunteers and sponsors, this year again we leave the evening energized and grateful to be surrounded by people who share our passion to help others. We learn from our volunteers this night through shared stories and experiences. The need continues, and the blessings that come from paying it forward far out weight the "work" of supporting our efforts. It takes a village may be cliche but so very true...without the board members, volunteers and sponsors nothing would keep moving toward our goal of helping as many people affected by cancer in the Lehigh Valley as possible! It is not lost on me as I write this the tremendous benefit to me as I share in this journey with so many wonderful and kind people. We appreciate the wonderful article that followed our dinner in the Bethlehem Press, this local exposure will certainly help our cause grow! Please watch for coming events to help build our TCB community. #TCBStronger

Community Help- thank you! |

We want to thank CERA-MET a company with a heart! They do a fundraiser each quarter for non-profits and TCB was the lucky recipient of their generosity. The kind employees through various means collected $850! This money will support our cause and allow us to bring comfort to those going through chemotherapy treatments. THANK YOU!

Raffle Prizes! Rock the Bag2 |

We are prepping for our night of fun - Rock the Bag 2! Check out the beautiful luggage, rumor has it that there may be trip up for silent auction this year! Thank you for all the kind donations, you won't want to miss the raffle with all the great prizes. When you buy your ticket for the evening, you get a door prize ticket! Please join us fora fun night! Rock the Bag2 is on Event Brite for tickets.

Sole Sista's yard sale supports Cancer Patients! |

Hey friends of TCB check out the ladies who support cancer efforts across the Lehigh Valley! Working through various means to support those fighting cancer. To learn more visit them at their yard sale where all proceeds support cancer patients. <3 8/18

Annual Rock the Bag |

TCB is excited to host Rock the Bag 2! Come join us for a fun evening of music and support. Raffle prizes, a silent auction and so much more. Many different opportunities to support the cause and be the reason we can continue to bring comfort to others during the most challenging time in their lives. This year we will have some special guests along with a new band playing all over the valley, John Brown and the Hatchets. The Clubhouse Grill is a great place to gather and we appreciate their support. Please check out more on Facebook and share. You can purchase your tickets today at Eventbrite. We look forward to sharing this night with all of you. September 15th, 7 pm.

TCB Board Members |

As the President of the current TCB board I want to acknowledge the wonderful people who work to keep the mission and the vision of The CHEMO Bag working. With their commitment the work behind the scenes, inventory purchased or donations collected, fundraising, putting the bags together, or delivering bags; not one of these tasks is less than the other. We build monthly on the founders idea and passion. Many of us are cancer survivors, some have lost loved ones to cancer, while others know that by giving to a cause they give to themselves. In June we lost a dear friend of The CHEMO Bag, Leanne Black. As a board member she contributed to the monthly needs of our TCB family. Her family has asked that donations be made in her memory to TCB, even now she continues to impact our organization. To those that donated in her memory we thank you. Sometimes it only takes a smile to make a difference, we hope that our time with TCB combined with the many smiles that are shared among our TCB board and volunteers continues to make a difference for years to come.

Believe that you can make a difference! |

As we improve our website and build our support for those who are going through chemotherapy we recognize that time is precious. This is the very thing those who are fighting are living for. More time to enjoy our families and friends. Helping others is healing, we know that so often our friends and families feel helpless when the person they love are struggling with treatment, and how giving back feels good for them and for the one they do it in honor of. We invite you to learn more about The CHEMO Bag (TCB), how a bag of comfort can give so much to others, and how the people who support the effort of TCB receive so much more in return for their time helping others. Learn how you can make a difference by holding a blanket drive, making a donation, or participating in our annual fundraising event! Believe that you can make a difference and contact us today!