Hi All,
Here's an update. Chase Bank is doing a month long drive for Devin's Gift for the month of April. Thank you friends at Chase for supporting Devin's Gift. Thank you to Renee McClure for arranging it all. You are a wonderful beautiful friend.
Devin's Gift is sponsoring a lunch at Jaburg Wilk to make kits for Banner Cardon Children's Medical Center and Phoenix Children's Hospital. Looking for to spending time with friends and supporters and munching on a yummy lunch.
Just a reminder Harkin's Theater is airing a Public Service Announcement Slide regarding Devin's Gift through the month of May.
Please remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Jessica Van Douser
P.S. Missing you baby boy! Just thinking of you swells my heart!
Friday, March 28, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Not a Day Goes By
Dearest Devin,
Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. Mostly at night. I admit the pain is lessening. Thoughts these days tend to "ITS JUST NOT FAIR! I WANT MY BABY BACK!" Trying to think of ways to get Devin's Gift to grow so that it becomes a self sustaining business. Unfortunately, my regular full time job gets in the way. Maybe if I just don't sleep I can come up with a business plan. Then, I just need the time to execute it.
Dear friends, please help spread the word about us! Need to gather funds to make and distribute more kits to Phoenix Children's and Banner Cardon! Please provide most glorious God!
Just thinking of you Devin. Missing you dreadfully!
Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. Mostly at night. I admit the pain is lessening. Thoughts these days tend to "ITS JUST NOT FAIR! I WANT MY BABY BACK!" Trying to think of ways to get Devin's Gift to grow so that it becomes a self sustaining business. Unfortunately, my regular full time job gets in the way. Maybe if I just don't sleep I can come up with a business plan. Then, I just need the time to execute it.
Dear friends, please help spread the word about us! Need to gather funds to make and distribute more kits to Phoenix Children's and Banner Cardon! Please provide most glorious God!
Just thinking of you Devin. Missing you dreadfully!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Long overdue update!
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Recently, we started delivering kits to Banner Cardon Children's Medical Center. We delivered our first 20 kits in January. The initial feedback is positive. Currently the kits are being distributed through the Hematology and Oncology Department. I am hoping that we can continue to service the Hem/Onc Department and eventually spread to the whole hospital. Devin was initially diagnosed at Banner Desert and happy to be able to give back to these hospitals.. He received awesome care there and it's an honor to support the hospital and its patients. Check out the website for a recent press release regarding this.
We are scheduled to air a Public Service Announcement at six local Harkins Theaters during the month of May. Take a trip to the theater and check it out! The announcements will air at Arrowhead 18, Gateway 18, Arizona Mills 25, Fashion Square 7, San Tan Village 16 and Superstition Springs 25! I am excited for this opportunity as it will continue to spread the word about Devin's Gift!
Thanks to my good friend and former neighbor, Renee McClure I have learned that Chase Bank is going to be doing a fundraiser for us during the Month of April. I am excited to get the word out to the public through this opportunity while being able to obtain the funds and materials needed to create additional kits for Phoenix Children's Hospital and Banner Cardon Children's Medical Center.
Devin's Gift recently did a fundraiser through Booster.com. and raised funds by selling t-shirts containing the Devin's Gift logo. Thank you to everyone who purchased a t-shirt.
Some of you know that my beautiful sister Amy Bistry created the Devin's Gift brand with the teddy bear and red heart shaped balloon. The design couldn't be more perfect! It captures Devin's spirit and just speaks volumes to me about what Devin's Gift means to me and my son's legacy. There are no words to express the gratitude I have to my sister for designing the perfect picture to represent Devin and Devin's Gift. To protect that, the brand/logo has officially been copyrighted through the U.S. Trademark Office.
Finally, last week we remembered Devin and his life as the three year anniversary of Devin's passing was February 24th. This date actually ends a season of anniversaries and a period of time that is painful to get through. Devin has been gone now for as long as he was alive. Devin's Gift helps me to celebrate Devin's life. It eases the pain of grieving. Devin will always be in my heart but Devin's Gift keeps his spirit alive. I miss you so much my beautiful boy. I hope I am doing you proud! (Love you, mom).
Jessica Van Douser
Recently, we started delivering kits to Banner Cardon Children's Medical Center. We delivered our first 20 kits in January. The initial feedback is positive. Currently the kits are being distributed through the Hematology and Oncology Department. I am hoping that we can continue to service the Hem/Onc Department and eventually spread to the whole hospital. Devin was initially diagnosed at Banner Desert and happy to be able to give back to these hospitals.. He received awesome care there and it's an honor to support the hospital and its patients. Check out the website for a recent press release regarding this.
We are scheduled to air a Public Service Announcement at six local Harkins Theaters during the month of May. Take a trip to the theater and check it out! The announcements will air at Arrowhead 18, Gateway 18, Arizona Mills 25, Fashion Square 7, San Tan Village 16 and Superstition Springs 25! I am excited for this opportunity as it will continue to spread the word about Devin's Gift!
Thanks to my good friend and former neighbor, Renee McClure I have learned that Chase Bank is going to be doing a fundraiser for us during the Month of April. I am excited to get the word out to the public through this opportunity while being able to obtain the funds and materials needed to create additional kits for Phoenix Children's Hospital and Banner Cardon Children's Medical Center.
Devin's Gift recently did a fundraiser through Booster.com. and raised funds by selling t-shirts containing the Devin's Gift logo. Thank you to everyone who purchased a t-shirt.
Some of you know that my beautiful sister Amy Bistry created the Devin's Gift brand with the teddy bear and red heart shaped balloon. The design couldn't be more perfect! It captures Devin's spirit and just speaks volumes to me about what Devin's Gift means to me and my son's legacy. There are no words to express the gratitude I have to my sister for designing the perfect picture to represent Devin and Devin's Gift. To protect that, the brand/logo has officially been copyrighted through the U.S. Trademark Office.
Finally, last week we remembered Devin and his life as the three year anniversary of Devin's passing was February 24th. This date actually ends a season of anniversaries and a period of time that is painful to get through. Devin has been gone now for as long as he was alive. Devin's Gift helps me to celebrate Devin's life. It eases the pain of grieving. Devin will always be in my heart but Devin's Gift keeps his spirit alive. I miss you so much my beautiful boy. I hope I am doing you proud! (Love you, mom).
Jessica Van Douser
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
A Poem
I'll
lend you for a little while
a child of mine, God said
for you to love, while they live.
And mourn for when their dead.
It may be six or seven years
or forty two or three
but will you, till I call them back,
take care of them for me?
They'll bring their charms to gladden you
and, should their stay be brief....
You'll have their lovely memories
as a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise they will stay,
since all from earth return,
but there are lessons taught below,
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the whole world over
in my search for teachers true,
and from the things that crowd life's lane,
I have chosen you!
Now will you give them all our love?
Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
This LENT CHILD back again?
I fancied that I heard them say
Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joy thy child shall bring
the risk of grief we'll run.
We will shelter them with tenderness,
we'll love them while we may.
And for the happiness we have known
forever grateful stay.
But should thy Angel call for them
much sooner then we've planned,
we'll brave the bitter grief that comes
and try to understand....
a child of mine, God said
for you to love, while they live.
And mourn for when their dead.
It may be six or seven years
or forty two or three
but will you, till I call them back,
take care of them for me?
They'll bring their charms to gladden you
and, should their stay be brief....
You'll have their lovely memories
as a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise they will stay,
since all from earth return,
but there are lessons taught below,
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the whole world over
in my search for teachers true,
and from the things that crowd life's lane,
I have chosen you!
Now will you give them all our love?
Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
This LENT CHILD back again?
I fancied that I heard them say
Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joy thy child shall bring
the risk of grief we'll run.
We will shelter them with tenderness,
we'll love them while we may.
And for the happiness we have known
forever grateful stay.
But should thy Angel call for them
much sooner then we've planned,
we'll brave the bitter grief that comes
and try to understand....
Parents Grief by Henri Nouwen
Parents' Grief
Many parents have to suffer the death of a child, at birth or at a very young age. There probably is no greater suffering than losing a child, since it so radically interferes with the desire of a father and mother to see their child grow up to be a beautiful, healthy, mature, and loving person. The great danger is that the death of a child will take away the parents' desire to live. It requires an enormous act of faith on the part of parents to truly believe that their children, however brief their lives, were given to them as a gift from God, to deepen and enrich their own lives.
Whenever parents can make that leap of faith, their children's short lives can become fruitful far beyond their expectations.
Many parents have to suffer the death of a child, at birth or at a very young age. There probably is no greater suffering than losing a child, since it so radically interferes with the desire of a father and mother to see their child grow up to be a beautiful, healthy, mature, and loving person. The great danger is that the death of a child will take away the parents' desire to live. It requires an enormous act of faith on the part of parents to truly believe that their children, however brief their lives, were given to them as a gift from God, to deepen and enrich their own lives.
Whenever parents can make that leap of faith, their children's short lives can become fruitful far beyond their expectations.
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