sunny-side-playroom

Alex's Sunny Side Playroom Unveils 3rd Playroom at City of Hope Hospital

adam@protectionadvertising.com (Adam Kendrick) — Tue, 20 May 2025 23:40:04 GMT

Bringing Warmth & Joy to City of Hope’s Children & AYA Cancer Center

At Alex’s Sunnyside Playroom, we believe in the transforming power of joyful, thoughtfully designed spaces—especially for young patients and families facing the challenges of cancer. That’s why we're so proud to announce our partnership with City of Hope in transforming the Children and AYA Cancer Center.

�� Transformative Design Guided by the Wishing Tree Theme

Through our collaboration, waiting areas, patient rooms, and hallways have been reimagined to embrace City of Hope’s uplifting Wishing Tree theme. We infused each corner with warmth, bright colors, and imaginative elements—creating healing environments that feel far more hopeful than clinical.

A Beautiful Partnership

This transformation was made possible thanks to the generous support and dedication of many, including Dr. Saro Armenian (Barron Hilton Chair and Professor of Pediatrics at City of Hope), Dr. Marcel van den Brink, Angelique Richard, and countless others who contributed their expertise, creativity, and compassion.

Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Armenian shared:

“We are so thankful for your support and proud of this partnership…transforming lives together.”

What We’ve Achieved

Vibrant waiting rooms that calm nerves and inspire positivity

Cozy patient rooms where children and families find comfort

Welcoming hallways that encourage imagination and hope

By bringing City of Hope’s Wishing Tree concept to life, we’ve created spaces that help families feel supported and uplifted during difficult times.

Join Us in Celebrating

We are profoundly grateful to everyone who joined us in this endeavor. Whether you contributed time, design, funding, or moral support—thank you for helping us make a tangible difference in the lives of young cancer patients.

Together, we’ve built more than just a physical space: we’ve planted seeds of joy, resilience, and hope.

Derby Day

adam@protectionadvertising.com (Adam Kendrick) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:59:17 GMT

Run for the Roses, Laugh for a Cause: Join Us for an Unforgettable Derby Day Fundraiser!

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Reaching out to Cancer Hospitals

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:35:49 GMT

We are excited to begin discussions with a hospital Alex was treated at during his leukemia fight. They are currently in the remodeling and re-building phase. It appears to be the perfect timing to place the inaugural playroom in to impact families fighting cancer together. We look forward to on-going discussions and site tours to see how best we can impact this community with resilience and hope.

First Official Fundraiser Success!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:35:06 GMT

Thank you to everyone who came out to support Alex's Sunnyside Playroom's first official playroom at the Party Studio Columbus on Sunday, October 14th, 2018. We sold out the event! Two friends won wonderful raffle baskets full of Halloween goodies. We were lucky to have friends that came from all over the state to remember Alex Porter and support our endeavor. All proceeds are going directly towards the inaugural Sunnyside Playroom.

70th Birthday Party Fundraiser Success!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:33:46 GMT

The Martini Affair rocking the party

Thank you to our wonderful friend, George Gans, for inviting Alex's Sunnyside Playroom to be the fundraiser for his 70th birthday party. Alex played volleyball with George in Worthington on a Wednesday night league for a few years. $1,170 directly raised tonight will go towards the first inaugural family playroom. We are grateful for the donations and love that George's friends and family gave us this evening. A special thank-you to Stephanie for volunteering to help this evening.

Silent Auction Donations

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:31:57 GMT

1 month swim lessons (value $84), 2 Family Swim Passes (up to $15 each), 1 pair of scented goggles ($14.99 value), bucket and swim toy. Registration fee is waived.

Special Thank You to Canaletto Ristorante @ The Venetian Las Vegas, Cincinnati Reds, Cosi Science Center, Goldfish Swim School Dublin, & The Bounce Club Powell for your donations with our Vegas Casino night happening on April 13, 2019.

Online Facebook Auction & North Pole Party Success!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:28:35 GMT

Our annual Santa party turned into a successful North Pole party fundraiser this year!

Thank you for all your wonderful bids to make our first online auction a success! We raised $505 for our inaugural playroom. We were also grateful for all the little giggles and smiles with our annual North Pole party with Santa Claus himself. Our Supporters have helped kick off the holiday season with us, which has been a huge blessing during a difficult time.

Wonderful End of the Year Donations

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:23:51 GMT

We were blown away by the response of the first newsletter this December. Thank you, Porter's Supporters, especially for all donations towards our inaugural playroom. We are looking forward to formally recognizing The Scholl Family Foundation for their incredibly generous donation, in 2019.

If you would like to make your year-end donation, please click on our donate button.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible. We are recognized by Guide Star and the IRS as a 501(3)(c). Our tax ID is 83-2183884. We will happily email or mail you a receipt for your donation.

If you know of any hospitals within the United States that would be interested in Alex's Sunnyside Playroom with resources, games, toys, books, art, crafts, child-sized furniture, athletic equipment, family movies, a television and murals...we would LOVE contacts. Please contact us at alexs.sunnyside.playroom@gmail.com. Please keep checking our social media links and events page for upcoming things in 2019.

Mark your calendar for our fundraiser happy hour 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, February 27th at House Wine in Worthington. Thank you Donnie & House Wine for generously considering working with us. We will also have our big Vegas Casino Fundraiser & Silent Auction on Saturday, April 13th 7pm to 12 a.m. at Copious Loft. We hope to see you at one or both events!

Looking forward to making a difference in the lives of families impacted by cancer in 2019.

High Roller Sponsorship Secured

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:22:07 GMT

Thank you Dr. Rerko & Dr. Mileti

We are thrilled to have found a High Roller Sponsorship by our friends and doctors at Orthopedic One for our signature fundraising event on April 13, 2019! Thank you to Orthopedic One, Dr. Mileti, Dr. Rerko and Laura Fagert for believing in our charity and remembering Dr. Alex Porter. We look forward to seeing you in April at our event.

Midwest Physicians Anesthesia, Inc.

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:19:09 GMT

Thank you MPAS!

Alex's Sunnyside Playroom was thrilled to learn that Midwest Physicians Anesthesia, Inc. is the newest High Roller Sponsor for our event on April 13, 2019. Thank you to all the anesthesiologists, CRNA's, office staff, Medical Director and Practice Manager for remembering Dr. Alex Porter and his fight with leukemia. We look forward to seeing you in a few months at the event!

Fantastic Support from Friends

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:16:47 GMT

Thank you to the Garrett Blaha Family Fund & The Andy & Jill McGovern Donor Advised Fund for your end-of-the-year contributions that have been delivered this week. We appreciate you believing in our mission, remembering Alex and creating a safe space for families fighting cancer.

We are also thrilled that we secured recent donations from The Cleveland Browns, NorthStar Cafe and Donatos. Who doesn't love an autographed picture of a Hawaii Pro Bowl Pick, delicious breakfast sandwich options on homemade biscuits and pizza for a year! We are looking forward to sharing these with you on April 13, 2019 at the Vegas Casino Fundraiser & Silent Auction.

Early Bird Countdown

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:14:05 GMT

Countdown Timer has begun for the Early Bird Tickets ($75 each) for our Vegas Casino Fundraiser & Silent Auction. It's officially 6 weeks until the price goes up to $90. What do you get for $75? Professional casino dealers with roulette, blackjack, poker, craps and virtual horse races with set amount of casino chips to start. A 2-hour open bar with premium liquor and beer/wine spirits. Appetizers and desserts, DJ and photo booth. 100% of the funds raised will go towards our inaugural playroom. Don't miss out on this special pricing for a great cause, celebrating Alex's life.

Exciting News!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:12:03 GMT

Alex's Sunnyside Playroom was thrilled to find out today that Southwest Airlines Headquarters in Dallas, Texas approved an in-kind donation for our Silent Auction event on April, 13, 2019. Who isn't ready for new scenery during this cold winter?! Thank you Southwest Airlines at CMH and Dallas for believing in our charity mission to help families fighting cancer.

We have added a new ticket option after Early Bird Sales end on March 8, 2019. This ticket option is a special discount for physicians and nurses that worked with Alex at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Dublin Methodist Hospital and The Ohio State University Medical Center. We appreciate all the encouragement and support from our medical community family. Get your tickets here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vegas-night-fundraiser-tickets-54682996314

We had an exciting meeting with a potential new hospital partner today. It is in the early stages, but we feel encouraged by spreading the word of our charity's mission and fundraising endeavors to reach families.

Promising Hospital Meeting

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:09:56 GMT

Porters Supporters, we are cautiously optimistic about two meetings we had with hospitals about Alex's Sunnyside Playroom this week. One was a conference call to continue to explore where the space would be and what would it look like at a hospital Alex was treated at. They agreed that this is a gap in care that needs to be addressed. The second was an in-person meeting with a local hospital foundation. We are hopeful our story, our difficult experience and our family of supporters will help to make something happen locally for families fighting cancer. We will continue to keep you updated on our progress. If you want to help families like us, please nominate us on the Ellen TV show to open a door to make a Sunnyside Playroom and its resources a reality. Here is the link: http://send.ellentv.com/be-on-the-show/433/ We need help making our dreams of helping families fighting cancer a reality.

So Much to Celebrate!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:07:14 GMT

Thank you Southwest Airlines for choosing Alex's Sunnyside Playroom, Inc. to receive (4) one-way passes for travel April 21, 2019 until April 20, 2020! We are thrilled to be able to offer this as a Silent Auction item on April 13, 2019. We have added a link to their website, especially if you are the winner of this amazing in-kind donation. Just click the image below.

Peace, Love and Little Donuts Worthington is also busy readying a package for us to pick-up this week. We are grateful for their support. We have included their Facebook page link. Please click the link below on the image itself. The package is valued at $71!!

26 days and counting

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:03:53 GMT

Don't forget to come out to House Wine Worthington on 2/27/19 from 6 to 9 and mention Alex's Sunnyside Playroom

Seal of Transparency

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:01:52 GMT

Click the image to be taken to GuideSt ar

Thank you GuideStar for electing us the Bronze Award of Transparency. Once we have been a charity long enough this year to file our 990 with our accounting company C.A. Fidler & Associates, we will submit our financials to move up to the next level of transparency. We gained official IRS status November 6, 2018 which allowed us to open a bank account. We look forward to continuing to share our financials and accounting with our donors & supporters.

We turned in our accounting record and receipts to C.A.Fidler and Associates today. Once we have filed our 990, we will update GuideStar to update our level of transparency. Since we are brand new with the IRS as of November 6, 2018 we didn't have enough information yet to file. Thank you for your support.

Flash Sale Details

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:59:22 GMT

Click the candy hearts to be taken to the FLASH sale!

We are excited to announce that we will hold a flash sale for our Vegas Fundraiser Casino night to celebrate Valentine's Day and our vow renewal last year. The flash sale will have a limited number of tickets for $60 (excluding fees charged by EventBrite) from February 14 - 17th. Please grab this great deal next week!

2 days until FLASH SALE

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:57:12 GMT

Don't forget we are running a flash sale THIS WEEK to celebrate Valentine's Day! We have picked up so many amazing in-kind donations like a package from Harbor Yoga, birthday party package from Buckeye Gymnastics, growler package from Zaftig Brewing Company, tickets to the Ohio State fair and MORE....We have new items coming in each and every day. Click the icon below to get your ticket!

More Discount Tickets Added!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:55:40 GMT

If you are or were in the Wednesday night Volleyball League with Alex or were a DU Fraternity Brother at DePauw University with Alex, we have new discount ticket options for you. We even pay the fees for you with these discounted tickets! Hurry up and grab them before they're gone on March 8, 2019 at 11:30 p.m.

Don't forget to come check us out 1 week from tonight at House Wine's Sip for a Cause event. Mention our charity's name and we will receive 10-20% of the revenue that evening. Thank you for being a Sunnyside Playroom Supporter! We will see you in 7 days!

Thank You House Wine Worthington

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:53:26 GMT

We were thrilled by the turn-out at our Sip for a Cause fundraiser on Wednesday, February 27th, 2019! Thank you to everyone who showed up for our local event. Lots of laughter, friends, wine and beer were shared in honor of Alex. We found out the group spent $346.40 on the enomatics machines & $535 on other items during the fundraiser at House Wine Worthington. As a result, House Wine will donate back $122.87! We will be thrilled to pick up this donation in the coming weeks. Every penny counts when helping families fighting cancer.

Mickey Mouse, Anyone?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:51:01 GMT

We are thrilled to announce that we have earned (5) Park Hopper Passes that do not expire until 2/27/21 from the Disney Theme Parks for our casino fundraiser! Each ticket is valued between $164 to $189 per ticket (depending on day & month) for a total value of up to $945!!! The only exclusions are December 25-31st, which is peak season for Disney. Thank you to Points of Light for recognizing our community service endeavors. Who is getting excited for April 13th?!

Dinner for a Cause

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:49:36 GMT

Please join us on Wednesday, April 3rd from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. for Dinner for a Cause. Present this flyer on your mobile phone at check-out for dine-in or carry-out for Alex's Sunnyside Playroom to get credit. Spread the word!

Beginner's Luck Sponsorship Gained

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:47:43 GMT

https://carsourceauto.com/

Thank you to our wonderful friend Molly Garvey for introducing us to Car Source. They have decided to participate in a Beginner's Luck sponsorship for our Vegas Casino Fundraiser on April 13, 2019! We are thrilled to have the support of hometown favorites for car value, car finding and trade in needs. Anyone who knew Alex, knows that he spent his down time searching car inventories and building car models online and in real life to help relax. His love of cars was his way of trying to stay "normal" while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Thank you again Car Source!

Karate Anyone?!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:45:39 GMT

Our amazing co-host for the Vegas Casino Fundraiser is Christy Vincent. Not only is she energetic, smart, dynamic and fun, but she is incredibly hard-working. We are grateful that she helped us earn another amazing donation from her son's karate gym where he just became a BLACK BELT! Check out the amazing deal from Koguryo Martial Arts Academy that we will offer at the event valued at $335. It includes 6 weeks of unlimited classes, 1 uniform, 1 private lesson, 1 training guide, 1 gear bag + water bottle, and 1 parent's night out pass.

Is That The Amazon Delivery?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:43:42 GMT

Click the picture above to Shop for a Cause

You can help Alex's Sunnyside Playroom with all of your purchases through Amazon Smile. Please designate us as your charity with the link provided. Shop via Amazon Smile. It doesn't change the prices of any of your items. Amazon just decides to donate a few cents from qualifying purchases to 501(3)(c) recognized charities, like us. YOU can help by doing what you normally do, shopping from the comfort of your home.

What's New?!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:41:42 GMT

Celebrating many wonderful donations coming in for the Vegas Casino Fundraiser on April 13, 2019. CAPA sent a voucher for 10 tickets to their 2019 Summer Movie Series at the Ohio Theatre ($40 value). Pickwick & Frolic Restaurant and Club, Home to Hilarities 4th Street Theatre sent an $80 set of vouchers for admission for 4! Buckeye Donuts is generously giving us (2) dozen donuts for the event itself. Buttercream Bakery is donating 2 dozen cupcakes for the event! Many things to celebrate today to help us raise money for family playrooms in adult cancer hospitals.

Cubs Road Trip

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:38:15 GMT

Hi Alex's Sunnyside Playroom Friends, one of our friends is donating a package of (4) Chicago Cubs Digital Tickets at Wrigley Field (Section 130, row 3, Seats 1-4) along with a paper gift certificate for a complimentary 1 night away (breakfast and parking included) at the Hilton Orrington/Evanston in Evanston, IL. We are excited about this new package addition to our upcoming casino night. Thank you Brian Goad and our friends at Hatfield Post Production!

Spring Cleaning Help

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:36:22 GMT

Need some help with spring cleaning? Looking to find a new cleaning company? Our latest addition to the silent auction is from Nationwide Cleaners. It is a $250 gift certificate for cleaning services. Thank you Jess and Wil!

Thank you again Sponsors!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:31:55 GMT

Everyone at Alex's Sunnyside Playroom wants to sincerely thank our sponsors and donors for helping to support our mission to creating spaces for families at adult cancer hospitals. We couldn't make our event a success without you! Thank you for everything.

Dust off those Dance Shoes, Strike a Pose

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:28:27 GMT

Countdown is on! 3 days until our keynote fundraising event on Saturday, April 13, 2019. If you missed online ticket sales, we will have tickets available at the door. Get ready to dance, take pictures in our photo booth with your besties or love, eat delicious food, drink premium liquor, bid on AWESOME silent auctions (destinations like Chicago, Florida, Las Vegas, Cincinnati), win give-a-ways, learn about Alex's Sunnyside Playroom and celebrate Alex's life. See you at Copious Loft!

Successful Vegas Casino Fundraiser!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:21:47 GMT

Thank you to everyone that came out to celebrate Alex's life, his leukemia battle, and the need for family playrooms in adult cancer hospitals. The treasurer is busy tallying all the silent auction numbers, creating invoices and issuing them. Once all the money is collected and finalized, we will post the final number of what was raised. We will also work to get all the pictures uploaded to the site from the event. Thank you again to all of our attendees, friends, co-workers, new friends, High Roller Sponsors, In-kind donors, DU brothers, board members and volunteers that made April 13, 2019 such a successful 1st large fundraiser for Alex's Sunnyside Playroom. It was truly an unforgettable night for a remarkable man, anesthesiologist, husband, father, friend, DU brother, cancer warrior and colleague that won't be forgotten.

It's good to have talented friends!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:18:09 GMT

Thank you for donating your time and talents to our casino fundraiser on Saturday, April 13, 2019, Kory Cooper-Fenske! We are thrilled that you captured such special moments on our first large fundraiser. Thank you also to Christy Vincent for helping us to secure such an amazing talent. Please check out Kory at https://www.cooperfenskephoto.com/about .

CHECK THIS OUT!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:14:15 GMT

Do You Want to Save 3 Lives?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:12:21 GMT

1-800-RedCross

Wouldn't it feel great to save 3 lives with a simple blood donation? We are holding a memorial blood drive in Alex's honor on Monday, May 13, 2019 with the American Red Cross. The blood drive is at 7227 N. High Street, Worthington, OH 43085 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Orvis (Worthington Mall). Call or email Gwendolyn @ alexs.sunnyside.playroom@gmail.com. She will happily set you up an appointment. You can also search online for sponsor code: Alex (click the picture below to launch the website). Donation takes just 15-20 minutes out of your day. PLUS, The Red Cross is giving $5 Amazon.com gift certificates to thank all of our donors afterwards. It's a Win-Win!

Calling All Volunteers!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:10:24 GMT

Send a message to alexs.sunnyside.playroom@gmail.com and I will happily sign you up for a donation slot, 1 week from TODAY!! Thank you to all of our donors that have already signed up. The American Red Cross divulged that Flinstone's Vitamins are the best to take 1 week prior to donating. Stay hydrated and the donation will go quickly.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For...

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:08:21 GMT

Our next fundraiser involves the whole family and is something most everyone does that isn't doing Whole 30! Would you be willing to spread the word in your friend groups, at work and summer camps? More details to come soon.....

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:06:24 GMT

We are heading into the summertime season which means we are heading into blood donor shortages, especially in July-August. Schools also account for at least 21% of donor drives. School is out of session, which also decreases the amount of drives held. We hope you will join us on Monday, May 13th 12:30 - 6:30 p.m. at The Worthington Mall to donate blood. If you cannot, please urge friends or family members. Or commit to donating 1x over the summer when donors are non-existent. Cancer treatments kill healthy and infiltrated cells. Cancer patients frequently need blood and platelet transfusions to maintain their cancer fight. Please help the 4,828 patients that are diagnosed daily with cancer in the U.S.

Do Gooder

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:04:52 GMT

Click the picture to be connected to Do Gooder

Our fundraising keynote event volunteer chair, Christy Vincent, and I had the pleasure of sitting down with the Founder of Do Gooder (Jamie Foltz) this morning to discuss Alex's Sunnyside Playroom, our family's leukemia story and why their is such a desperate need for families at cancer hospitals/clinics. Here is a link to the amazing good that Jamie is doing in Central Ohio. Do Gooder is a print, social and digital digest telling people's stories, recognizing, inspiring and motivating our community. It was such an honor to meet this amazing woman with a wealth of non-profit experience. Her family has also been impacted by the devastating cancer diagnosis. The giraffe has special meaning with her mom and giving back to the community. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/potmsearch/detail/submission/6468485/Jamie_Foltz

Who will you stick your "neck out for" to help today?

Looking forward to Tomorrow!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:02:30 GMT

Click HERE to sign up for your Rapid Pass on the American Red Cross website before your appointment. Thanks!!

That's a Wrap! Plus, an upcoming event!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:59:33 GMT

Thank you for everyone that signed up to be a potential blood donor, in memory of Dr. Alex Porter. All of your selfless gifts today will save lives in Central Ohio in the coming month, as we head into trauma season and summertime. 34% of donations directly go towards patients with cancer.

Alex's Sunnyside Playroom is excited to announce our next fundraiser will be at Menchie's Sawmill location on Thursday, June 20th. Please mention Alex's Sunnyside Playroom at the check-out or show the flyer on your mobile device. Sandra @ Menchie's Sawmill has generously offered to donate 20% of sales that day to our 501(3)(c)!! This is the perfect way to beat the heat, meet-up with your playgroup friends or get an after- dinner family treat. Spread the word! We hope to see you there.

Opportunities at The James Cancer Hospital

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:56:24 GMT

I had an encouraging meeting on-campus this morning to discuss our family's experience, the painful isolation that cancer hospitalizations and treatment bring, long waiting times (16 hours in a waiting room for an ER gurney, 3 hours for a blood donation to be delivered on campus, 5 hours past appointment time to meet with the oncologist) and how to infuse family into the culture of treating the whole person. I was blown away to have letters of recommendation signed by every hematologist and BMT physician on-staff to deliver to the meeting. We are hopeful for some change eventually on-campus to benefit other families.

Accounting & Financials

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:54:52 GMT

Alex's Sunnyside Playroom has submitted their 990N via our accounting firm, C.A.Fidler & Associates to the IRS. We have also officially filed with the Attorney General of Ohio with our financials. This is required following the IRS filing of our 990N. Carol generously donated her tax accounting services, time and advisement to us. We are grateful for her knowledge and advice. Please check us out on Guidestar for updated financial reporting from the tax year 2018. This has given us the Silver Seal of Transparency. We have only been an official 501(3)(c) since November 6, 2018, per our IRS designation. We have been official with the state of Ohio since October 2, 2018. Here is our Guidestar profile: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/83-2183884

67,150

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:52:05 GMT

That is the estimated number of NEW cancer cases in Ohio as of 2019 to date (credit: The American Cancer Society). The need continues in our state and across the nation. Overall, all sites within the body estimated new (male & female) cases is 1,762,450 with 606,880 dying due to cancer just in 2019. Please come out to help raise money to put family resources in local hospitals on June 20, 2019

CELEBRATE ALEX WITH A COUNTDOWN

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:50:41 GMT

We are celebrating our inspiration this weekend with a Flash Sale for Father's Day. Discount code expires at 11:45 p.m. on Sunday evening. Alex was a wonderful father that we want to celebrate this weekend.

We are looking forward to seeing all of our Alex's Sunnyside Playroom supporters in 5 days at Menchies Sawmill for our fro-yo for a cause. Visit Menchies Sawmill ANYTIME from open to close that day. Don't forget to mention "Alex's Sunnyside Playroom" at check-out to make sure we receive 20% of the revenue for our charity. Spread the word! Frozen Yogurt is great if it's raining or hot outside. See you soon!

See you tomorrow

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:45:05 GMT

Please step in out of the rain for a playdate at Menchies Sawmill. It's super easy! Eat some frozen yogurt, meet some friends & say "Alex's Sunnyside Playroom" at the check-out for us to receive credit for the sale. Menchies Sawmill will donate 20% of sales to us directly, when Alex's Sunnyside Playroom is mentioned at check-out. Please spread the word! Thank you for all your support!

We had a big meeting on Monday morning with a local hospital. We are cautiously optimistic that they will partner with us to bring a family playroom into their hospital system. We would love to talk with them at the next scheduled meeting about all of our supporters at our events.

Waterlogged Fro-Yo

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:43:24 GMT

Hi Alex's Sunnyside Playroom Supporters! Thank you to the 25+ families that came out to Menchies on Thursday evening for our Frozen-Yogurt-For-a-Cause-Event!!! We were blown away by all the support in seeing your friendly faces, covered in chocolate and candy! The weather wasn't ideal. It makes us that much more grateful for YOU coming out to support us.

We cancelled July's fundraiser due to lack of interest. Stay tuned for more events hopefully this fall.

We had a really encouraging meeting with a local hospital, along with a large donation from the Medical Director of Critical Care with his Medical Director partners towards this local project. Alex made a huge impact on the patients he served, physicians he trained under and medical staff he worked with. It's been an emotional time as we remember the amazing father, anesthesiologist, husband and friend he was with Father's Day. Thank you for making his legacy a potential reality locally.

Blood donors from May, please check your email in-box! The $10 Amazon.com incentive has been sent. We found out this week that our donations were distributed to The Ohio State University Medical Center, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Adena Regional Medical Hospital and Genesis Hospital. So many lives saved due to your amazing donations in a critical period of summer!

July News

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:38:57 GMT

Hi Alex's Sunnyside Playroom Supporters! We are well into the swing of summer. Our Menchies Fro-Yo for a Cause generated a $100 donation. A June online Pampered Chef party generated a $149.33 donation. The founder donated something she won/paid for at the casino night. She re-gifted it back to generate a donation towards leave-behinds with upcoming hospital meetings. There are a few meetings coming up in the next month+ about the charity locally helping families. We will continue to keep you updated!

Why are we doing anything to try to help families? According to Cancer Statistics 2019, a scientific paper published in the American Cancer Society Journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians there are:

~An estimated 1,762,450 new cancer cases diagnosed in 2019

~606,880 cancer deaths in the US in 2019. This means there is precious time being squelched at hospitals without resources to create meaningful memories.

The BIGGEST reason of ALL is our inspiration. We lived this, day in and day out, for 14 months with the strongest leukemia warrior, Alex. The only reason he fought as hard as he did was to have more time with his wife and children. He wanted to watch more milestones, more birthdays and cement him being a tremendous father in their minds. Cancer fighters endure chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, bone marrow biopsies, lumbar punctures, horrendous side effects, bone marrow transplants, blood tests and medications to watch more milestones. Ask yourself if you were placed in that room where the doctor delivers terrifying news, what would you do? Who would you think about? Who would you want to spend your last days with? What would you want to do with those important people? This is WHY we exist. To help give families what they deserve and need in their cancer battle.

November 2019

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:34:10 GMT

Can you guess what's happening with Alex's Sunnyside Playroom?!

Creative Donation

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:32:22 GMT

Thank you to Christy Miller for her amazing donation of these canvas bags for our upcoming meetings with two local cancer hospitals! The logo looks wonderful on them! Christy also donated blood for our spring memorial blood drive. We are very lucky to have such a creative friend and supporter! Our family went shopping and donated all the items enclosed to give the hospital executives a better sense of what types of resources would be helpful to families fighting cancer. We will keep you update as we know more from these meetings. Thank you Alex's Sunnyside Playroom Supporters! We appreciate your support the past 10 months since starting our non-profit.

Mark Your Calendars, Sunnyside Friends!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:23:27 GMT

Thank you PTA!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:17:32 GMT

Thank you to the ES PTA for welcoming me this evening to briefly talk about Alex's Sunnyside Playroom and our upcoming fundraiser the first weekend in October! September is Childhood Cancer Awareness and Blood Cancer Awareness month. Both were what our inspiration had. Not everyone that is diagnosed with a childhood cancer is a child. Leukemia has a 95% cure rate in children.

Here are some other startling statistics we are trying to address by providing a space for hope and respite from cancer treatments:

~In May 2017 AMA Journal of Ethics, a study entitled "Prioritizing Mental Health Research In Cancer Patients and Survivors" found:

*Among long-term cancer survivors, depression and anxiety most commonly diagnosed

psychological disorders.

*Clear evidence that depression is associated with poor adherence to medical therapies.

~The American Cancer Society study links social isolation with a higher risk of death from all causes combined and increased cancer mortality in white men and women. Addressing social isolation holds promise. (Kassandra I Alcaraz et al. Social Isolation and Mortality in US Black and White Men and Women. The American Journal of Epidemiology, 2018.)

~Lack of social support is associated with increased mental illness including depression (Gariepy, et al, 2016).

WHO DOES THIS IMPACT? CA:A Journal for Clinicians estimates 1,762,450 new cancer diagnoses in 2019. 606,880 Cancer deaths in 2019 in the United States.

WHAT CHILDREN ARE IMPACTED? 15.5 million survivors are in the US (Source: Stand Up 2 Cancer). 1.58 million US cancer survivors reside with minor children. 2.85 million minor children impacted

Focus on Today

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:13:50 GMT

Here's our citation: Weaver, Kathryn E et al. "Parental cancer and the family: a population-based estimate of the number of US cancer survivors residing with their minor children." Cancer vol. 116,18(2010):4395-401.

A really huge study (13,385 adults with a history of cancer) found that 30.5% of kids of cancer survivors were under the age of 6 (30.5%) and 33.4% were born AFTER the diagnosis. It's estimated 562,000 US kids under age 18 are living with a parent in the early phases of cancer treatment and recovery.

What does this LIFE look like for these PARENTS?

~Affected parents may experience heightened distress related to worry about NOT seeing their kids grow up, inability to perform usual parenting activities, strain on multiple roles while ill, financial burden, anger/resentment and the untimeliness of their illness.

What does LIFE look like for these KIDDOS?

~Emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral and physical functioning problems INCLUDING:

-regressive behavior

-anxiety

-difficulties in school

-difficulties in social situations

Please spread the word of our upcoming fundraiser to help LOCAL COLUMBUS families fighting cancer. We are in the final stages of negotiation with a local hospital here. Tonight, we are celebrating small victories and small life moments just like we did when Alex was alive to make the most of our time together as a family.

#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth #ChildhoodCancerMonth

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:09:02 GMT

Sources: Kylie Rowand Foundation, MD Anderson Cancer & Cancer.gov

September is Blood Cancer Awareness and Childhood Cancer Awareness month. The type of cancer Alex had was B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. As a couple, we were first introduced to this devastating disease by an incredible 16-year old friend, who received the diagnosis. In children, it has a very high cure rate (approximately 90% at 5-year survival). In adults, this aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphoma has a 40% failure-free survival. Any advances forward in cancer treatments, is an advance for children and adults impacted by these devastating life sentences.

WE Give Campaign

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:07:06 GMT

Do you work at OhioHealth? Would you love to contribute to the inaugural playroom, in memory of Dr. Alex Porter? Alex's Sunnyside Playroom has a fund established at the OhioHealth Foundation under fund ID 04467. Put this fund code in during the WE Give Campaign during the month of October for automatic payroll deduction. Any amount is greatly appreciated from 50-cents up to whatever you would like to give. Thank you for helping to provide resources to families fighting cancer locally. Remember the code is 04467. Thank you!

October Awareness

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:04:20 GMT

Men and women get breast cancer. October is breast cancer awareness month. We are celebrating the fighters. The median age for women is 60. Like black women, black men with breast cancer tend to have a worse prognosis. For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 833. Treatment includes surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Families of all shapes and sizes (including couples!) would benefit from playroom resources to create memories in a more comfortable environment with things to do to pass the time. Clinic appointments, testing, treatment and hospitalizations are frequent and B-O-R-I-N-G! Help us to continue to advocate for ALL cancers to have a place to be together to create memories while undergoing treatment with their family.

World Mental Health Day

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:02:48 GMT

Yesterday was World Mental Health day. We listened to Arm Chair Expert's podcast with Nadine Burke Harris. She is the 1st and current surgeon general of California, known for her work in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and childhood trauma. The statistics about the impact of childhood trauma on brain development and early death is horrifying. One factor of childhood trauma is the loss of a parent, the economic hardship of family (which comes along with cancer treatment & hospitalizations), and a mental illness diagnosis of a parent in childhood (1 in 4 people with cancer are diagnosed with depression - Source: The American Cancer Society).

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "trauma is this kind of prolonged activation of the stress response systems can disrupt the development of brain architecture and

other organ systems and increase the risk of stressrelated disease and cognitive impairment well into the adult years." There is a terrifying pyramid of the effects of childhood trauma I have enclosed that lead to early morbidity, disease (heart, lung, cancer), suicide, mental illness, and addiction.

WHAT DO WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIEND CIRCLES AND OUR NATION TO COMBAT THIS?

Parent-child interactive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, promote positive parenting experiences, public engagement and campaigns, family-friendly policies, and creating SAFE STABLE spaces for parents and their children.

Alex's Sunnyside Playroom is working to incorporate the family and children into their parent's fight with cancer. Statistics prove that family involvement in cancer treatment diminishes the incidence of depression. Not only would a place that creates happy memories be a welcome addition to the patient, but also the children. It can help reduce the trauma of separation from a parent while they are literally fighting for their life. This is a health crisis of epic proportions, childhood trauma. Cancer and death from cancer directly lays a foundation for childhood trauma. Here is more information about this study and the childhood quiz:

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/index.html

Please check out Dr. Harris's video here:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1181252344752873473

Fall Updates!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:59:29 GMT

Hi Sunnyside Playroom Supporters! Thank you for coming out to Marcy's Clayground October 4-6th, 2019! With all of your wonderful family paintings and donations, we received $400 to put towards games, art supplies, crafts, activities, puzzles and other resources for families fighting cancer. We had (2) bags delivered to the James Cancer Hospital at the Ohio State University Medical Center on Thursday to continue our progress with bringing resources to families at The James. We also sent (2) activity bags via UPS on Monday delivered to Dr. Eben Rosenthal and Dr Lori Muffly at Stanford Cancer to encourage them to re-visit helping families fighting cancer there. These are just (2) of the (4) hospitals where Alex fought leukemia without resources or a place of respite for him to be with his family.

We have set our 2nd Annual Casino Night Fundraiser and Silent Auction for Saturday, April 25, 2020. This is our main fundraiser to fund the playrooms themselves. Past attendees will be given a discount code for their tickets. We were thrilled by the turn-out last year and hope you will return in 2020 to support us! We will have a 5-hour open bar, compared to last year's 2-hour open bar. Parking can also be purchased ahead of time through the site location, if you aren't using Lyft or Uber that night.

If you want to know how to help us, please sign up to volunteer for the casino night. If you aren't available to volunteer, please add us to your Smile.Amazon.com orders. We are a recognized official 501(3)(c). Smile.Amazon.com will donate a portion of their profits back to the charity without you getting hit in the pocketbook. All items cost the exact same as Amazon.com.

Thank you everyone! We are so close to our inaugural playroom for families fighting cancer! You have helped us raise awareness in a gap in cancer care, especially locally.

Here Comes Amazon Claus

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:55:54 GMT

56 days until CHRISTMAS! Please add Alex's Sunnyside Playroom to your Smile.Amazon.com account. Everything costs exactly the same EXCEPT Amazon donates directly to charities. We have gotten $42 from supporters shopping the past year. This will buy at least 2-3 games for the inaugural playroom.

Dance Extension Holiday Traditions

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:52:21 GMT

Click on the image to go to the Dance Extensions website

2019 INAUGURAL YEAR CELEBRATIONS

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:49:52 GMT

Grateful for Significant Donation

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:45:12 GMT

FLASH SALE

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:43:01 GMT

Come celebrate as we venture into a new decade by helping families in Central Ohio celebrate moments of joy in family playrooms in adult cancer hospitals. Our flash sale will take place on NYE until New Year's Day at 11:30 p.m. Grab these great ticket prices for our 2nd Annual Casino Night Fundraiser on April 25, 2020. We are excited to already have The Bud Scholl Foundation, Orthopedic One and Markley Painting as Sponsors for our event. Click the ticket below to get your FLASH SALE tickets!

Coupon Code Coming....

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:39:52 GMT

Thank you Volunteers!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:36:07 GMT

I am beyond grateful for the help these amazing volunteers have lent me this year and last year with making the fundraiser the best event possible. We have already secured give-away's for at least 50 event attendees, due to the hard work that each of these women have done for Alex's Sunnyside Playroom. It takes a village! Come buy a ticket and see all the wonderful items that they've worked to secure. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-casino-night-fundraiser-silent-auction-tickets-87637077859

80's Celebration for Belated Memorial Birthday

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:32:18 GMT

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Alex's belated birthday last night. We had a great time jamming to 80's tunes by Sean Gill, surrounded by bourbon barrels. Alex would have approved!

Remember that we have a coupon code coming for 1 day on Friday. Snatch up this deal for 24-hours to celebrate #LongLiveLove . We also have a deal for groups of 6. You can get a $50 discount when you buy your tickets together. Click the picture below to be taken to buy tickets.

Thank you to all our Sponsors

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:28:51 GMT

We wanted to officially announce the sponsors and in-kind donors we have received to date for our casino night on April 25, 2020. Please grab your tickets to experience an unforgettable evening full of fantastic give-a-ways, raffle prizes, and silent auction goodies.

Celebrate Valentine's Day by Saving $$$

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:25:37 GMT

Hi Alex's Sunnyside Playroom Friends! Happy Valentine's to each of you. Alex was one of the most thoughtful gift giver, especially on Valentine's Day. He meticulously made heart-felt, homemade gifts. He always put his heart into his work at home and at work. He devoted his life to helping others. When he was in college, he spent breaks traveling to impoverished areas in the U.S. and Mexico to build homes, as well as medical clinics. He volunteered in the free health clinic as a medical student. He would be happy to know that his life's work of helping others continues beyond his time on Earth. We are thrilled to finalize design plans with Trinity Architecture for the inaugural playroom to continue his legacy. We hope that you will take the coupon code (a different one will be emailed to previous casino night attendees) to join us on April, 25, 2020 to help fundraise more places of joy, hope and respite for families fighting cancer. 1.8 million people in the US will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020 ( Source: Stand Up 2 Cancer ). That's 1.8 million people that deserve to have a better family experience than the one we were given. Please join us!

EXTENDED SALE

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:22:31 GMT

Our Valentine sale is extended until tomorrow. Grab up this deal for The Second Annual Casino Night Fundraiser with Silent Auction for Alex's Sunnyside Playroom. Don't forget to add the promo code (AlexValentine) in the top left corner on the ticket page, for the discount to be applied.

It's a Beautiful Morning

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:20:57 GMT

What a beautiful day! Riverside Pulmonary Associates Inc. sent a wonderful donation as a High Roller Sponsor for our 2nd Annual Casino Fundraiser & Silent Auction! Thank you Dr. Boes, Dr. Cordasco, Dr Ko, Dr Mackey, Dr Palagallo and Dr Zeno for being instrumental in securing this donation to Alex's Sunnyside Playroom! Dr. Alex Porter loved his critical care rotations and internal medicine preliminary year at Riverside Methodist Hospital specifically because of these talented, caring and hard working physicians. Thank you for remembering him!

We also recently found out we are the recipients of (8) one-way Southwest flight e-pass(es), (2) single-day tickets to Kings Island, Pizza for a Year from Donatos, an American Girl Doll, a bundle package from High Street Brewing Company, a Wilds package, True Rest Spa in Powell, a $200 gift card to Dublin Cleaners, and many room gift certificates from Elite Certificates to places like Antigua, St. Lucia, Panama, The Grenandines & Barbados.

Grab your tickets to win some great give-away's, raffle items, dance, play games you cannot LOOSE at, take pictures, have drinks, fantastic food and hang out in a historic setting downtown Columbus! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-casino-night-fundraiser-silent-auction-tickets-87637077859

Who Doesn't Need Some Great News Right Now?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:19:20 GMT

Anyone else stressed out by the news conferences, lack of toilet paper everywhere, cancellations and general panic right now? Here is some positive cancer news. Click on the picture for a positive story to end your day with.

Help during the Pandemic

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:17:51 GMT

Good morning Alex's Sunnyside Playroom friends!

I have been working hard with our board members to secure a new date for our 2nd Annual Casino Fundraiser with Silent Auction, in light of the pandemic for a few weeks. We finally have a new date and all the ticket holders, volunteers and sponsors have been notified about it.

Have you been thinking about what YOU can do at home? To offer hope to the healthcare workers? To help the patients fighting cancer or are immunocompromised? Do you need help with ideas to manage anxiety and being isolated to home? Look no further! We are full of ideas. Check out the NEW TAB, PANDEMIC HELP.

What do we have to offer? This is our 3rd time as a family in isolation at home. The first time was for 15-months with our youngest due to multi-system organ failure. The second time was for the 14-months that Alex fought B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Now everyone is experiencing social distancing, isolation and life at home exclusively. I have added a new tab of ideas to help you during this pandemic. Hold onto hope!

#DoctorsDay2020

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:16:05 GMT

March 30th is Doctor's Day 2020. Let's support our #frontlineheroes on this day. Here's how you can do it!

~Put up thank you pictures or cards on your front windows tomorrow

~Chalk the driveway or sidewalk in front of a healthcare worker's home tomorrow

~Pick-up some FREE mask kits from your local JoAnn Fabrics #stayhealthy

https://www.joann.com/make-to-give-response/ . If you make the masks, you can either porch drop them to us or donate them to your local JoAnn Fabrics stores. We have been working on them this weekend for our co-workers. This is a great video that we've been using to put them together: https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

#Isolation

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:12:26 GMT

Hi Everyone,

We know the world is very different these days. Our non-profit is run primarily alone, by myself. I have been doing what I can during the #pandemic of #COVID19 to support our community and frontline workers. We have sent many art kits from The Party Studio Columbus to our volunteers, ordered food cards to be delivered to the ICU physicians at Riverside Methodist Hospital, had food delivered to the NICU nurses at RMH, sewn masks for friends in the medical community, chalked the walk of everyone in our neighborhood, sent letters and pictures to physicians that we know are fighting on the #frontlines , and dropped off activities for patients at The James Cancer Hospital undergoing bone marrow transplants during the crisis. We also donated 7 bags of clothes, activities and sleeping bags to a homeless shelter fighting COVID-19. Do you have any ideas of what more we can do in the crisis? Please speak up, email me, follow us on Instagram, comment and share our mission.

#GivingTuesday is coming up on May 5th. It's financially a difficult time for everyone. I have lost my own jobs in healthcare and have been trying to operate on a tighter budget. If you aren't able to donate during Giving Tuesday , please consider sharing our mission with your friends/followers on social media , which is a FREE WAY TO SUPPORT US. You could add us to your Amazon Smile account. It costs nothing. Amazon automatically donates to our non-profit 0.5% of the price of your items. If you know of someone with a GREAT talent that might be willing to donate their time to a virtual event for families or adults, please email us at alexs.sunnyside.playroom@gmail.com .

Thank you for being there. We are grateful to you!!

Grab a Burger for a Cause!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:51:42 GMT

Happy June, Alex's Sunnyside Playroom friends! We have a few exciting items coming up, starting with today and the #BigGive through the Columbus Foundation ( https://columbusfoundation.org/the-giving-store/nonprofit-directory-listing/AlexsSunnysidePlayroomInc/14884 ). Until June 11th, 2020 at 6 pm (EST), the Columbus Foundation is giving 100% of donations directly to the non-profits in Central Ohio by covering credit card fees. They are also offering a potential for additional incentives including matching funds. If you donate $20, you will receive (5) coupons for give-a-ways including a free 7" one-topping pizza, The Candle Lab buy one 11 oz soy candle, get one free, Jeni's free scoop of ice cream, Piada Italian Street Food receive a free piada stick and White Castle free breakfast sandwich waffle, bun or toast. What would we do with a $20 donation? We will purchase picture books for the playrooms including titles like "Young, Gift and Black" by Jamia Wilson, "Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy" by Ray Terciero and Bre Indigo, "I Believe I Can" by Grace Byers, and "101 World Changing Women" by Julia Adams. Reading daily has incredible benefits on vocabulary, comprehension,and psycho-social emotional behavior. Here is some evidence to check out:

( https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/201804/when-parents-read-kids-everyone-wins )

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4610292/

https://readoxford.org/reading-comprehension-and-vocabulary-whats-the-connection

As you may or may not know, during the pandemic no visitors are allowed to the bone marrow transplant unit and leukemia clinics. Alex used to read to the girls at nighttime over the iPad Facetime to stay connected, when they were not permitted to visit. We will be happily purchase iPad's for Dr. Wendy Stock's patients at The University of Chicago Medicine to help patients connect with their families from the money we receive from the Swenson's Drive-in to Donate event on Thursday, June 25, 2020 from 4-9 p.m. and the Big Give event.

2 days to go!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:47:42 GMT

Where are our burger aficionados?! How about the parents or couples tired of cooking at home?!

Come out to the Dublin Swenson's on Thursday, June 25th from 4-9 p.m. Show them our flyer on your phone. They will donate 15% back to Alex's Sunnyside Playroom to buy iPad's for patients having Bone Marrow Transplants during the pandemic. Currently they are not allowed to have visitors. The hospital does not have any to provide currently to allow them to FaceTime their family members and friends. Any extra money will go towards games and activities for our inaugural playroom. If you tag us in social media, you are eligible for our $5 Candle Lab gift certificate. We will draw a winner after the event.

Spread the word please!!

Timeline for Inaugural Playroom

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:45:58 GMT

We are thrilled to have found out yesterday (fingers crossed) that our construction will resume in October for the inaugural playroom. Stay tuned for more details! We will be celebrating our 3rd anniversary, as an official non-profit by the state of Ohio, next Friday. Thank you for your support in this adventure! Especially during the pandemic.

Happy Fall Ya'll

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:45:38 GMT

Hello Alex's Sunnyside Playroom friends! As we all know, life is very different than it was back at the beginning of March. Our 2nd Annual Casino night was postponed to September. Over the summer, it became apparent that it could not take place in-person this year. We appreciate our amazing sponsors including Orthopedic One, UBS with Katie & Paul Campanile, Midwest Physicians Anesthesia, The Scholl Foundation, The Basement Doctor, Dr. Matthew D. Russell, Markley Painting, and the Columbus Running Company. We are working with board members to craft a fall fundraiser event virtually to celebrate what would have been Alex's 40th birthday. Please keep checking back for updates!

September 10th - 14th we held an Usborne virtual book fundraiser. We earned $420 in free titles to fill the playroom and send to families impacted by cancer. Thank you to everyone who participated, sent books from Smile.Amazon.com and donated via PayPal.

Over the summer, we spent time sending port pillows to young adults fighting cancer in a series of free giveaways. Our former board member, Marisa Ramirez, generously handmade these beautiful pillows to give comfort while sleeping, riding in the car and traveling for cancer warriors with ports. We also took the money we raised form the Dine-for-a-Cause event at Swenson's to purchase a box full of iPad's and cleanable cases with port pillows to the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant unit at the University of Chicago Medicine. These iPad's help family members stay connected with the pandemic visitor restrictions are in place.

Bored at Home?!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:40:02 GMT

Come celebrate with us, learn something new and have fun with your family/friends on November 20, 2020 no matter what coast you live on! Check out the details below and the registration link.

Here are details about the Certified Sommelier hosting our wine tasting event.

Claire L. Torbeck, Certified Sommelier

Claire is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and a candidate in the Diploma Program of the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust), the precursor to the Master of Wine. She is the Cellar Master for the International Wine & Food Society Lake Tahoe where she purchases and manages a cellar of 1,200 - 1,500 bottles ($90,000 - $150,000) and is responsible for the food and wine pairings at their events as well as wine education. Claire also develops and delivers educational seminars for winery staff, clubs and enthusiasts and judges at various wine competitions around California.

To learn more, visit her website at: sudsyscellar.com

Do you want more details?!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:35:34 GMT

Click the picture to register and donate.

Want to do something safe & fun while your state is in the Red from the Pandemic?

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:33:16 GMT

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-wine-tasting-with-silent-auction-tickets-124458475651

#CelebrationTime

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:31:15 GMT

We are absolutely counting down the hours until our Virtual Tasting with Silent Auction this evening. If you didn't grab your tickets, there is still time to donate or participate in the online auction . We are celebrating what would have been Alex's 40th birthday, our playroom update news, and being able to have fun safely during the pandemic.

A special thank you to our sponsors: The Scholl Family Foundation, Midwest Physicians Anesthesia , Orthopedic One , The Basement Doctor , Katie & Paul Campanile with UBS , Riverside Pulmonary Associates, Inc., Makley Painting , and Dr. Matthew Russell. Thank you to Claire L. Torbeck and Nathan Hand for your hard work in putting this event together!

Check out the online auction here starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. and ending Monday, November 23, 2020 at 11:45 p.m.

#NewYear

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:26:46 GMT

Who is ready for 2021?! Let's say good-bye to 2020!

We are grateful that you have shown up for us in 2020, despite the changes the pandemic brought about. Thank you for helping us to handmake blankets and donate to families impacted by cancer at The Ronald McDonald House charities in January. Thank you for participating in the Dine for a Cause at Swenson's in June. It afforded us to purchase iPad's for families separated in the transplant unit at the University of Chicago Medicine Hospital. Thank you for participating in our Alex's Memorial lemonade stand where we donated $1,017.57 to fund 20 hours of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia cancer research. Thank you for attending the virtual book drive in September. We were able to purchase boxes of books, puzzles and activities that we have been sending out to the newly diagnosed in 2020 and their families throughout the U.S. Thank you for attending the Virtual Wine Night with Silent Auction. The donations from the auction raised $7,751. The net donations from Eventbrite was $4,046!. We were thrilled to put this money towards our next family playroom.

Remember, we are a registered 501(3)(c) eligible for tax-deductible year-end contributions from donor-advised funds. You can also mail a check postmarked December 31, 2020 for the calendar year deduction. Our mailing address is PO Box 952, 597 High Street, Worthington, OH 43085. If you are impacted by the pandemic, you can help us for FREE by adding us to your Amazon Smile account , telling people about the charity , swabbing with BeTheMatch or donating to the American Red Cross blood drives during this critical time. We look forward to seeing you in 2021 and continuing to advocate for families battling cancer diagnoses.

Another Snow Day?!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:24:35 GMT

Hello Alex's Sunnyside Playroom friends! Welcome to another snow-covered day, for the majority of us in the Midwest and East Coast. Looking for something fun to do, for a cause, with your family? We will be holding a charity bracket pool with a fun winner announcement event. Stay tuned for more details coming up.

Construction continues in Columbus with the inaugural playroom. Stay tuned for details with the ribbon cutting in Spring.

March

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:21:50 GMT

March Madness busted brackets?! We are thrilled we reached over 100 players for the Basketball Brackets to Build Playrooms! Stay tuned to our event on April 16, 2021 from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. virtually with High Bank Distillery to announce 1st place winner, 2nd place winner, donated money raised, celebrate our first playroom, and learn how to make two cocktails. If you aren't local, but would love to participate please check out this link . We hope to see you online this Spring 2021 .

Look at the Rankings

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:19:39 GMT

We are thrilled at how the rankings keep changing with each game! It's making March Madness so much more interesting. How are you doing?! Are you watching?! The final game is on April 5, 2021 at 9:00 p.m. Who will place 1st and 2nd to take portions of the donation pool? Check out the current rankings below.......

Alex's Legacy

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:17:47 GMT

8 days and counting

Please sign up here for our in-town, Columbus Friends.

Please sign up here for our out-of-town friends for April 16, 2021

37 Acts of Kindness to Remember Alex

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:14:17 GMT

#37ActsofKindness

Stay Tuned....catch us on social media this week as we do 37 #actsofkindness to remember our charity inspiration, Alex. He is frozen at age 37 when he gained his angel wings. We want to honor the acts of kindness and care he did every single day of his life - volunteering with many organizations including building homes in college for the poor, working with homeless children in Mexico during college spring break, being a Make a Wish granter, volunteering at the Free Health Clinic, donating to children's burn hospitals, donating to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and serving others as a physician. We are grateful for his life and the impact it had on so many other lives. What are YOU doing today to be kind to someone else?

Ribbon Cutting Excitement!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:11:43 GMT

We are thrilled to invite you to our livestream ribbon cutting on Tuesday, May 18th at 4:00 p.m. https://fb.me/e/Z0Vh77Xq

Ribbon Cutting

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:09:16 GMT

We are absolutely thrilled that our inaugural family playroom has opened at Riverside Methodist Hospital! Thank you to ever single person that has followed Alex's Sunnyside Playroom, attended an event, reached out to physicians/hospitals/media on our behalf, sent an encouraging note, donated, and added us to their Smile.Amazon.com account. We could not have done this without YOU! We hope you will keep following along our journey to bring family playrooms to more hospitals within the US.

Check it out

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:04:22 GMT

Check out the stories being published about Alex's Sunnyside Playroom...

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/07/12/riverside-adult-cancer-center-playroom-let-patients-kids-interact/7794161002/

https://www.depauw.edu/stories/details/service-oriented-03-alum-still-doing-good-after-death/

Santa Sunday

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:02:15 GMT

Guess Who's coming to Town?!!!

We are thrilled to announce our next family event on Sunday, November 7th . Break out those cameras for your Christmas card with our COVID-19 precaution friendly event. There are timed tickets to see Santa in a private room with your family. There will be hand sanitizer, special cleaning precautions, social distancing and stations distanced throughout the church. All funds raised during this event will go towards the second family playroom. Please help us help other families!

Santa Sunday with Sunnyside Tickets, Sun, Nov 7, 2021 at 2:30 PM | Eventbrite

Our non-profit is working hard to give families more meaningful moments while they battle cancer and life-threatening illnesses in the hospital. Here is what our event will look like:

****Each family will purchase a time slot for a brief time with Santa Claus. You are welcome to take pictures to make your family Christmas card!

****Each family will experience Santa's elves and helpers with crafts and activities.

****Raffle and Polaroid pictures with Santa's helpers for $2 at the event.

****Chris Cakes to provide with an all-you-can-eat pancake flipping breakfast & show! Included with each breakfast-for-dinner is a stack of pancakes with butter & maple syrup, pork sausage, coffee and orange juice!

***Santa's Workshop with AR Worthington on-site 2:30-4:30 p.m.: https://www.arworkshop.com/event/?loc=worthington&ev=264923 (Project: Holiday Wood Slice Ornaments with pre-purchase price $8 or Event purchase $10 per child/person. )

***There will be cookie decorating available.

2nd Annual Fundraiser - Everyone is Invited

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:58:16 GMT

I came. I played. I donated.

It's time for another family-friendly event!!! Gather your family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors for an epic competition. Who will take 1st and 2nd place? Share and recruit people to join in the fun and you'll win some swag!!!

Our non-profit is working hard to give families more meaningful moments while they battle cancer and life-threatening illnesses in the hospital. Help us continue to create meaningful moments today.

#Throwback

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:54:14 GMT

The Ultimate Holiday Season Activity!

WE are excited to kick off another November with holiday celebrations!

Sign up your son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew or single person's child to make a present for their loved on this holiday season. If you know someone who is widowed, single or has a family member in the hospital...oftentimes the kids have no one to take them shopping or put together a gift for their loved one. Santa's workshop is a thing of the past at most of our local schools. Join us for a time where the kids/tweens/teens get to put together gifts and wrap them for their loved ones. It's all in the name of a great cause - helping fund the 2nd and 3rd family playrooms at an adult cancer hospital.

Grab your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunnyside-elf-workshop-tickets-460943854477

2023 Excitement!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:50:32 GMT

We are excited to announce our casino night fundraiser with silent auction on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at The Club at Tartan Fields. If you are interested in volunteering planning the event or at the actual event, please email us at alexs.sunnyside.playroom@gmail.com

HERE IS TO 2023!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:48:16 GMT

Thank you for all you have done to support us in our 5th year of being an official nonprofit! December 31st is the last day to give for the end of the year. We appreciate you remembering our charity this end of the year time. You have enabled us to send more than 50 care packages across the country to cancer warriors and their families, continued to advocate for more family playrooms at adult cancer hospitals, continue the inaugural family playroom at Riverside Methodist Hospital and ensure our second family playroom at OSUCC-The James Cancer Hospital! We are excited to see you for the #MarchMadness brackets and our annual fundraiser casino night on April 22, 2023.

BIG SPONSORSHIP NEWS!

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:44:15 GMT

Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors this year! We are excited as new ones are coming in throughout the Spring. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you work for a place that would like to participate in a sponsorship. Our Just for Fun Sponsorship starts at $50.

September News

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:41:49 GMT

#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth

Today is the first day of September where we celebrate Blood Cancer Awareness and Childhood Cancer Awareness. Have you ever heard #GoGoldInSeptember ? AYA stands for adolescent and young adult cancer patients (ages 15 to 39). These cancer patients are a distinct population within the oncology community due to the unique challenges they face through their disease projection. Oftentimes they are hitting big milestones like driving, graduating high school, going to college, getting married and starting families. Alex fell into this unique group with his diagnosis of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. ALL is typically diagnosed in children.

How are we celebrating this month? First, we have partnered with Network for Good to make donating to Alex's Sunnyside Playroom a more seamless process. Check out our new donation page: https://alexssunnysideplayroom.networkforgood.com/projects/202397-support-alex-s-sunnyside-playroom

Secondly, we are excited to announce the incredible design firm iCrave took our small non-profit on as a client. It's been such an honor and privilege to work with a dedicated team of individuals that really "get it"! They are the award-winning design firm that worked on healthcare and wellness experiences for Memorial Sloan Kettering and St. Jude. https://www.icrave.com/hospitals

Playroom #2

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:38:55 GMT

We are excited to celebrate playroom #2 opening at OSUCC-The James next Saturday evening! The playroom opened at the end of 2023 on the 14th floor, near the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. We hope that you will bid on exciting silent auction items to continue the funding for the room, that includes two child life specialists. Thank you for all your support since 2018! The silent auction will launch on Thursday, April 18th and conclude at the event on April 20th at 9:00 p.m. Any Swifties out there?!

June 2024

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:22:46 GMT

Happy June, the beginning of summer, school is out, kids visiting back home from college, Cancer Survivor's Day, and Pride Month!

We are thrilled to show you the new artwork that was installed in the inaugural playroom at Riverside Methodist Hospital! If you have friends, family members, or medical providers locally please tell them about the two family playrooms. The more people that know about the service available, the more families and couples that will be helped.

If you work for a hospital system outside of Columbus, please show them Alex's Sunnyside Playroom! We want to continue to help families battling cancer outside of Columbus.