ANNOUNCEMENT! ** 

 The Stand Firm Warrior Foundation is proud to announce our newest beneficiary! A $5,000 grant was awarded on June 14, 2018, to the Comprehensive Wellness Center at Atrium Health’s Levine Children's Torrence E. Hemby Jr. Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and BMT Center in support of Reiki Treatments. Integrative therapies such as massage, acupuncture, and healing touch decrease patient pain and anxiety associated with cancer treatment; improve a patient’s ability to tolerate treatment side effects such as neuropathy, nausea and sleep difficulties; improve a patient’s appetite and decrease digestive problems. Thanks to continued community support, these therapies are provided free of charge to pediatric oncology patients.

It truly feels like this has come full-circle. A childhood friend, Tammy Schoolcraft is a Reiki Master with Reiki For Wellness. When BJ was declining, Tammy and I reconnected, and she offered to come to our home and to the Levine Hem/Onc clinic to give him Reiki therapy. With Reiki, BJ was able to relax and fall asleep, almost immediately. He was in so much pain at the end...pain in his bones and joints as leukemia continued to take over his bone marrow. He preferred options that allowed him to avoid taking strong pain medication. He was surprised by how well Reiki induced calmness and relaxation. He would request Tammy give him Reiki treatments when he had clinic appointments. His pain level was so high in the last 2 weeks of his life, it was even impossible for him to ride in the car anymore, so we had to have a Medic ambulance crew take him to and from his appointments. 

Bottom-line - Reiki helped him in such an important way. BJ's story, including the benefits he realized from Reiki, was the catalyst in bringing Reiki to other pediatric patients at Levine Children's. We are so excited to be able to provide funding toward this important program so that other pediatric cancer patients can benefit from this adjunct therapy.