Butterfly Bear Distribution Program
Volunteer Group Information
Step 1: Contact your local hospital
See if they treat children with cancer. If they do, then often your best point of contact is the Child-Family Life Services. Explain that you have a group of students who would like to bring bears provided by Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Please be flexible and respectful of the hospital’s wishes. Cancer treatments weaken the immune system so many children are in isolation and should not be exposed to germs. For example, one of our school groups involved in the Butterfly Bear program delivers bears once a month to the hospital lobby, but do not meet the children. Sometimes the group of students is given a tour if a hospital staff member has time. The hospital may have a clinic where kids receive outpatient chemo and may be more open to having the kids hand out bears when the kids come in for treatment.
Here are some things to consider:
• How many bears does the hospital want? Remember each family can have some to give to the child’s siblings and friends that are supporting them while they are in treatment.
• Do you want to deliver bears once as a group or many times? If a hospital says they could use 500 bears ask if you can bring a small number (50-100 for example) on a monthly basis. This works well for schools with many students that want to be involved.
• Please make sure you are clear on the amount of people in your group. This will help the hospital staff determine how to accommodate the bear delivery.
Step 2: Request Bears
Once you know the number of bears you'll need and the hospital lined up please contact Laura Strand to finalize any details and request your bears.
Step 3: Send parents a letter with any necessary paperwork.
Here are some examples depending on your type of volunteer group:
• Field Trip forms
• Permission to ride in a private vehicle
Step 4: Download this educational slideshow
This slideshow can be used as teaching materials about childhood cancer appropriate for students. Before going to the hospital prepare students for what they may experience, i.e. a tour, meeting a hospital staff member, talking to children. Some groups decorate boxes or baskets to deliver the bears.
This is also a good time to tie the gift tags onto the bears (bear tag sample below).
Download slideshow (power point file)
Step 5: Deliver bears!
Be sure to take pictures of your students with Butterfly Bears and share them with us. We'll then upload them to our site for everyone to view!
Program Background
The Butterfly Bears are donated by supporters to Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Our donors are committed to our mission to eradicate childhood cancer as quickly as possible, but they also want to show their support to children and their families undergoing treatment. These little bears can be a small way for families and friends to unite and show support for the child battling cancer. Now we need to deliver the bears to children and their families. What better way to do it then to allow kids to give the bears to kids in treatment?