Another Way to Support Cancer-Related Causes: Care for the Family

I feel compelled to write down some thoughts as I finished watching the movie My Sister's Keeper. I was all tears. Somehow I've always felt a deep compassion and empathy with patients with terminal illnesses (probably because I got sick easily as a child), but it just occurred to me how much more pain the family of a cancer patient may be going through, helplessly watching their beloved suffer. I was wondering: if so many organizations devote time and funds to causes that support research or patient recovery, why not give more attention to patients' family?


As much as I love and want to commit my career to cause-related marketing and branding, sometimes I become suspicious too: are companies real do-gooders or hypocrites trying to dress them up with causes? When it comes to cancer campaigns I naturally think about the pink ribbon, marathon and city-wide walks... what about something more creative? What about thinking through the lens of patients and their families?

Two practices that care for patients' family and friends touched me recently. They are initiated by hospitals truly putting themselves in patients' shoes. Massachusetts General Hospital's CarePages and the Neely House at Tufts Medical Center embody genuine intentions to help patients and their family get through hard times.

CarePages is a special blogging system that allows patients to upload posts and images. What's more, the updates automatically send emails to blog readers - patients' family and friends - so that they can come back to the page and visit newest contents. There are also spaces where patients' family and friends leave wishes and prayers - the emotional supports flow through CarePages make a great difference in patients' well-beings. MGH aptly captures patients' pain of battling diseases lonely or repeating their conditions over and over again to people who care. The CarePages might not save a patient's life; it might not cost big money, but it surely lifts a burden from patients and their worrying folks.

The Neely House at Tufts Medical Center, according to its Web site, is "a bed and breakfast style home away from home for center patients and their families. It was created to fill an important need - to help pediatric and adult cancer patients and their families while undergoing treatment." The center understands the twinges and agony felt by every family with cancer patients, so it helps them support and encourage one another in pulling through the difficulties. The warm and homelike settings speak more than monetary donations, advanced but cold facilities, powerful but hard-to-swallow pills.

The Neely House was built by the Neely Cancer Fund, dedicated to helping patients and their families during and after treatments. Its next project - The Michael Neely Center for Brain Tumor Care and Research is still underway due to lack of funds. As to the Neely House, a donation of $20 by individuals enables a family to stay over for one night. Organizations and brands might want to direct funds toward this kind of heartfelt projects rather than completing for attention from those widely-reported campaigns that have already gained momentum.

Who's Your Angel? Check out JCPenney's Angel Giving Tree Online

When adult-customers find writing a letter to the Santa Claus is too childish, they've got another option at this holiday season: send a gift in need to an angel designated by the Salvation Army through Angel Giving Tree Online presented by JCPenney.

You might say it is just another cause that taps into the giving spirit of holidays, that it is not novel or refreshing... but aren't holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year - bringing back all age-long traditions of get-together and laughter and warmth every time?


So even if "adopting an angel" sounds a little cheesy, the theme resonates well at least with me - whenever I see it I think of "the Little Match Girl." Isn't she an angel on earth? Why should she be punished by the harshness of winter while we are celebrating new hopes offered by a new year? I wouldn't expect everyone to think the same way. But I'm perfectly sure I am not the only one - who likes the "cheesiness" of holidays, and who would extend love and care and hope to those in need during the special season.



JCPenney, in this sense, is doing a great job at building its brand soul through cause as well as goodwill with customers.

A number of other elements of Angel Giving Tree Online grasped my attention. I want to share with you here and welcome your thoughts and comments:

• Less effort to join the cause. No painstaking reflections. No brain-recking writings. The only thing customers need to do is to log in online, select an angel and purchase a gift.
• Greater freedom. Customers can choose the angel they want to adopt based on age and location. By viewing angel's wishes they can adjust their choices based on the price of the gifts. Everyone loves some level of autonomy, and JCPenney certain realized this.
• Less commercial sense. JCPenney allows donors to buy gifts from any store including JCPenney online and offline. Donors can either mail the gifts or drop them at local Salvation Army. Though I doubt most donors will still buy gifts from JCPenney because it's convenient and quick, the possibility alone builds upon an image of pure philanthropy.

A few disadvantages from my perspective:

• The cause is conducted only online so people who are not into the Internet might not be aware of it.
• Angel Giving Tree surely costs participants more than that of Macy's 2009 Believe campaign. Not everyone who is kind-hearted affords the money.

Suggestion: why not continue with the cause online and offline, and use both traditional and social media to promote it? Hope more angels will be adopted this year.

Spreading Love, Hope and Good Vibes @ Life is Good

"This too shall pass" - Steven Gross wrote me this months ago when I was going through an almost-devastating personal ordeal. Steve, the "Founding Playmaker" of Project Joy, a non-profit sponsored by Life is Good, introduced me to a world brimming with optimistic and resilient spirit.

So... Life is GOOD.


For someone who has been in the U.S. for only one year, I was not familiar with the brand but am immediately attracted to its upbeat vibe. Seems I am not the only one - thousands are following LIG on Twitter and it boasts a 6-figure number of fans on Facebook - to spread wide smiles initiated by Jake and Rocket. On its Web site inspiring letters - FUEL - truly touches my heart and makes me stronger.

But the brand wants to bring even greater social impact - its Kids Foundation help children get through unfair challenges including the trauma of violence, poverty and loss. Project Joy, the major foundation beneficiary, uses the "healing power of play" to help kids become healthy players at the game of life.



The products at Life is Good might not compare luxuries at similar stores, but its honorable vibe imbues the brand with a soul, a humane heart and a full spirit - the merchandises thus become special. The brand also connects millions who need a little strength, hope and joy out of a might-be chaotic life.

I bought LIG book - the profits of which will go to the Kids Foundation - so I did my today's share of good.

Believe in Santa? Make A Wish @ Macy's.

Do you believe in Santa Claus? Have you ever written him a letter to speak your wish? This Christmas please do so at Macy's and spread your love and hope to kids with life-threatening medical conditions.

When 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon asked the question about the existence of Santa in 1981, she might not know how she had helped remind the world what it meant to believe. When the editor at the New York Sun said "yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" he might not realize decades later the story would inspire Macy's to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The 2009 Believe campaign successful captures the spirit of holidays and send out messages of goodwill, generosity, optimism, love and hope.

It's a magic - even if you and me are adults we can still believe there is a Santa Claus - "he exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exists." My heart trembles whenever I read the editor's response in 1981.



And reading the stories and looking at the pictures of this year at Macy's microsite http://social.macys.com/believe2009?
More than ever, I want to write a letter addressed to Santa at the North Pole. Go to Macy's and drop it in the love-and-magic-replete mailbox.