Our Story

Cancer - Jules (2015)

In 2015, I was diagnosed with a rare form of small cell ovarian cancer with an initial prognosis of a very short life span.  Thanks to a dream-team of physicians, help and prayers from family and friends, I have been cancer-free since treatment ended!

My family and friends gave me a basket filled with gifts including a quilt, slippers, unscented lotions, lip balm, hats, scarves, activity books and more.  The heartfelt and practical gifts made long days of chemotherapy and recovery much easier.   I am inspired to do the same for others. 

Children's Hospital - Our Daughters and friends

Our first experiences with Children's Hospital Colorado were x-rays to check our girls' joints after premature births in 2005 and 2007.  The environment is calming and the staff is compassionate.  The medical professionals made the appointments easy and quick.  Fortunately, results of the x-rays were good.

In 2017, our older daughter was treated at the Children's Hospital Outpatient Eating Disorder Unit for over a month.  Just as before, the staff and medical professionals made us feel welcome during our daughter's outpatient program and follow-up visits.  During our time there, we saw many patients who were not able to go home due to medical conditions.  We saw many parents, volunteers and medical staff transporting patients through the main hospital in wheelchairs.   

Many of our friends and family also have children who received care at a Children's Hospital in Colorado or in other states.  Their stories and our experiences helped us focus on helping youth patients in Children's Hospital Colorado. 

Why "Sew For Strength"?

Sew:   

A homemade gift can help patients feel more at home while in the hospital.  With the help of others, I hope to provide a quilt or home-sewn item to every teen who receives inpatient care in the Colorado Children's Hospital.  

Strength:   

During the time we dealt with cancer and our daughter's health, the emotional support and gifts we received gave us hope and emotional strength to face the journey and the uncertainty of the future.  Small gifts of time and comfort items reminded us that we were not alone and we could overcome the challenges ahead.  We want to do the same for others who are facing tough journeys.  

We established the corporation in 2022 to begin the journey to help others.