Going Green Has Never Been Easier!
Nov 6, 2009 7:44 pm US/Eastern
Good 4 You: Lifting Patients' Spirits
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Bryan Power is meeting up with Christopher George. As a "Spirit Jumper" he has helped cheer this boy's life as he goes through cancer treatments.
CBS
One South Florida woman is helping lift the spirits of cancer patients; she has gotten hundreds of complete strangers to join her on her journey.
"I brought you a little something because I know you are dealing with a lot of stuff here," said Bryan Power, a man who signed up to be a part of Spirit Jump. The group is designed to send cards and small gifts to cancer patients such as Christopher George, a 10-year-old boy diagnosed with Lymphoma.
"Wow, a helicopter," said Christopher, as he opened Power's gift.
"I knew after I did it, it just felt right," said Power to
CBS4's Jorge Estevez about giving gifts to Christopher.
Power is called a "Spirit Jumper," a person who signs up to be paired with cancer patients in order to lift their spirits with positive messages and small gifts.
"Knowing that it is touching their lives like that is really powerful," said Power.
George is a year into his battle with Lymphoma. All the messages of hope help him through the rough times.
"It says I hope you are doing o.k. Stay strong," read Christopher from one of the cards he has received.
"Do you know that person?" asked
CBS4's Jorge Estevez.
"No, she is a complete stranger. It feels good," said Christopher.
Meaghan Edelstein came up with the idea and founded Spirit Jump.
"They send cards and gifts to people that are battling cancer to lift their spirits," said Edelstein, who herself survived a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis in 2007.
"I was in the hospital for four months. There wasn't one day that went by that I didn't get a card and some flowers or a little gift. It got to the point where that was the one moment in my day that I looked forward to," said Edelstein.
Families with cancer patients appreciate the idea.
"You see him smile and you know what he is going through. You see that smile break across his face and that is when my spirits are lifted," said Dawn George, Christopher's mother.
So what kind of messages lift Christopher's spirits the most?
"My most favorite part is when a kid sends me one my age," he said.
Christopher is one year away from completing his treatment. Then, he plans on being a Spirit Jumper for someone else.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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