Ryan'S Case for Smiles Conkerr Cancer Inc

“Cynthia kerr gavin kerr president board member spouses”

“Form 990 reviewed by select members of the board for accuracy prior to filing.”

“Governing documents available to the public upon request.”

“A hospital stay is a terrifying experience for a child. It is particularly frightening for a child with cancer and other life changing illnesses and injuries. They and their parents are often facing weeks and months of living in sterile hospital rooms, surrounded by a dizzying parade of doctors, nurses and strangers poking and prodding them with needles. Fear, boredom and loneliness are constant companions when what they want most are the comforts of home, school, family and friends. To make each stay more bearable, ryan's case for smiles (formerly conkerr cancer) provides cheerily designed pillowcases for sick children. Our goal is to give a bright cheery pillowcase to every seriously ill child in north america. In 10 years, our volunteers have delivered over 1,500,000 pillowcases to children in hospitals around the world. Volunteers also sew with children in hospitals across the country. These events give each child the opportunity to sew a pillowcase for themselves and as a gift for someone else. The children get to choose their own fabric and sew them into masterpieces with the help of a volunteer. Moreover, it gives parents a rare chance to see their child smile and creates opportunities for a private conversation with a doctor, a quick call home or a pleasant adult conversation with a caring volunteer.”

“Ryan's case for smiles helps by providing over 200,000 bright cheerful pillowcases to children in treatment each year that give an emotional boost and remind them that they are not defined by their illness. We also host hospital sewing days to break up the monotony of treatment and allow the patients to have a little control over an environment where they have few choices. Finally, we are developing one of the first initiatives to address pediatric medical post-traumatic stress and help children's entire families better cope and avoid long term emotional trauma.”