Providing relief and support to help children with devastating medically complex, neurological conditions and their families in the St. Louis area and beyond.

Here’s what we’ve been up to…

Save the Date
Share an evening of love, laughter and joy with us on December 8 at The Hall at Olive + Oak. “An Evening of Joy” will cap off our 2nd Annual Comfort + Joy fundraising campaign running from Tuesday, November 30 (Giving Tuesday) – December 8, 2021. This fun evening, emceed by Jill Devine, host of the podcast Two Kids and A Career, will feature stand-up comedian Tim Convy, beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, a high-end raffle and a short Fund-A-Need program. Sponsorships and auction opportunities are available now! Learn more.

Yoga On Demand
The JJMF community and its supporters are being treated to a special yoga session this month — on demand. We know how hectic this time of year can be so we are making it easy for you to enjoy this session with Colleen Caul when you want, and as many times as you like, through September 18th. Click here to access the session.

Bookmarked
August’s book of the month features a rollercoaster novel full of suspenseful twists and turns, an unraveling of the past, family bonds, and an examination into doing anything for your child, even living without them. It’s an end-of-summer escape you’ll love getting lost in. Read or listen to, – The Last Thing He Told Me (Dave, L., 2021)

Resource Spotlight: Respite Care
While there are several respite resources, it can be challenging to navigate it all – from insurance to finding the right staffing solution for your child’s unique needs. This Saturday, our Coffee Talk will be an opportunity for parents of medically complex children to come together in a casual virtual community to learn and share what’s working for them and what’s challenging them when it comes to respite care. Sign up for Coffee Talk here.

Adaptive Backpacks
Target does it again! Just in time for back to school, Target has followed up the success of their adaptive Halloween costumes launched a few years ago with BACKPACKS! Check them out here – features include adjustable handle straps and bag hooks for easy mounting to wheelchairs, plus full-zip gussetted opening for easy access. There are also access ports for tubes and cables, and a laptop sleeve.

On the Blog
“…If laughter is a medicine, I think it’s more like the morphine of medications. We gave June morphine the last few days of her life, and it kind of reminds me of that when it comes to helping people through difficult times. It’s here to help alleviate pain, make us comfortable and help us cope with the unknowns. It’s a comfort care approach, and it may not be what we want, but sometimes it is what we need, and it’s one thing we can do in a terrible situation.” – Read Genny’s latest essay, “Unexpected Remedies: How Comedy Helped Us Cope”…and inspired our upcoming event, An Evening of Joy.