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Congratulations
to Elaine Sherwood and Conway Regional Health Center for an
unbelievable event, the 1st Conway Regional Health Fair. Elaine has
been one of our biggest supporters, bringing hats to her Relay for Life
Team at Conway Regional in Conway, Arkansas. Not only is Elaine an
oncology nurse extraodinaire, she is tireless in her efforts to raise
money and awareness. Elaine alerted us to the Colossal Colon project
and the women who made it a reality. Please visit their site,
colossalcolon.com for info on this disease. Elaine Sherwood, Lea Algood, Hannah Vogler, Molly McMaster, and Noelle Sherwood.  hats of hope is proud to work with SMA. To learn more about this disease go to our links and click on SMA sites. Pictures from Madison's Angels at the End Zone Fundraiser 3/12//05   During the final days of my father's illness, only two things mattered Tribute to a Hat A simple baseball hat with the stylized embroidered word "Hope" on the bill has given me the most meaningful moment of my life. The hat is from the "Hats of Hope.com" company and is one of the "healing hats". Inside the hat is the Jewish prayer for healing in Hebrew and the interpretation of the prayer in English by Debbi Friedman. She has written a hauntingly beautiful melody for this prayer, and translates it as follows: "May the source of strength, who blessed the ones before us Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing and let us say. Amen. Bless those in need of healing, with r'fuah shlemah The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit and let us say. Amen" This particular "Hat of Hope" was presented to my father (Rabbi Herbert Morris). He was supposed to give a prayer for the children at my son, Elijah's, preschool graduation in May. He was unable to be there because his health was deteriorating. The preschool director, Joanie Charnow, sent the hat to my father. Very touched by her thoughtfulness because he did not know her well, he wore the hat to his chemo treatments so he could share the prayer with the other patients. As his health declined, the hat ended up in the closet. It sat atop a stack of hats from his travels. Alaska, China, Australia, Denver, even his police chaplain hat. On November 3, we knew Dad was in his last few days of life. He knew it also. But on that day Mom said to him, "You are not done being a Rabbi yet, there is more for you to do". Carolyn, a nurse who had helped Mom and Dad recently, needed to see "her Rabbi" although she is not Jewish. Her mother is dying from her struggle with cancer and on this day, she found that her 11 year old daughter has cancer and must begin chemo immediately. We lovingly took the hat from the closet and gave it to Dad. He held tightly to the hat, and with purpose in his eyes said, "ok". Carolyn arrived and sat next to Dad. He talked with her about the fight ahead and entreated her to remember the part of Psalm 23 that we "walk through the valley of the shadow of death". "You will walk through, you don't stay there, you just keep moving through. That is how you will get through this," he said as he gripped her hand. Carolyn brought her daughter, Jessica, into my father's bedroom where we were all gathered. I believe that there were 15 of us (family and friends). Jessica sat by my father's side, a lovely blond-haired and pink-cheeked girl in her Catholic school uniform. Dad was very weak and trembly but his voice was strong as he spoke to Jessica, giving her what strength he had left, telling her that although she had a rough road ahead she would get through it. He explained the healing prayer to her and as she took her mother's hand, we began to sing. As the 15 people gathered sang the prayer, we held hands and we helped Dad to take Jessica's hand to complete the circle. While everyone was drying their tears, we asked Jessica to pass the hat along when she meets someone who needs it more than she does. We asked her to sign the hat on the inside and that maybe, with each person who uses the hat, the prayer will gain strength. Three days later, Dad passed away. For those of us fortunate enough to have been with him at the end, we will never forget the spirituality of a man who used his last bit of strength to bring comfort to a child. All of us were shown the true circle of life from a Rabbi who taught us how to live and was now teaching us how to die. We send you our deepest gratitude and thanks for your remarkable product. Dena Kaufman, Judy Morris (my Mom), Bram Morris (my Brother), Rayna Arnold (my sister), Tamra Dollin (my sister)  In August of 2003 I was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma and needed to have surgery and then chemotherapy. My oncologist explained the course of treatment and what to expect for side effects, one being the loss of hair. My family decided to have a "Mad Hatter Party" and each guest was to bring a hat for me to wear during my "bald head days." My sister Sandi works at a wonderful pharmarcy, and she received a call from DeeDee of hats of hope explaining their mission and goals with these wonderful hats . . . She bought one for me and brought it to the party for me to wear. I loved it and still wear it today even though I have my hair back. My last chemo session was due to take place over Christmas. My family and I decided that instead of buying gifts for everyone we would buy some hats of hope and give them to the people on the adult cancer unit where I would be receiving my treatment with the hope that these hats would bring the same sense of peace and hope that mine had brought me . . . The nurse that distributed the hats on X-mas eve reported back to me the joy that each patient expressed with the idea brought by these wonderful hats. I still wear my hat to remind me that there is always hope and to never give up! Lee Colby We'd love to see you in your hat so we can add it to our words and photos page. Please mail your photos and/or words to us at: Hats of Hope “The hats that I ordered will be worn in memory of a special woman, my cousin Judith, who lost her battle with breast cancer this past November-after a valiant 5 year fight…One is for her best friend, one for her niece and one for me-her cousin. We all participated in the Avon Breast Cancer 3Day this year…2nd year for me-the first for them…I thought that the hats were so beautiful and unique-that I had to get them to honor such an incredible and amazing woman such as my cousin. Thank you so much!!” Chris Woodward "To DeeDee, Joan and Pamela, My first encounter with hats of hope was at Memorial Sloan Kettering Breast Cancer Center. When I entered the shop this baseball cap was sitting there waiting for me. I bought it to help me keep my spirits high for my second mastectomy in less than a year. I added a pin of a butterfly which was a luck charm to a woman during her personal ordeal in WWII. She survived as I plan to do with God’s love, mercy and Guidance." Bethzaida Santiago, Puerto Rico “Thank you so much for the hats of hope. They are just wonderful. I have given two of them to breast cancer patients and they love them. The hats offer such words of wisdom and mean so much to the people who wear them. It is a wonderful way to make a difference and I thank you.” L. Littler,R.N. Bethesda Memorial Hospital
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 Elaine Sherwood and Willie Sullivan inside the colossal colon. MDA walk, Columbus Ohio, 3/5/05   "I wear a hat with pride. Keep up the good message of "hope". Barb, New York
“My mother and I went to the Dana Farber Center in
Boston, MA and distributed the Hats of Hope for my Bat Mitzvah
project.We took about twenty hats and went to the children's floor.
There were two kids and a nurse sitting in the playroom. We explained
why we were there and the nurse offered the two girls hats. When we
gave each of them their purple hats they were so excited. I felt so
good when I saw the smile on their faces. They asked to see themselves
in the mirror. I had brightened up their day. It made me want to do
more. So then we gave out some of the other hats to children on that
floor. All the children were so happy to get a hat. I was so happy I
did this for my mitzvah project.”
Jessica S., age 13
“I am a patient at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC and there is a little shop in the Breast Cancer Treatment Center. I found one of your hats in their shop and purchased two of them…Thanks so much for making things like this available to people like me who love to display the messages of hope and survival. I have had breast cancer for 6 years; I have only been in remission for 18 months back in 1998. I have had two more reoccurrences but I’m receiving treatment and am proud to say I’m still around to tell people that it can be done. You need a positive attitude, good support, good doctors, and most of all, prayer.”
Sharon Cure, Director Patient and Family Support Services Karmanos Cancer Institute Joan and DeeDee attended the Oncology Nursing Society Conference in San Diego.
We met oncology nurses from all over the world and heard many wonderful stories. What an incredibly caring, dedicated group. We will be working with them to help find ways of making our hats available to all people going through treatment.
“Oncology nurses Dory and Noemi
”Our hats travel back to Singapore with Eleanor”
“Diane Turnbull, an oncology nurse from Duke University brought us to tears with her incredible story."
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