Notes
from around the Cancer Center
Sheila Morris Receives Award
Share Your Hope and Humor!
Hats with Hugs
Sheila Morris Receives American Cancer Society Award
On June 8, Sheila Morris (left, with her son, Brad Morris)
became the first Child Life Specialist t o
receive the American Cancer Society's Lane W. Adams Award
for Excellence in Caring. Eleven people from across the country
received the honor at a recognition ceremony in Atlanta. The
award is given to individuals who have shown innovation and
consistent excellence in providing care to cancer patients
and their families.
As part of the Cancer Center's
pediatric hematology/oncology team, Sheila and her Child and
Family Life co-workers Lisa Engbrecht and Mary Plato create
a child-friendly atmosphere that allows "kids to be kids."
Through the use of distraction and coping techniques, Sheila
helps reduce the stress of medical procedures. In addition
to her daily efforts in the clinic setting, Sheila has found
other ways to help patients and their families. One of her
many accomplishments is starting a school re-entry program
for oncology patients to make the transition back into their
classrooms easier. She has visited more than 200 schools to
present information to patients' teachers and classmates.
She also played a large role in implementing Sibling Day and
the oncology reunions for patients and their families.
Sheila's work and commitment to
helping families is embodied by her favorite quote from Erik
Erickson: "Play is children's work." Her co-workers, the patients
and their families all notice and appreciate Sheila's dedication.
Her colleague Lisa Engbrecht says, "Any staff member who has
observed Sheila's compassion and commitment to the children
and their families has walked away with a new appreciation
for their own role as a caregiver."
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Share Your Hope and Humor!
The U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's
web site section, Share the Hope
and Humor, is a place for patients, survivors and loved
ones to share the inspirational messages that have helped
them on their cancer journey. Please send poems, short stories,
inspirational quotes and humorous items to Maxine Solvay,
U-M Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor,
MI, 48109-0759 or e-mail: msolvay@umich.edu.
Trademarked and copyrighted material can only be used with
written permission of the publisher. Materials will become
the possession of the Progress editor and cannot
be returned.
Hats with Hugs
When cancer touches a loved one, there is often a feeling
of helplessness. But one Florida resident who lost a daughter,
son-in-law and niece to cancer has taken action - and patients
at the U-M Cancer Center are warmer this winter because of
her. According to her family, 85-year-old Lorraine Janse spends
many hours each day knitting hats, which are then distributed
free-of-charge to cancer patients at hospitals across the
country.
Since 1998, she has knitted more
than 1,300 hats - about three per day - as part of the "Hats
With Hugs" program, a volunteer effort dedicated to knitting,
crocheting and donating hats to those who have lost their
hair to cancer treatments and other illnesses. Each hat is
unique because Lorraine receives a mix of yarns from church
donations and other sources.
If you would like more information
or are interested in donating yarn, please contact Mary McCully,
Cancer Center Volunteers, at 734-936-8307 or mmccully@umich.edu.
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