Mrs. Duck discovers you can't get blood from a turnip...that's why your donation of blood, plasma, and/or platelets is so important. Be a friend to Mrs. Duck, the M.I.S.S. Foundation, and the Kindness Project! Give blood at your local hospital or Blood Bank today! The MISS Foundation invites all grief support group members and friends to join us in this month long Kindness* Project to help supply our community with much needed summer time blood donations. In memory of a loved one, please consider this gift of LIFE in donating blood. Please encourage family and friends to donate too. Thank You! *Give blood and then send your SASE to the MISS Foundation, P.O. Box 5333, Peoria, Arizona 85385, and get free Kindness Cards in return!

Giving Life in Memory of a Life
Information complied by Kara L.C. Jones

Over the past three years, SeattleMISS and KotaPress have partnered to bring you the Mrs. Duck Kindness Project where by we offer free copies of the grief support book Mrs. Duck and The Woman to bereaved families enduring the death of a child. (See the Mrs. Duck information here in the Loss section for more details.)

Now, in partnership with the National MISS Foundation, we are honored to bring you one more way that you can participate in the Kindness Project.

Members of the community who have lost a child at any age and from any cause are invited to join in a nation wide blood drive. It will be held across the country throughout the month of July. The drive is sponsored by the M.I.S.S. Foundation to promote the Kindness Project. The M.I.S.S. Foundation’s Kindness Project focuses on healing after a child’s death by giving back to the community in memory of a special child. Family, friends, and community members who have been touched by the tragedy of a child’s death are encouraged to participate.

This is the second annual blood drive of its kind. We invite all community organizations to participate including, but not limited to: PS: My Baby Died, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Compassionate Friends, the SIDS Foundation, Parents of Murdered Children, Survivors of Suicide, and city police and fire departments. Go to your local hospital or Puget Sound Blood Bank during the month of July and give blood to give life. Families who participate and who contact the MISS Foundation are encouraged to write and share their story for the Kindness Project forum board (http://www.missfoundation.org/kindness).

If you are participating in this National Blood Drive, you may send a S.A.S.E. (self addressed stamped envelope) to:

The M.I.S.S. Foundation
Kindness Project- Giving life in memory of a life - National Blood Drive
P.O. Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385

10 Kindness cards will be sent to you. During the month of July, you can make an appointment with any Blood Bank or Hospital that has a Blood Center, and make a donation. You can make whole blood donations or platelet donations. After your donation, leave your Kindness card with the name of the child you are honoring. You can get 9 other individuals to do the same…or do 9 other random acts of kindness in memory of the child you are honoring.

We also encourge you, after you make your blood donation, to send a quick email to Kara Jones, author of Mrs. Duck, at editor@kotapress.com. In this email let her know the name of the child you have honored with this donation, where you made your donation, and any other info you wish to share. SeattleMISS/KotaPress and Mrs. Duck will be compiling a virtual honor garden for this Blood Drive. We will post an updated Honor Garden in the August issue with additions made for those who have given blood in honor of a deceased loved one.

Nationwide, nearly more than 29,000 babies are stillborn 20,000 babies die within the first year of life and tens of thousands of children die from disease, child abuse, homicide, motor vehicle accidents, drowning, undeterminable causes, and suicide.

For additional information, call or email one of the following:

WA State MISS Blood Drive Coordinator Kara Jones at 206-251-6706 or editor@kotapress.com
M.I.S.S. Founder, Joanne Cacciatore-Garard at (623) 979-1000, web site is www.MISSFoundation.org.

The following is a list of participating facilities:

California
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Providence Holy Cross Medical Center
Sherman Oaks Hospital & Health Center
C/o Ralph M. Parsons Blood Donor Center
501 South Buena Vista
Burbank, CA 91505-4866

CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
South Tower, Room 1662
8700 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES
4650 Sunset Boulevard
Mailstop #32
Los Angeles, CA 90054-0700

CITY OF HOPE NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
1500 E. Duarte Rd.
Duarte, CA 91010

HOAG HOSPITAL MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN
One Hoag Drive
P.O. Box 6100
Newport Beach, CA 92658-6100

HEMACARE
4954 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
100 W. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA

KAISER PERMANENTE
1515 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

LONG BEACH MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER
Blood Donor Center
2801 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90801

NORTHRIDGE HOSPITAL MED. CTR., ROSCOE BLVD. CAMPUS
18300 Roscoe Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91328

PRESBYTERIAN INTER-COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
12401 Washington Blvd.
Whittier, CA 90602-1006

SAINT JOHN’S HEALTH CENTER
1328 22nd Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404

UCI Medical Center
Blood Donor Center
101 The City Dr.
Orange, CA 92868

UCLA MEDICAL CENTER
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 665
Los Angeles, CA 90095-6936

USC
2250 Alcazar St., CSC Bldg., Suite 136
Los Angeles, CA 90033

San Diego Blood Bank
440 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92130-4900

American Red Cross
Attn: Sally West
7674 Mesa College Way
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 715-8300

Washington
Bellevue Center
1021 112th Avenue NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-453-4011

Bellingham Center
Sunset Square
Bellingham, WA 98226
360-671-8848

Everett Center
2703 Oakes Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
425-252-5132

Lynnwood Center
19723 Highway 99, Suite F
Lynnwood, WA 98036
425-774-6366

Olympia Center
1220 Eastside Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501
360-352-1100

North Seattle Center
10356 Stone Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98133
206-526-1970

Seattle Center
921 Terry Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206-292-6500

Silverdale Center
3230 NW Randall Way
Silverdale, WA 98383
360-337-1985

Tukwila Center
130 Andover Park E
Tukwila, WA 98188
206-241-6300

Mobile Drives in Washington:
CALL 800-398-7888 to locate and make an appointment.

Missouri
Tammy Cole:
Hannibal, Missouri
Phone # 573-248-0726.
Blood drive in memory of Feliesha Ann Ward being held
July 14th, 2001 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Liberty, Illinois from
9a.m-2p.m.
Adams county Red Cross in Quincy, Illinois is participating facility.

The story behind the Kindness Project National Blood Drive for July
by Jana Vorhis

Fourteen years ago, my daughter, Alyssa Brooke, changed my life forever. An abruption put Alyssa and me in need of blood. While I relied on strangers from the blood bank storage for blood products, Alyssa relied on our family and friends for transfusions. Ten years later, my son, Christopher was born premature. Once again, we called upon our family and friends to donate blood. I am happy to say that at age 3 ½ Christopher is strong and vivacious!

Since becoming a facilitator for the M.I.S.S. Foundation, hundreds of families have shared their stories. Each story is unique and certainly has a personal impact on me. To quote Dr. Gary Reece, a clinical psychologist, noted author and trauma specialist, " You have your story, I have mine and together we have 'Our' story…"

Last year, one of the families I spoke with became part of my story. Though I never met her, Rachel Ann Hage has changed my life. Her grandparents are the most loving, kind people I have met. During her short life, Rachel needed platelet donations necessary after chemotherapy. It takes longer to donate than whole blood and requires more donors. Every donation given to Rachel increased her chances of surviving that day. Every sacred moment counted to Rachel's family. Rachel ended her battle with brain tumors on April 29, 2000, eight months before her 5th birthday.

Our Riverside, California M.I.S.S. Foundation facilitator, Mia Hong's daughter, Vanessa, was in the NICU and needed blood. Unable to donate her own blood, Mia learned the importance of giving blood. Vanessa became an inspiration and the reason Mia joined M.I.S.S. A dedicated mother, wife, volunteer, and nursing student, she also advocates for families enduring the death of a child. Her own health faces the possibility of a major organ transplant. Her courage and strength are an inspiration.

After receiving a plea to help Braedon Peltier, I knew I must do something. The precious six-year-old continues to receive treatment for his brain tumor and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Unfortunately, Braedon lives in Arizona and I cannot donate to him directly.

These are some of the stories that became the inspiration for this very special Kindness Project - Giving Life in Memory of a Life. I began by calling Mary Holzer, the NICU Parent Connection Coordinator at Huntington Memorial Hospital. Many families in the NICU are in need of blood and blood products for their newborns. With blood supplies at an all time low, it seemed perfect timing. Mary put me in touch with Diane Kennedy, Blood Donor Resource Coordinator for Huntington. Diane was receptive, supportive and helpful. Together, we planned the Statewide Kindness Project.

Diane and I had several conversations on when the Blood Drive should take place. And how long it should last, a day, a week or a month. We both agreed that if we hosted the blood drive for an entire month, it would allow donors to make an appointment when it was convenient for them. The month of July seemed appropriate since it is the month Cheyenne was born still, to Joanne Cacciatore-Garard M.I.S.S. Foundation Founder and creator of the Kindness Project.

Shortly after beginning our Kindness Project planning, The National M.I.S.S. Foundation and Joanne got involved. Working together, we have been able to arrange this widespread movement to honor the children who lived, who died, and who, even in death continue to matter. Bereaved families can empower themselves through the Kindness Project and movements like the blood drive to proactively heal through positive self-help strategies. We welcome you to join us.

Washington State is now also participating in this Blood Drive. For more information on how you can become involved, or where to donate: contact Kara Jones, Seattle M.I.S.S. Coordinator, at 206-251-6706 or editor@kotapress.com. If you are outside WA, please see the M.I.S.S. Kindness Project page for national information.

The M.I.S.S. Foundation is a non-profit, 501 © 3 volunteer based organization committed to providing immediate and ongoing support to families when an infant family member has died.

The Kindness Project
by Joanne Cacciatore

It took many years after Cheyenne's death to discover and accept the gifts that she has left me. Her presence has made me a better person, wife, woman, and a better mother. But her gifts, the gifts of the angels, go much deeper than that. The Kindness Project was born in honor of those gifts. I wanted to share these with others. I wanted to share the miracle of her. I wanted people to know that she existed and that my love for her transcended death.

Due to its overwhelming success, we have dedicated an entire section on our website to the Kindness Project (http://www.missfoundation.org). There is a page with Kindness Project ideas, a place to post anonymous kindness-es, and information on how to order the cards. It is a worldwide movement to remember our loved ones who have died. The idea is that we share our loved ones 'gifts' to us, by helping others and doing things for others. Anyone can participate, and anonymity is encouraged.

There is a little card you can attach to your kindness so that others know why you left a 'gift' for them. I encourage you to participate in the Kindness Project when you are ready. It doesn't make it 'okay' that your child has died, but somehow, it eases the stinging in your heart and helps bring healing to know that your child, through your own kind acts, is continuing to touch the world and make an impact on the lives of others.

This project inspires, provokes thought, warms the heart, but mostly, it honors beloved children who have died before their time. From the inception of the Kindness Project in October of 1997 to March of 2001, more than 225,000 Kindness Project cards have been used around the world. It is a legacy to the children who have lived, who have died, and who~ even in death~ matter, still and always.

Honor Garden...
by Kara L.C. Jones

...is a Memorial space offered to anyone who has given blood during the National M.I.S.S. Annual July Blood Drive or to anyone who has had to endure the death of a child. Once you have made a blood donation and received your M.I.S.S. Kindness Cards, you can drop us a note here at

nfo@kotapress.com with the following information included:

Name of the person you honored or remembered by making the donation
Any info you'd like to see with their name such as birth/death date

Your loved one will be honored in our Virtual Honor Garden-- see Articles of Loss Table Of Contents for the feature titled "Honored Children."

This page is dedicated to Dakota, Alyssa, and Cheyenne.

Biography
Kara lives on Vashon Island which is a much more awesome place than she ever imagined it would be. She is a poet, bookmaker, wife, teacher, bereaved mom, facilitator, receptionist, founder, struggling p.t.barnum, turtle faithful, editor, artist, and a million other things that will prevent you from putting her in any one particular label box! Kara teaches through local art centers, artists in the schools programs, KotaPress and independently. To find out more about her, see:

http://www.KotaPress.com/kara/karajones.htm

Take an online class with Kara:
http://www.coursebridge.com/html/courses/writing/cbep01.asp