Write Letters to Cancer Patients [Flexible Date, Time, & Location]

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Recommended for anyone new to this group or volunteering for the first time:

https://www.meetup.com/LosAngelesVolunteers/events/218808844

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Hi.

Meetup.com used to offer members & organizers the ability to post ideas and suggestions for meetup events.

This is posted as an idea/suggestion for the group.

Would anyone want to attend this event and help host?

Hosting isn't hard.

It involves being a point of contact in case others sign up and want to meet & volunteer together.

If your plans/availability change, and you can't attend anymore, that's fine, just let us know and maybe someone else can step up to host, but if not, it's okay and we can cancel this meetup.

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These videos explain what this is about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tun8xulLqsk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuEcGHywXV0

FAQ

Q: Where is the meeting location?

A: Well, this is something you can do wherever you want, so it's your choice (home, work, coffee shop, library, a waiting room somewhere, by yourself, with family & friends, etc.).

If anyone wants to plan a get-together with other members from this group, feel free to suggest a date, time, and location in the comments section or message me directly and I'll add it to the group calendar.

Q: Where should letters be sent?

A: Girls Love Mail
193 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 120
Folsom, CA 95630

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I try to spread the word about volunteer opportunities and raise awareness about non-profits/charities that do good work.

This is from Girls Love Mail.

http://www.girlslovemail.com

Some events in this group might be far or not fit your schedule, so this is something you can do wherever and whenever you want, at your convenience.

This idea is posted once a month (Monday night), but you can choose another day/time.

If any group members want to do this together, post in the comments section or email me with a date, time, location, etc...

Maybe bring some paper, pens, blank cards, and other supplies, and meet at a public place (e.g. coffee shop, restaurant, library, etc.).

This also can be done on your own, by yourself. If you have extra time during a lunch break, or when sitting in the waiting room for a doctor, dentist, DMV, or car repair/maintenance, oil change, etc., maybe bring some supplies and a clipboard and write a letter in 10 minutes or so.

If your commute home after work is bad, and you don't want to be stuck in traffic, maybe find a nearby coffee shop or bar/restaurant, and write a letter/card while traffic subsides.

Everybody is busy and writing cards/letters for our family & friends can be time-consuming and challenging. Totally understandable giving up one's own time and doing this for a stranger might not appeal to everyone. But for anyone who wants to show support and convey encouragement to someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer, surely that person will be touched and moved by the kindness of a stranger.

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"A hand-written letter has the special power to heal. Girls Love Mail collects your hand-written letters of encouragement, bundles them, and sends them, via the caring staff at cancer centers, to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Every letter is a gift from you to a woman going through a difficult time."

"Anyone can write a letter! All it takes is a little of your time and the cost of a postage stamp to help a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer."

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Your time is valuable and I don't want anyone to invest time in writing a letter that later is unacceptable and rejected.

They have some guidelines, preferences, and requests regarding letters.

Sorry, the following is long and detailed, but is intended to provide guidance and avoid any problems. It's your choice to read it or not. Thank you.

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The following is their FAQ from

http://www.girlslovemail.com/faqs

Q: Do I need to hand-write my letter?

A: Yes. Remember, you’re doing more than writing a letter, you’re sending a hand-made gift.

Q: How do I begin/end my letter?

A: The best way to start your letter is with “Dear Friend” or “Dear Sister.” We encourage you to sign your first name and last initial (Gina M.). For safety, children should NOT include their last name.

Q: What should I write about?

A: We encourage you to share your experiences and tell the reader you are thinking of them. Some people share inspirational quotes, things that make them laugh, words of sympathy, or simply what’s going on in their own lives that day. Often it’s not what you said that mattered so much as that you cared enough to say it.

Q: Should I date my letter?

A: Please do NOT date your letters or reference any holidays. It may be 6-8 weeks before your letter is handed to a recipient. Avoiding dates and holiday references ensures your letter will still be “fresh” when it arrives.

Q: Is it okay to mention prayer or religion?

A: The goal is to help every recipient regardless of race, religion, age, type of treatment, or cancer stage. For this reason, we are unable to hand out letters that contain religious references and other wording that would not be universally welcome.

Q: Should I mention someone who has passed away?

A: This one is a little tricky. We want you to share your personal experiences, but it’s hard for someone newly diagnosed to hear about others who have died from cancer or other diseases. You can certainly mention your loved ones without necessarily sharing the outcome. For example, “My grandmother fought breast cancer and she liked to wear a different wig every day.”

Q: Can I write a letter even if I’ve never had cancer?

A: Yes. Anyone with a story to share or desire to encourage a woman can write a letter. You don’t have to be a breast cancer survivor to write a letter. We encourage children to include their age or grade level in their letters.

Q: Can I write the same letter many times?

A: We ask that you write no more than 5 of the exact same letter. This helps us ensure each cancer center will receive a unique letter for each woman they serve. You can definitely use the same sentiment and style, but please limit identical letters.

Q: Can I write in another language?

A: Yes! We especially need letters in Spanish!

Q: Can I include stickers, crafts, etc?

A: Unfortunately even small crafts or inserts make closing our envelope very difficult. We ask that you refrain from including extra materials with your letters.

Q: Is a child’s drawing considered a letter?

A: Drawings from young children are always welcome. To make them even more special please write the child’s first name and age on the drawing.

Q: Do I need special stationery or envelopes?

A: Feel free to use any note card, stationery, postcard, or other paper of your choosing that fits or folds into our GLM program envelopes (4.75” x 6.5”) for bundled delivery to each participating center. Because we use our own envelopes you are welcome to keep any envelopes that may have come with your stationery.

Q: Can I mail multiple letters in one envelope?

A: Yes, you can definitely send as many letters in one package as you’d like. We don’t need the original envelopes that may have come with your stationery since we place every letter in a special GLM envelope.

Q: Where do I send my letters? Do you need a return address?

A: Girls Love Mail
193 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 120
Folsom, CA 95630

Please include your full name and return address on the mailing envelope. If we don’t have your email address, you can send it to us using the Join Us form or include your email with your letters. We send thank you emails to let you know we received your letters, and can only do that if we have your email address and know who the letter is from.

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Photo Source/Credit: Girls Love Mail

http://www.girlslovemail.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/pictures/5376110_orig.jpg

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http://www.girlslovemail.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/pictures/cars1.jpg

http://www.girlslovemail.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/pictures/550452_orig.jpg

http://www.girlslovemail.com/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/pictures/7619637_orig.gif

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Guidelines, Tips, and Samples:

http://www.girlslovemail.com/what-to-say

http://www.girlslovemail.com/what-to-say/writing-tips

http://www.girlslovemail.com/what-to-say/sample-letters

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If anyone is interested and available for a long-term commitment with someone undergoing chemo therapy, another group is looking for "Card Angels"

http://chemoangels.wixsite.com/chemo-angels-1

http://chemoangels.wixsite.com/chemo-angels-1/angel-pre-app

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNMKzZHX-J8

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