“The only thing worse than a terminal illness, is a CHILD with a terminal illness,” shared Sierra Petrosky, Vice President of Community Service for the Northern Arizona University chapter of NSCS. While Petrosky acknowledges that there is little she or her chapter can do about illness itself, she knows that anybody can have an impact on the quality of time sick children have left. That’s why the NAU chapter decided to support Make a Child Smile, an organization that allows individuals to send cards and toys to chronically or terminally ill children.
To get started, Petrosky printed out the children’s profiles from the M.A.C.S. website and brought them to an NAU NSCS chapter meeting. She said that the profiles, which contained information about the children along with their pictures and stories, were all she needed to get her chapter engaged in the activity. Members brought supplies, and they made colorful cards for the kids that shared jokes and stories—anything that they thought would bring a smile to a child’s face. In return, the chapter has received thank-you postcards from some grateful parents of M.A.C.S. children.
“This is the service activity that I most enjoy doing at our meetings,” said Petrosky, a senior public health major. “It’s a great cause, a lot of fun, and it brings attention about childhood cancer to members who usually don’t know a whole lot about it.”
Petrosky believes that sending cards to sick children is inspiring and she hopes this service activity encourages the NAU chapter members to continue to support Make a Child Smile. “Something I always hope for, too, is that this will ignite something in the members; make them want to further pursue this cause.”
Visit Northern Arizona University’s Facebook page to learn more about their upcoming events.