Appreciation Archives

The "Appreciation Archives" is where we share our collection of grateful thank you notes, cards, letters, and voice messages from the families The Foundation has "treated". It is their words, their voices, their handwriting. It is a living honor to The Foundation for the memories our families have been able to create and cherish.

This is our impact. These are our results.

Voice Messages

CLICK on the family's name to hear voice messages of gratitude from some of the families we've "Treated"  

Written Notes

Dear Kim and Bobbi,

 
Where do I begin.  WOW!!!  Greg and I and the kids want to wrap our arms around you two and thank you for such a fantastic trip.  You know, I have never encountered such true love and kindness as was shown to our family.  You two are just incredible. We are so deeply appreciative by your generosity, love, and kindness. My family will never forget what the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation and the Westin have done for us.
 
Bobbi, I know you and Heidi worked very hard on making our stay there an unforgettable one and I have to tell you that you accomplished that goal.  I just can't believe all the stuff you and Heidi arranged for us.  From the beginning to the end. You gave us alot of great memories, there are just too many to write about. I appreciate all of your time and energy that went into making this happen for us.  My children haven't stopped talking about their experience at the Westin.  They have told all their friends about the really cool things (with alot of bragging) they were able to do. They just loved the pool, the water sports were a big hit with Cam and of course, the jet ski ride was fantastic. They both say the best thing was the snorkeling! Bay hopping on a private yacht, too cool. Katie is in love with your resort.  She keeps telling me "Mom, you know I was invited back to work over the summer with Ms. Bobbi."  I have assured her when she is old enough, she can do just that. (I really think she means it.)  She loves St. John and she loves the Westin.  The kids will be back there, one day.
 
Kim,  you are unbelievable!  You have created an environment that would make the angels sing.  Your love for this place shows in everything you do. Thank you for extending that love to our family. You have no idea how much you have touched our lives. I also want to thank you for the kindness you showed to Katie and Cam. They think you are awesome. Greg and I think so too. Please tell your staff that they are definitely the best in the world.  Everyone we encountered there was sincere, happy, and always willing to assist in anything that was needed.  It makes such a great difference.  They should know that we really appreciated the hospitality shown by all of them. You should be very proud of your staff.  We felt loved by all.  Our stay there was like we were part of your family, the Westin family. What a wonderful feeling.  It was great to see everyone, every day, with a smile on their face and ready to assist.  Please tell your direct staff, Arnold and the other guys, we so enjoyed their company.  What a great group of people to work with.  I know it all starts at the top and from there works its way down.  You and your staff are absolutely the best.  I hope you are all recognized for the incredible job that you all do. This trip was the most unbelievable experience we have ever had.  Thank you so much for making this our stay there the most memorable one we will ever have.
 
The biggest thing I want to tell you is to thank you for working with the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation.  I know these kinds of trips are not possible without them and without you. The difference this trip has meant to our family is one that I really cannot put into words.  I believe that by you looking into my eyes and saying goodbye when we departed your wonderful resort, you know how deeply appreciative and grateful I am for what you both have done for me and my family.  I hope that one day we will see you all again.  In the meantime, keep doing what you all do best, which is making people feel like they are the most important person at the Westin.  
 
The Tanner Family loves you all! With much heartfelt thanks,
 
Greg, Betsy, Katie and Cam
 
 
 
May The Lord Bless you and Keep you.  Amen.

 Dear Jack &Jill Foundation,

 
We would like to thank you for the wonderful opportunity to have a vacation in Orlando, Florida.
 
 So many feelings come to my mind that I would like to share with you. You do not know how much this trip has meant to us.
For the first time in many years we were able to stop the worries, frustration, and pain and sadness, so we were able to enjoy the wonders of Disney World and Sea World and we were able to relax, laugh, and remember that we are still a regular family, with dreams, and we are all together having fun, something that I think we have forgotten about for a long time. Thank you, thank you for allowed us to stop and to not thinking about chemo, and doctors and medications, thank you for giving us that time back. We did not realize until now, that we really needed so bad!!!
 
To Heidi, Thank you so much for all your work, for all the details you took care for us. I felt that you were with us in our trip!. For all that hard work, making sure you are coverage all the details, Thank you so very much!!!.
 
Let me explain a little bit about us. I came from a family with another culture, with different expectations, with many financial difficulties. I was not allowed to dream, Education after high School   it was just only for rich people. My parents enroll me to become a secretary, has to be something fast so we can pay the bills.    We have been “parents for our parents” so, we never expected anything, just whatever your work is allow to provide you, so you can image it  to receive a gift like this, it is something so big, wonderful, it is a blessing. And we owe it all to you.
 
Tired not to have my own dreams, I came to USA to study English when I met my dear Husband Mike. I felt that we meant to be together since the first time, but also   I felt I was trial by fire, because I did not have much chance to adjust to a different life. We did not have anything just the both of us. I remember going alone to get my wedding dress…oh well… After a few years, we decided to have family, the last 10 years has been a bumpy road… and I find out I was infertile.. What else? . Treatments comes and goes, finally Daniel came, about 4 months pregnant my Gall bladder decided to come too. More intensive treatments of insemination and invitro and in and out the hospital due to side effect for the drugs dissapointment, fears, lost, subsequently, Amanda was born premature, as my water broke at 23 weeks, which caused me to spend two more months in the hospital.  And my dear Daniel has to be pass from house to house thru my friends. Thanks God to put them in our way!!!She was then born at 29 weeks, and spent an additional two months in the NICU. My husband has lost his job 3 times, in this period of time; one lasted 8 months until he found a job. As you can see, nothing have been easy for us, my mother in law died the same day I found out I had cancer…how long it took for the doctors to find out what was wrong with me? More than a year, I was ready to have back surgery; also they told me it was to much stress. My cancer was already staged 4, Mammogram? Yes I get one every year but because I had a reduce breast surgery (due to back problems), it was hard for the Doctors to identified…. a few more days….and I could not tell you my story, The Breast Cancer was already in my neck,  but for the love of our family and for each other we keep trying and trying to go to the right path and to not to put so much in the faults.
 
My husband has been taking care of the kids and me, and our finances, job that I used to do. and sometimes you can not take care everything, he tried, but it is hard. With me, I spend most of the time laying in the bed because it is so painful or in the doctors office. There is no way to think of planning a vacation, less when financially has been a roller coaster for us. How to explain to the children why we can not take a vacation? We spend to much in medications and treatments and bills pile up. And we did not have any help. Friends, yes we have friends, they come and go, is not their fault I understand, it is very difficult to be close to somebody that is sick all the time, I do not blame them for that. On top of everything else my own mother died two years ago, and because of our financial problems I could not be present for her funeral.  We also came close to losing our house.
 
 Mike is very smart and he decided to go to school so we can increased our income, but with me in this situation, has not been able to finish it.
 
 But we have accepted, It is God decision and nothing we can do just keep praying that  the cure is going to be found. Believe me, there is not a day that I think how I am going to leave my children’s. How can I protect them?
I do not know how many times I cried seeing my kids laughing and jumping and joking during our vacation, How many times I said God Bless this Foundation for this wonderful time, thanks to them we are here all together please, no doubt for any moment that you are not doing the right thing God Bless you all for giving a brake for our life with cancer. Really, I really want to say Thank you, thank you so much, and is there anything I can help or do please let me know. My family deeply appreciated all the effort you put on this.
 
Please do not think that we want just to complain, we share this with you to better explain how much your gifts means to us. It was like a light in the tunnel for us, it gave us the opportunity to charge our batteries to keep with the fight of this cancer, cancer that not only I carry, but affects all my family. What you are doing is such a wonderful Gift.
 
Again, thank you for providing us with this break, because it has been the most beautiful gift we have ever received.
 
 
From all of our family, thank you so very much,
 
The Ownbies

My Journey to Disney World - Beginning to End

I would like to begin by thanking everyone who made not only my dream possible, but also my daughter, Genesis, as well.  My heartfelt thanks goes to the Jack and Jill Foundation and their staff members, Disney World, AirTran Airlines, Carey Car Service, Mears Transportation Group, Lake Buena Vista Comfort Inn and their staff members.
 
I truly had a WOW experience!  I felt like royalty and my daughter felt like a star.  Everyone went out of their way to make us feel special.  The fireworks at Epcot was absolutely awesome!  I never saw such a beautiful firework display as I have witnessed at Disney.  I actually cried.  I felt like a kid myself.
 
This was a trip of a lifetime and we have memories that will last forever.  The most important memory to me is seeing my daughter's eyes light up and the sound of her laughter.  The look on her face was priceless.  We had such a great time that I would do it all over again.

Thank you for making us feel the magic of Disney and for allowing me to be able to spend quality time with my daughter.
 
May God continue to bless the Jack and Jill Foundation and everyone that was involved in this endeavor. 
 
Maria

Heidi, thank you so much for all the work you did to make it possible for us to be able to take this trip of a lifetime!!!!! It was more than we ever expected!!!!
 
We had a wonderful "vacation" from CANCER. We never mentioned cancer and because we live in a small town everyone is always concerned and asking us about Jay's condition etc... I didn't realize how draining it was to answer so many questions. Thank you and your wonderful foundation for that!!!
 
Everything else was a dream too... the hotel was absolutely gorgeous!! We had never in our lives stayed in such a fancy place and the view was breathtaking!!! The service was excellent!!! The restuarant the Solaris was wonderful the service was extraordinary and we tried many different dishes and enjoyed each one.
 
The Disney experience was top notched !!!!!!!!!! Everyone was so helpful and kind!!! Our girls will not forget any of this!!!!!!!!!! Just the airplane ride itself was a whole new experience for them we had many firsts... a fancy hotel, fancy restaurant, DISNEY experience, Mears for all the rides ( which was a wonderful break for me because I'm the one who drives all the time) just the wonderful smiles and many laughs that we had. We can't thank you all enough!!!! Without the help of the whole team of companies we wouldn't of had the Experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
 
With much appreciation and graditude,
the Bass Family

Dear JAJF

 I would to thank you for providing a gift to your first "Vermont" family. The Potvin's were able to spend time at the Sheraton and enjoy a few days of fun, and togetherness before her passing. As written by one family member, "I know it was enjoyed by all and I feel it was an important step for Karlene in the process of saying good bye to her family." Again, I want to thank you for all that you do to help children cope with their parent's end stage of life and making it a positive memory for all of them.
 
Stephanie Fraser, MSW
Fletcher Allen Health Care Vermont Cancer Center

Heidi, I thank you so very much for our trip to New York. It was the best vacation I ever had! From driving to the park and fly, to the smooth airplane fight, the warm welcome by the General Manager at the Westin, to the scrumptious meals at Shula’s, the informative and relaxing Circle Line Cruise, the awesome life like wax figures at Madame Tussauds Museum, the “nearly perfect” Mary Poppins Broadway Show, and the “see it like a native” Gray Line Bus Tour of Manhattan. I feel like I truly experienced New York and “I Love New York.” Thank you for the wonderful memories shared with my family.

                                                                                         Mom 
 
 "I LOVE NEW YORK” and the Madame Tussauds Museum where I saw my favorite “Michael Jackson!” And, I heard my favorite song, Billy Jean. The hotel was beautiful and I enjoyed eating at the restaurant that had all my favorite, delicious foods.
                                                                                     Daughter (age 7)
Thanks for the trip to New York. It was a lot of fun especially Madame Tussauds and the Spongebob Squarepants 4D movie. Also the food at Shula’s was great! I loved the Mary Poppins Broadway Play as, it was “practically perfect” lol hahaha.  New York is so cool and there’s so much to do there. It’s my favorite city in the US. Thanks again.
                                                                                       Daughter (age 14)
  
Thanks for the trip to New York it was great! It was the best trip I ever had. It was so great that I wish I could live there. The best part was when we went to Madame Tussauds and saw all the different celebrities and seeing Spongebob in 4D! Also seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway it was ‘Practically Perfect’ lol. So thanks so much for everything.
                                                                                        Daughter (age 15)
 
 Heidi, thank you very much for NYC! Everything surpassed all our expectations. It was all perfect! After the year my family and I have had since my diagnosis, this was a very welcome diversion. My 3 daughters now want to move to NY (LOL). The Westin Hotel was great, from Shula’s steakhouse to all the personal service we received, it was awesome! Madame Tussauds, the Mary Poppins broadway show, the citywide bus tour and the harbor tour, everything was great. Our favorite family destination used to be Orlando. But now I can truly say, WE LOVE NEW YORK!!!
                                                                                      Dad

April 7, 2009

 
To all the companies that made this trip happen. The Jenkins family would like to thank all of you for an awesome trip to Sea World , The Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. We had a wonderful, great, fantastic and terrific time. It really meant an awful lot to us. This was an incredibly thoughtful thing all of you did and will be something that we will always remember. All of you are truly special people and it is not the thoughtful things you do that make you all so special, it is the caring, kindness and love behind your deeds. We really appreciate everything you have done. Thank you just does not seem to be enough to say for the lifetime of memories you helped us make. Thanks so much from the love of our hearts.
 
Sincerely,
Harold, Latrall,
Jarret & Jaden Jenkins

March 2, 2009

 
A. Russell True
White Stallion Ranch
9251 West Twin Peaks Road
Tucson, AZ 85743
 
 
Dear Mr. True,
 
On behalf of my entire family, we all want to thank you and your staff for the wonderful weekend we spent at your ranch. Our trip was especially enjoyable because it’s been nearly three years since we’ve been able to take a vacation, given my cancer treatment.
 
My daughters and husband really enjoyed the horseback riding. Kelly and Chrissie also had a lot of fun doing the cattle penning, despite being initially apprehensive. Before we left, the girls and I had the opportunity to groom several horses, including Scooter and Casey.   I also appreciated the special arrangements that were made in scheduling my spa treatment. It was my first time receiving one and Susan made it a very calming, relaxing experience.   Chrissie told me, “I’d give the ranch five stars out of a five-star rating. Can we go back on spring break??”  I think this experience has gotten the girls very excited about horseback riding because they want to take lessons near our home.
 
We sincerely appreciate your generosity in making our visit a pleasurable weekend for us.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Jill Meyer

Dear Heidi,

 
I want to thank your organization for all your effort for having provided for our family this wonderful Marriott vacation.  We were received graciously by all of the staff.  We received a wonderful welcome package and were delighted by the beautiful accommodations.  My sister not only received a little bit or luxury, buther children felt pampered by the entire facility. They enjoyed the pool, the views, the concierge service and well as their all time high being able to order room service.  Jordan had the biggest smile of all having always dreamed of being able to order room service. 
 
I cannot express in words what this meant to Gabriela and her children.  She smiled and laughed and was so happy to have had the opportunity to take this mini vacation.  The Marriott's location allowed other family members to drop by and spend time with Gabriela.
 
It is through your wonderful organization that this was possible.  I also want to acknowledge the staff at the Marriott who made our stay there special.  Even the gupi Phin, who was sent by the staff, to kept the kids busy made them smile.
 
We were able to enjoy the marina and stroll by the park and walk around the park.  The kids were able to enjoy the pool and swim and just be kids without any worries.  We took many wonderful pictures to remember the getaway. Please express our gratutide to all of those who took part in planning this vacation.
 
Once again thank you for having provided us with the best gift ever a moment away from all of the other distractions of the cancer.
 
With deepest gratitude,
 
 
Gabriela Lopez (mom)

Hello Heidi,

 I wanted to send you a big THANK YOU. The last two days have been absolutely incredible for the Morris family. So many times I will catch my kids looking at their Dad with a somber look of concern, especially the boys. It has been such a wonderful thing to see them and Tony smile and enjoying each other and the events you so graciously planned for us.
 
It is almost midnight and everyone is in bed. The boys, however, are not asleep. They are too excited. I can hear them talking. We all had such a wonderful time tonight. The Amy Grant and Vince Gill concert was beautiful and quaint. Tony loved how they talked about their family during the concert. And oh, what a treat... meeting Amy and Vince was something we will always remember. They were both so down-to-earth and hospitable.   Sam (14) was so nervous he was sweating.    Charlie (11) takes piano and could only talk about how he met "real musicians." Nikki loved Amy's version of "Jingle Bells." It was very up-beat
and fast...just like her.   Everyone at the Fox was very helpful and friendly. John Huie and all those working with Amy Grant and Vince Gill made us all feel special. Amy Grant and Vince Gill were very generous and allowed us to choose souvenirs from the merchandise table.   Nikki and I got T-shirts and a Christmas CD, the boys got Vince Gill guitar picks and Tony got a Vince Gill hat.
 
The Falcons game on Sunday was memorable on so many levels. One...the limo ride and Mike the driver were awesome. Mike was so helpful and caring. Two...the Falcons won!!! Three...being able to go on the sidelines was such a once in a lifetime treat for us all, and four...we had great seats and had a great meal in the Owner's Lounge.    The boys and Tony have really enjoyed showing off their autographed Falcon's memorabilia. Absolutely everyone was kind and helpful to us.
 
We do not get out much lately and and I guess cancer and chemo treatments consume our daily lives. I believe I must have forgotten how kind and caring people can be, but that is what I will remember most about all of this.
 
Please thank all who were involved in making this happen for my family. We made memories that will never be forgotten and spent some wonderful time together. 
 
And thank you for being so diligent putting all the pieces together.
 
Be Blessed and Have a Merry Christmas,
 
Bonnie 

December 7, 2008

   
To everyone involved in the Eberhardt WOW Experience,
 
     WOW! Where to begin, they definitely call it a WOW Experience for a reason! We had a trip of a lifetime and we all were very spoiled when returning back to GA after living like royalty for 5 days in LA.
     First, we’d like to thank Jill, the social worker, at NEGA Cancer Center for thinking of us for this opportunity. She then connected us with Heidi Cohen who brought the whole story together from parking to flights to hotel to adventures, etc. There were many nights she would call us, way after working hours, putting together last minute details for our trip. We really felt she was committed and had a huge passion for making memorable moments for patients and their families.
      We first arrived at the Park ‘N Fly Plus in Atlanta who gave us 10 days of complimentary parking, which was fabulous and made traveling in a large group much easier! Thank you so much Park ‘N Fly for your generous donation. 
      Next we arrived at the ATL airport to take our flight to LAX, which was completely donated by Airtran Airways. Airtran was the top of our list for travel to and from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, before the trip and this make us love Airtran that much more. Airtran, thank you for your support in getting us to our vacation and back again!
      Next we arrived at LAX with a personal driver, sent by the Westin, to take us to the hotel and help with our luggage. When we arrived at the Westin LAX, we were welcomed with 10-15 of the kindest faces you’ve ever seen.   Little did we know we would consider all of them friends by the end of our trip. A few of the staff helped us to our room. We kept going up and up on the elevator, and finally we stopped at the top floor. You know usually the top floor has the best suites, but who knew we would be in Presidential Suite for a 4 night stay! Emily and Addison had their own room which means so did mom and dad. How great! There were beautiful balloons everywhere and snacks for us after a long journey. After settling in Doug and I were instructed to go to the spa a for a 1 hour massage that was fit for a star! We really needed this and it started our vacation out just right! Emily and Addison enjoyed free time swimming with Mama T and Aunt K.K.(our helpers, who we can’t thank enough either). Upon returning we enjoyed a candlelight formal private dinner in our suite. None of us had ever experienced a meal quite like this. This was defiantly Melisa’s favorite. We were served Dom Pirignon champagne, chardonnay, and red wine throughout the meal at certain times. This was the best food we had ever eaten and I believe the chef and restaurant enjoyed the excitement as much as we did. After a splendid meal, we met the chef behind it all and had pictures. After a long day we called it a night and prepared for the adventures of the day to come. 
      On Wednesday, we had complimentary breakfast at the Westin’s restaurant and started the day with Natalie Del Real and Daniela Stiles as a our personal guides around LA. The Westin supplied us with a van to take us on the tour. We started with a personal tour of the Paramount Studios were we saw a real TV show being filmed and learned all kinds of secrets about film making, which Doug really loved and found quite interesting. Addison loved getting to ride around in golf cart. Thank you Paramount Studios for letting us come behind your scenes, it was fantastic!
      Next we were taken to the famous Chinese Theatre where we took pictures with several movie characters, checked out the famous handprints, and walked the Walk of Stars down Hollywood Blvd. And the best surprise was our own concrete handprint to take back home from Hollywood. We then went to the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars, where we walked the walk of glory like all the Oscar winners. Our personal tour included the private lounge and standing on stage where many stars have stood, how great. Thank you Kodak Theatre for a memorable tour and lots to think about when seeing the Oscars on TV!
      At the conclusion of our tour, we were greeted by 4 Laker cheerleaders and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Emily loves cheering and was quite surprised to meet professional cheerleaders. Thank you girls, for taking time out of your busy schedules to give Doug something really fun to smile about and share with his friends. The girls were so compassionate and reached out to Emily by giving her their email addresses to contact them if she ever needs to just talk. All of us got autographed pictures.
      One of the most touching moments of our trip was when our family was presented a Hollywood Star that is identical and painted by the same artist that creates them for the real stars of Hollywood. Thank you Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, this one is defiantly going on our memory wall at home!
      Next we had lunch with Laker Cheerleaders at the California Pizza Kitchen off of Hollywood Blvd. The girls were given aprons and got to make there on pizza. We had the best seat in the house with the view of the Hollywood sign in the distance. We felt the love and had very full tummies! Thank you CPK for a lunch and dessert to remember.
      Shopping at the Grove was to follow. The girls were each given $50 gift cards compliments of the Grove. We were all treated with the first trolley ride of the year and a personal touch from Santa Clause with several 5x7 photos and video of Addison’s experience. The Grove, thank you so much for sharing the Christmas cheer with our family. Hopefully Addison will get the makeup she asked for from Santa.
      Next we headed for the Westin in downtown LA to freshen up for the first ever Live Grammy Nomination Concert hosted by Taylor Swift (Emily’s favorite) and LL Cool J. We then heard, Mariah Carey, John Mayer (Emily’s favorite) and BB King (Doug’s personal favorite), Celine Dion (who Melisa has always want to see), Foo Fighters, and Christina Aguilera. Little did Emily know that the Jonas Brothers would be receiving a nomination and were present. Sparks were flying when she realized they were only a short distance away. All of us really enjoyed the 1 hour performance by John Mayer. Thank you so much Nokia Theatre for access and the privilege of hearing some great performers. We ended our evening, being picked up by the Westin’s town car and room service compliments of the Westin. Emily loved that she could stretch her legs so far in the town car.
      On Thursday, we enjoyed breakfast compliments of the Westin at the restaurant and a fun filled day at Universal Studios where Addison got to see Dora and express with kisses that she was her biggest fan. We all enjoyed some spectacular rides, and especially enjoyed the studio tour. Melisa could hardly stay in her seat when Wisteria Lane passed by. Please let us say that the staff at Universal Studios were so helpful and kind whenever we needed help. Thank you Universal Studios for a splendid family day! Upon return a town car was sent to take us to the Santa Monica Pier to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean then dinner a the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Yum!
      On Friday once again, we had breakfast at the Westin compliments of the Westin and we were surprised to be greeted with a stretch limousine to take all of us to Disneyland for the day. Emily especially would like to express that she loved this and could get use to it very easily. But before leaving for Disney we gathered the team at the Westin LAX, so we could have a photo of all of you who went out of your way to make us feel at home.   We did not come across a single team member who didn’t seem to just love their job and always have a bright smile on their face. Melisa’s great aunt and uncle, Pam and Keith, made our trip to Disney possible. Addison loved Minnie and all the princesses while Emily enjoyed some scary rides. The limousine returned to pick us up and return us to the Westin LAX. When returning to the hotel we had snacks once again and found personalized Christmas tree ornaments with memories from our trip, a signed autographed picture frame of all the members of our new family at the Westin LAX , memory card with all the photos taken by the hotel, and breakfast boxes to take on the plane for our return trip. We ended our day once again with room service compliments of the Westin.
      Sadly on Saturday, it was time to leave our lives as stars to return home. But we were bringing back many memories and hands full of new friends. To our family at the Westin LAX, you have all touched our hearts in many different ways and gave us a vacation of a lifetime. We are planning to make a wall in our home of special memories with our trip to LA at the top of the list. Special thanks to Lakeithia Terry and Glenn Sampert at the Westin LAX, for their help planning through the Jack and Jill Foundation. Also we don’t want to forget Paul Gregory in coordinating our special dinner and all other meals and Alfredo Anguiano for giving us such a warm smile every morning and helping with last minute details. To Daniela Hiles and Natalie Del Real, every little detailed planned for our tour day did not go unnoticed and we could have not seen so much of LA in one day without you. I feel that my family truly bonded with you both. And we can’t forget the great service and smiles in the transportation/concierge department and restaurant with too many wonderful people to name. Hopefully we did not leave anyone out because no one went unnoticed. Thank you all again for being so compassionate in your caring and giving. We pray that you all can be touched like we have been during these trial and tribulations of our lives. 
      Heidi Cohen and the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, Thank you again for bringing it all together like a perfect puzzle!
 
HOW BEAUTIFUL A DAY CAN BE, WHEN KINDNESS TOUCHES IT!
                                                -George Elliston
 
 
With great appreciation,
 
 
 
Doug, Melisa, Emily, and Addison Eberhardt

January 5, 2009

Dear Heidi,
We wanted to send you and the sponsors of the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation a huge thank you for our WOW trip to Disney. Our lives have changed dramatically over the past year with Margie’s cancer diagnosis and the heavy demands of treatment and recuperation. Our children are very brave but this is the hardest time of their short lives. The trip to Disney was a break from all of the stress that cancer causes. 
You were so helpful with choosing a trip and making arrangements to meet all of our family’s needs. Disney was the perfect choice for us; something we planned to do but had to delay due to cancer. The trip went smoothly from beginning to end. The people at Park and Fly were very helpful with our bags and parking the car. We checked in to the flight at their facility and were able to breeze through the airport. At the airport our 7 year-old daughter, Claire, met a Canadian girl that she has kept in touch with since returning to Atlanta. The Airtran flight was quick and easy and we were met at baggage claim by the limo service. The children were so excited to ride in the limo and drink a bottle of water on the way to the hotel. They felt very important.
When we arrived at Disney’s Swan Resort they checked us in and explained the accommodations. They then escorted us to a huge suite that was filled with goodies and souvenirs for the children. We felt like royalty. When we picked up our Disney passes they saw that Margie needed a wheelchair and gave us “front of the line” passes that allowed us to move quickly through all of the rides and attractions. We spent two days in the Magic Kingdom and one in Animal Kingdom. There were so many exciting things to do and we went all day long.
This trip was so important to our family’s psyche. We were able to enjoy four days of uninterrupted togetherness and fun that we will always remember. We have talked about it often since coming home and Claire suggested that we go back every three years. We hope to be healthy enough to be able to return again as a family someday. We have received much love and support from friends, family and the community during this difficult time in our lives. Even with the improvements of modern medicine cancer does very sad things to families. Thank you for focusing on helping families enjoy the time they have together.
We are sending copies of Always and Everywhere, a children’s book Laura Bowman, a dear friend of ours, wrote and illustrated for our family. It is a loving story about how the love and lessons of a parent live within us even when we can’t see them. We hope that you will distribute copies to families that might benefit. Thank you again for the mission of the Jack and Jill Foundation and all of your hard work.
 
Sincerely,
Chris and Margie LaSalle

Heidi,

We want to thank you and the Jack & Jill Foundation for the WONDERFUL experience that you created for us. From the time that we arrived at the Fox Theatre until the time we checked out of the Renaissance Hotel, it was truly magical.
 
Aly Brock and the Atlanta Ballet greeted us with open arms. Steven, the tour guide was incredibly informative and knew just what to say to get our 4 year old to understand the production she was about the see. He made her feel comfortable and brought out a sparkle in her eyes. The Nutcracker ballet was amazing and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
 
Once arriving at the hotel, we were greeted by Mr. Doug Klein. He, along with the rest of the staff, treated us like royalty. The rooms were fabulous. The cart sent up by Pat from the Grill at 590 restaurant, as well as the service received when we dined there, was perfect.
 
All in all, this was definitely a ʽmemory-makingʼ experience that we are incredibly thankful for.
 
Thank you again to you and the Foundation for allowing us to partake in the WOW! Experience of a lifetime. I am sure that Madison will remember this forever.
Sincerely,
 The Barrow Family

Dear Heidi,

I would like to take the time to thank you for the amazing trip Courtney and I were sent on last week.  Everyone that we came in contact with was above and beyond top notch.  Everyone with Southwest Airlines was wonderful, and made sure that we had everything we needed.  From the beginning of this trip to the end we were  treated like royalty.  It was great to get away from the hospital, doctors, cat scans needles and all of the rest that comes along with Cancer. 

The Marriott Hollywood staff -- Bruce, Stephanie, and Dominique were awesome and made sure that we had all that we needed.  The room was so big and luxurious.  Courtney and I could hardly believe it.  Every evening the staff left us some candy, or beautiful Christmas cookies.  They made sure that we were able get pampered in the spa, and on the last night we found brand new hotel spa robes left on our beds with our names embroidered on each.  Ours to take home!  

I also would like to thank The A List Limo Corp.  every driver was a delight to deal with.  Joe picked us up from the airport, and didn't allow Courtney or myself to lift a finger.  He got all of our suit cases, and made sure that we were comfortable for the ride.  Joe also picked us up from the taping, and he mentioned that he sings.  I told him I would like to hear him, and he sang the entire ride home.  It was such a treat.  He sang a lot of the oldies (Courtney and I both like the oldie).  He sang Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and so many more.

Barry Orleans took us on the tour of LA, and he was so much fun.  He has such a fun personality, and such a delight to talk to.  He asked if there was anything in particular that we wanted to see, and made sure that we were able to do that.  A couple of places we got out of the car, and he took pictures for us.  We were so excited to get pictures in front of the HOLLYWOOD sign, and in front of the Beverly Hills sign.  I know these pictures will be treasured for ever.

Henrik Zontag also drove us and was wonderful as well.

Another person that made this trip a memorable one was Rachel Wagner from Dick Clark Productions.   She really took such good care of Courtney and I at the pre taping.  She brought us in the green room, and arranged for us to meet Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, and Jesse McCartney.   They were all wonderful, and made us feel like they were just as excited to meet us as were were them.  Natasha Bedingfield told us that she read all about Courtney and I and about our struggle with cancer.   I was so touched that she took the time to read about who we are and what we have gone through.  Very touching.  Jesse McCarteny was adorable, and Courtney was excited that be brought her a CD, and autographed photo.

I hope that I didn't leave anyone out, because everyone was amazing.

These memories will be treasured for years and years.

Thank you again,
Alicia & Courtney

Dear Heidi,
 
            We cannot fully express our sincere gratitude, or describe the full effects that our time in Fort Lauderdale provided all of us by the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation. We returned home strengthened emotionally, physically, spiritually, and with a heightened sense of fight. From the first phone conversation with Heidi, to our time at the Westin Beach Fort Lauderdale, Marlins game and Jungle Queen cruise, we felt such hope that there are still genuinely good and caring people that exist in this world. Never did we expect to receive such royal, luxurious, and special treatment by numerous people. We were happy and grateful to receive a hotel room and a view. But, what we received was much, much more than we could have ever imagined. All of the luxuries aside, it was the special care and concern from everyone and the lifelong memories that were created that we cherish the most.
 
            At the Westin Beach in Fort Lauderdale, we would especially like to thank Diana for everything she organized with such great care and detail. General Manager, Amaury Piedra was extremely welcoming and generous to us. He gave us his personal attention and made sure that we had an amazing stay. We are so grateful to him for that. The following people went above and beyond so that we had the best time of our lives: Jorge Madrigal, Hotel Manager, Enrique Irizarry, Front Desk Manager, Adam Elmrabti, Director of Food and Beverage (we’ll miss you, Adam!), Andres’, Sous Chef, Robert Pisco (the special help he gave us), Verena Koelbl, Front Desk Manager, and finally Otto Rivzani, Concierge (with whom we are truly grateful). Our worry is that we may have missed someone and, if so, we do apologize. From the maid service, bellmen to the management of the Westin Hotel, we couldn’t have been happier. They helped our family create memories for our children that will last a lifetime. Please also extend our thanks to Michelle and Mary at Waves who made us feel comfortable and welcome every day of our stay. And, we can’t forget Beth, the superior waitress at Shula’s! We will miss you all! 
 
            The Marlins organization provided an unbelievable night for us. From the moment we met Boris Menier, Marketing Coordinator, we were treated like royalty. He made our night so memorable and the whole experience was very emotional (batting practice, sitting in the dugout, John receiving a signed game bat, meeting players, and sitting behind home plate to watch a grand slam by Hanley Ramirez). We are all still so excited about that night! It was so amazing for us to watch the sheer joy on our children’s faces when they met the players. This respite from the stressful days of living with cancer in the family was appreciated more than words can possibly say. It was a dream to take us out of our daily environment to experience everything behind the scenes at the Land Shark Stadium. For this opportunity, we are eternally grateful to all of the players, managers and, especially, Boris. We also want to personally thank Brett Carroll, for taking the time away from batting practice to not only take a picture but to chat a bit with us. Our son especially appreciated his generosity. The time at the game will never, ever be forgotten.
 
            The last night we spent on board the Jungle Queen ferry enjoying a relaxing ride up the river. We were provided with the best seats on board and had the time of our life that night. The dinner, tour and island were fabulous. The island we visited had the best barbeque dinner and show. The Jungle Queen staff works very hard to make this a special night for all. We can see why the Jungle Queen has been providing tours for over 70 years. It is definitely not to be missed! 
 
            Also, we would like to thank Royal Limousines for the unbelievable ride from the airport. Our daughter’s personal dream was to ride in a stretch limo. Never did she expect to see a Hummer stretch limo pull up in front of her at the airport. She felt just like Cinderella!   Miguel, thank you for everything you did to make our transportation luxurious and enjoyable. All of your drivers were outstanding!
 
            Finally, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Heidi Cohen for everything she and the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation has done to give us a most treasured gift--family time in a relaxing, beautiful place. Her personal touch, care and genuine excitement upon hearing our experiences were so appreciated. We truly feel like we have made a friend forever. God bless you, Heidi, and all of your donors at the Jack & Jill Foundation. We can only hope that all of your kindnesses be returned to you.
 
                                                                                    With much warmth, gratitude and love,
                                                                                    John, Lisa, Johnny and Elisabeth Fox
 
 
P.S. We cannot forget to mention Connie Spence, our Bryn Mawr Hospital Oncology Social Worker, who arranged for us to connect with Heidi Cohen from the Jack & Jill Foundation. Since the beginning when John was diagnosed, she has helped our entire family cope and process the diagnosis, treatment and everyday life with cancer and, for that, we are forever grateful. We love you Connie!

VEALE Family WOW Experience

It is difficult to find adequate words to express our sincere appreciation for our San Juan, Puerto Rico vacation. The WOW Experience, in collaboration with the sponsors of the Jack & Jill Foundation, provided a unique opportunity for our family to create memories that will last for a lifetime.
 
Please allow me to share our experiences and activities with you. From the beginning, Heidi was very helpful, informative and cordial. It was certainly a pleasure dealing with her. The itinerary was set out clearly and everything went very smoothly. Starting Monday morning, we arrived in Atlanta at the Park n Fly Plus and it was14 degrees! The attendant quickly grabbed our bags and rushed us inside. Then, we were escorted to the Airport and AirTran. I especially enjoyed our trip down on Air Tran Flt. 5 because the pilot told of his flight plan and pointed out areas of interest on the way down. When we arrived at the airport where we were met by a black limo and then sped off to the Marriot Resort. There we were greeted by Olga and several of her staff. The kids got a big kick out of this, as we were treated like royalty! We followed our bags to an executive suite which over looked the pool and ocean. There, in the room, we found two gift bags of goodies which included denim shirts, fanny packs and travel wallets. In addition, there were two 3 tiered stands filled with fruit, cookies, juices and snacks. On the bed laid a warm welcome note from the Hans-Georg Rohrbein, the General Manager of the Marriott Resort offering us complimentary meals &movies. After catching our breath, we quickly changed and headed to the beach. Having eaten very little during the day we were ready for the seafood buffet provided by Marriott Global Reservations and sales team. We sat down to one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had, from our wonderful waiter, John, to the delicious food it was first class!
 
After a great night’s sleep, we awoke to an amazing breakfast buffet provided by the San Juan Marriott Resort. It began to rain so we decided to take a trip to Old San Juan. Thus began one of our most memorable experiences. We were told that there was a festival and that the taxi could only get us close to our destination. We took a taxi with a non English speaking driver and off we went flying over the bumpy roads, in and out of traffic with the driver constantly blowing his horn. He ran a red light without slowing down and then came to a sudden stop in front of the Capital Building. Here, he proceeded to back up over 100 yards against on coming traffic. I’ve never been so happy to get some place alive! The day soon cleared up and we returned to the motel to enjoy the relaxation of the beach and pool.
 
The next day we awoke early to enjoy a tour to the rain forest. We learned about wild dogs, wild cats and wild chickens. We saw beautiful scenery and waterfalls with exotic plants and flowers everywhere. It was truly a wonderful trip! Then, back to the motel for more sand and sun! That evening we received a big surprise for my 55th birthday, a delicious carrot cake provide by the San Juan Marriott.
 
We awoke sadly to our last day with the intent to make the most of it. Off we headed back to Old San Juan to explore SanJuan’s largest fort, El Morro. We continued to take many pictures of the beautiful scenery and also shopped for trinkets. Hailing a taxi, we headed back to the Marriott for our trip home. We went to thank Olga for the wonderful hospitality when we discovered we had left Mallary’s camera in the last taxi. We had almost 300 pictures from this fantastic trip. Mallary and I were both physically ill since we had no time or way to retrieve the camera. Thankfully, our daughter had brought her camera and all was not lost. She also had some very good pictures to help us relive our special vacation. We ended our trip by arriving back in Atlanta that evening to snow flurries!
 
This had been the first time as a family we had ever been on a plane together. We had all flown, but never as a family. And that was the most important thing of all, to get away as a family and enjoy our time together without all the normal distractions. This was accomplished by the Jack and Jill Foundation and their fantastic WOW Experience. This is an adventure my children, wife and I will have for a lifetime.
 
I would like to sincerely thank Heidi, the Jack and Jill Foundation and their gracious sponsors for their contributions for this memorable trip. The sponsors were truly outstanding whether they knew we were WOW quest or not. From the waiter John at the Marriott Buffet to the Air Tran Pilot to enthusiastic shuttle driver name Martha for Park n Fly Plus! There wonderful treatment of us speaks volumes to their employers and added to our amazing experience. Thanks to everyone involved! This opportunity you provided for us will allow us to look back for many years to come with cherished memories. Please know what a rare and special treat you all made possible for our family that has experienced many challenges and heartbreaks for the past twelve months! May God Bless You All!
 
Tommy & Mallary Veale

Dear Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation:  

When a mother is told news such as I received, One of the first thoughts that I got was how do I spend as much time as I can with my kids making good memories to last them a lifetime? You gave me the answer.
 
It was truly a dream come true for my children to have had this experience during such hard time in their lives. I humbly thank the following for making it possible: I would like to thank Air Tran for providing speedy transportation with a smile. The Sheraton New York where we were treated like Royalty. Radio City Music Hall your generosity was heart felt. The People at Disney for those wonderful tickets. “The Lion King” was truly Spectacular. Madam Tussauds Wax Museum we have great pictures thanks to you. Thank you Carey Limousine Service for driving us in style. I would like to extend my gratitude to Park and Fly Plus, which treated us with prompt and courteous service, exactly what you want after a long trip. In advance I would like to also thank the good people at Kodak for printing and setting our memories in a lovely album. Due to my lack of energy we were not able to go to the Circle line cruise and the Grey line tour buses but would like to thank them just the same for their generosity. And last but certainly not least thank you Heidi and all of the hard working men and women at The Jack and Jill. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
 
                    I would like to wish you all Happy Holidays!
 
                                              Sincerely,
                                              Lidia
 

September 29, 2008

 
Dear Heidi,
 
Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful weekend of memories for us. From our arrival at the Marina Marriott on Friday evening to our-post Emmy’s Awards dinner Sunday night, the weekend was such a positive experience for the three of us.
 
The weekend started with our arrival at the Marina Marriott where staff was waiting in the lobby for our arrival with keys in hand. We didn’t even have to check-in. We were escorted to our two adjoining Marina-view rooms where fruit, cheese, and dessert platters were awaiting us. What a nice treat that was! That was followed by a wonderful dinner at the hotel. 
 
The next day, after enjoying breakfast served in our rooms, we set off for Catalina on the Catalina Express out of Long Beach. After arriving on the island, we walked over to Island Rentals where a canopied four-seater golf cart awaited us. The golf cart made all the difference. We were able to drive all over the island and enjoy the wonderful scenery. We had lunch at a great little restaurant that is a local landmark. Then back onto the Catalina Express where we passed a huge school of dolphins while en route back to Long Beach.
 
Sunday was the Emmy Awards! That was truly something special. As I mentioned to you in the planning stages for our WOW weekend, you could not have selected a better opportunity for our family as my fifteen year-old son Noah is a big entertainment buff. We traveled to the awards in our black-tie finery via a fully stocked luxurious limousine, spent time on the Red Carpet, and had great seats for the show. All of us had a great time and my son was so excited to see one of his favorite pundits win an Emmy. How perfect was that! 
 
Our Emmy’s Awards hosts, Steve Kasten and his family, could not have been more gracious. Steve made sure all of us, including me, were ok at all times. It was a hot, sunny afternoon and Steve even made sure I found a shady place to stand on the Red Carpet which was no easy feat.   
 
In addition to accompanying Steve and his family to the Emmy’s, we had the pleasure of being accompanied by JAJF founder Jon Albert. Being able to spend time with Jon and thank him in person for this wonderful opportunity as well as the very idea of the foundation added to the uniqueness of the weekend.
 
We feel truly fortunate to have had this experience in what has been a most difficult and trying year for our family. I can’t find the words to truly express how wonderful it was to take a break from the routine of medical appointments and major illness and do normal things. Well, not too normal I guess, as how many folks get to attend the Emmy’s!
 
So thank you, thank you, thank you to you and Jon for making all this possible. And please extend my thanks to Marina Marriott General Manager Murray Lowe for his gracious hospitality, to Steve Kasten without whom the Emmy’s experience would not have been possible, and to the staff of Catalina Express and Island Rentals for their generous donations to our weekend experience. We are so appreciative and truly touched by the kindness and generosity of all the parties involved.  
 
This was truly a “WOW! Experience” and a “memory opportunity” we will always remember and cherish. 
 
With much gratitude,
 
Gayle Hawkins and family
 

Dear Heidi and everyone at Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation,

 
Today I had the happy experience of hearing about a wonderful trip that JAJF afforded one of our patients and his family to Puerto Rico recently.  There were huge smiles as details unfolded about being whisked away by plane to San Juan Puerto Rico, being met by a limo, pulling up to a fabulous hotel where they were "literally treated like movie stars for four days."  It was apparent that it wasn't easy to find the words to adequately express the joy your kindness gave this sweet family. They were lifted so high!  After months of medical appointments and procedures, frightening words, treatments and financial stress, you gave them an indelible memory that would not have happened otherwise.
 
Thank you so much.
 
Martha Giardina, BSW
The Emory Clinic
Department of Radiation Oncology

Heidi,

Timothy and I want to thank you so much for our trip to New Jersey.  We really appreciate the generosity of the individual and corporate sponsors/donors who helped make our trip a reality.  We were treated like royalty throughout the entire trip.  It meant so much to us.
 
Park N Fly Plus valet parking was extremely nice.  It was reassuring to know our car was safe while we were on our trip and to be shuttled to and from the parking area was a bonus with all our luggage!  We also appreciated the bags with all the goodies in them.
 
Air Tran personnel were extremely nice.  We were upgraded to business class (first row bulkhead seats) so Timothy's first airplane flight was a very special treat indeed. He got the best window seat on the airplane!  The stewardesses were so friendly, too!
 
Our rental car was extremely nice that Enterprise Car Rental provided for us.  The manager provided a wonderful (almost brand new) car.  It drove like a dream and was great on gas.  Other personnel went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure our stay was great.
 
The Holiday Inn in East Windsor, New Jersey was very spacious and beautiful.  We had a wonderful room and enjoyed seeing members of a wedding party having such a good time while we were there.  Timothy had fun playing games on the computer in the lobby.  We also loved the beautiful fountain outside.
 
Finally, Six Flags outdid themselves with the VIP Off Road Adventure Tour and the Guided Theme Park Tour.  As you will see from the photos, we had a wonderful time.  We learned so much about all the animals at the Wild Safari.  Even African animals don't like our heat and humidity!  It was amazing to watch the bears, not to mention the giraffes, baboons, elephants and many other animals.  Our guide for the Off Road Adventure Tour was Eddie.  He made sure we stayed safe and had many surprises in store for us.  It definitely made a difference to have such a knowledgeable guide and it was a lot more fun than just driving through the park.  Plus we got to feed the animals - what fun!
 
Peter was our tour guide for the park.  Timothy had a great time riding the rides and playing the games. I enjoyed the hydrotherapy and games, too.  The cabana was a very welcome sight.  Peter made sure we stayed hydrated and kept our adventure going non-stop. We enjoyed meeting all of the characters.  Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman were up close and personal.  Who could forget the dolphins?  We loved the show.  The trainers were so friendly and we had a good time getting our picture made them.  Peter was very patient taking pictures of us as we got to hug them.  They are such talented, gentle creatures.
 
All in all, it was a spectacular time.  Once again, we can't say "thank you" enough to everyone who made this trip possible.  It was the one thing that our family looked forward to while Ed went through chemotherapy and radiation last year.  Although we wished he'd lived to be with us on the trip, we know he was there in spirit. 
 
Marilyn Roberts

May 19, 2008

 
 Dear Heidi,
 
We just got home from our incredible trip to Orlando that you arranged for our family. It was spectacular, and that is a complete understatement! It so exceeded our expectations, and accomplished everything and more than it was intended to. Every detail was exceptional, and we felt so pampered and carefree. It was wonderful to escape the reality of chemotherapy and oncology and radiology, even if only for a few days. The fear and stress were replaced with magic and light-heartedness and FUN!! 
We were so touched and humbled by the sincere care and generosity of each of Jack and Jill Foundation’s partners. It has been an honor for our family to be the recipient of this kindness. We are so grateful. 
            Park N Fly Plus handled all the details with our car and getting shuttling us to the airport…smiling the whole time, even before 5:00am! Air Tran had the tickets ready immediately, and we enjoyed the smooth and efficient flight. Their employees were wonderful. Mears Transportation was waiting in Orlando with a sign “Ryan Family”, just as planned. Angel, our driver, was great, and even had a car seat for Abigail. Check-in at Marriot’s Orlando World Center went smoothly, and the customer service there was outstanding. They gave us a beautiful suite with an adjoining double room for the children. The accommodations were spectacular, and we are ever so grateful for the generosity. They also provided all of the meal vouchers for the hotel restaurants, which was a very appreciated gift as well. Sea World had our tickets waiting and gave us additional passes to get through lines faster and have priority seating at some shows. Our children loved every minute at Sea World, and because of the passes, they had so much time to explore and go on rides. Disney World also had our tickets waiting and provided us with a ‘special assistance’ pass which helped very much with wait times. We spent a day at the Magic Kingdom and a half-day at each Animal Kingdom and Epcot. After spending our last day in Orlando at the hotel pool, we flew back to Atlanta and are now safely at home. All went exactly as planned!!
            This trip was perfect for each of our children, Madeline (11), Michael (10), Andrew (6), and Abigail (4). I have never seen them all so happy. This has been the most wonderful vacation, a complete holiday from the reality of a brain tumor and the sadness and insecurity it can instill in us all. I wish I had more than the two little words that say ‘thank you’. Our gratitude is enormous! It has been extraordinary to see and feel the compassion of Jack and Jill Foundation and all of the businesses that contributed to our trip…all of the love and care and kindness of everyone involved.
 
 
With unending gratitude and appreciation,
 
 
The Ryan Family
Brennan, Lisa, Madeline, Michael, Andrew, and Abigail

May 15, 2008

 
Heidi Cohen and Jon Albert
Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation
3282 Northside Parkway NW, Suite #100
Atlanta, GA 30327
 
 
Thank you for making an amazing experience at Useppa Island possible. In truth, I’m not sure we can properly express how much we appreciate and enjoyed this WOW Experience from the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation. WOW just doesn’t say enough. It was just spectacular from beginning to end. There are so many people and companies that made this possible for us. Each one made it the experience special and relaxing.
 
From our arrival at Park ‘N Fly Plus where our car and luggage were taken care of with great ease, to the smooth and efficient flight on Air Tran. Our airport experience was nothing but a pleasure. When we arrived in Fort Myers our limousine driver from Dolphin Carey Transportation was waiting to give our son William (5 years old) the thrill of his life. William loves cars and had never even seen a limousine before, let alone ridden in one. He had hundreds of questions to ask the driver. The driver graciously answered as many questions as he could, and made us feel like celebrities all the way to the marina. That brings us to the slice of heaven named Useppa Island. What an amazing place. We feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to enjoy all the amenities and exclusive location.
 
Our trip to Useppa Island was more than a vacation. It was a chance for us to really relax by the beach as a family. Because we are originally from Florida, our extended families still live there and were able to come by to visit us. This is a rare treat since Charlie’s diagnosis with brain cancer. We feel especially blessed by the opportunity to spend time with them. I don’t think any of us knew how much we needed a break from all the doctor’s appointments and treatments to just be a normal family spending time together.
 
Everyone on the island was so friendly and welcoming. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home. This is especially true for Chad Cadwell, who made the whole experience possible for us. He was so gracious and accommodating. We really enjoyed his company. The Turtle Grass Cottage we stayed in was beautiful and spacious. All of the food at the Collier Inn was delicious without exception. I could go on and on. It was nothing short of perfection.
 
One of our favorite activities was our fishing charter on Saturday morning. Captain Pat Hagle (Captain Pat Sparrow as our son named him) was the perfect combination of knowledge and patience. He took us to all his best spots and showed us how to catch the most fish. He even taught William to fish so well that he caught some real big fish (wink-wink). We even got the opportunity to go to an isolated beach where we found some of the most beautiful shells. It was such a pleasure to spend the day with him. It was something we’ll never forget.
 
As you can see, every aspect of our trip was beyond our expectations. We can never express how much this WOW Experience from the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation has done for our moral. We have made very special memories that will stay with us forever. This has truly made a difference in our lives. Thank you so much for allowing us to enjoy this special time together.
 
 
Gratefully,
 
Charles, Aileen and William Skinner

Heidi,
On behalf of myself and my family I want to thank you and everyone who had a hand in providing the wonderful trip to Orlando that we were given. The trip meant a lot to us and we had a great time. We had not spent that much time together in such a fun setting before. We enjoyed all of the parks and will never forget this trip. You guys are certainly dream and memory makers. We had enough fun to laugh and talk about forever. Thank you all.
 Mike Richardson and Family

Dear Harold,

My husband and I would like to say thank you for the portraits you took of us last month through the Jack and Jill Foundation. It was so kind of you to give your services. My family will treasure the photos you took for many years. Today I went with Heidi to pick out the frame for the portrait and the it was the first time I got to see it. It turned out very nicely. Thank you again for offering your services.

Sincerely,

Wendy and Andy Alexander

To everyone that helped make our weekend vacation happen, My family and I would like to say Thank You so much for this weekend. I am not sure how much longer I have, but when I am gone, my family will have very good memories of our time together. We haven’t been anywhere as a family in 3 years, so this weekend is very special to us all. Once again we would like to say thank you.

 
The Moya Family

Dear Karen,

We just wanted to send you a note to say "Thanks" for the terrific weekend. Our family vacations will never be the same. We felt like such rock stars. The staff was awesome, knowing our names, meeting our needs and even a few desires. I'm still trying to find room for all of the gifts and we can't stop talking about the food. Chef Chee, Chef Philippe and Frank were so much fun.

Please tell everyone involved in our vacation that we greatly appreciate all that they did and gave to make our memories special.

Missing the beach,
Mitchell, Yvette, Jacob and Conner Austin

Heidi,

Cathy Evans just glowed this morning when she was in our office – she was absolutely blown away with this weekend, it sounds like it was so positive and healing on many levels, not to mention a truly over-the-top experience for her family (i.e. personalized golf experience, behind the scenes with the Blue Man Group, meeting the Falcon’s coach/team, and very importantly, Jon and his children meeting with them Cathy said how meaningful it was to her husband, they really connected). Cathy shared that she would love to participate/volunteer with JAJF in some way, if ever needed…

Thank you, thank you and THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts (she shared her experience with several staff members this morning). As always, JAJF is an extraordinary foundation that offers seamless service from start-to-finish. They will always cherish this weekend.

Please extend my appreciation to John and I hope both of your families have a blessed holiday.

Bryan

Bryan Miller, L.C.S.W.
Oncology Social Worker
Atlanta Cancer Care
Cumming, Decatur, Johns Creek & Roswell Offices

Good morning Heidi and Katie,

We all thought this weekend was AMAZING! We all had so much fun.

I wanted to take a minute to tell you how much my family and I appreciate what you did. Its because of people like you and experiences like this that makes having cancer a little easier to deal with. Seeing my kids so happy and filled with excitement means the world to me and will help me get through tough times ahead. Everyone at the hotel and the park made us feel really special. My kids are still talking about it! There are not enough words to describe how much we appreciate what you did so I will simply say THANK YOU!!!!!! You made our year!

Thanks again
With much appreciation,
Theresa, Mark, Nicolas and Amanda Chabot

Dear Atlanta Falcons:

Thank you for a super day! From the ride in, the tour, the on the field experience, meeting everyone just blew us away. Thank you for the great seats and even though the outcome of the game was not favorable, we couldn't have had a better day.

We would like to thank Arthur Blank, Rich McKay, and Coach Bobby Petrino for spending time with us prior to the game. We realize they have a very busy schedule and thought it was very special for them to set aside time for us during their busy morning prior to the game. Our son Steve would like to thank DJ Shockley for taking the time to see us and get a picture with him. Steve was very impressed with all the pregame activities.

We would also like to thank you very much for the autographed memorabilia that you sent our son. He will cherish them for years to come.

We would like to thank all the players that took the time to autograph our sons program after the game. That most certainly was the icing on the cake!

Since we are from Cleveland, we are diehard Browns fans, but since moving to Atlanta we have come to love the Falcons and after this experience, we just love you that much more.

Thanks again for a great time,
Steve, Cathy & Steve Evans

Heidi,

Please share me heartfelt thanks to all those who made these two days of fun possible. Everyday gets harder and harder as we see my husband/their dad get weaker and weaker as he struggles to fight the Cancer, words can never express how grateful we are that we had the opportunity to have a couple of days of fun and some time where we could focus on something besides this dreadful disease. To hear my kids tell their friends about how awesome the limo ride, getting to go to batting practice, meet the players, our seats at the game, the unique opportunity we got to go behind the scenes for a guided tour of the park and learn the history of some of the rides and attractions. They were made to feel special if only for a couple of days and I am forever grateful.

Many Thanks,
Laura, Jimmy, Brandon, and Kristen Hackney

Hi Heidi,

Words can not express how much we appreciated the good deed you and your organization did for us this weekend. My wife and kids were so happy. To see the joy on their faces for an entire weekend was truly a blessing from God. From the moment we walked into the hotel, we were in a state of disbelief. The hotel staff was so nice and friendly, they greeted us with open arms and smiles.

Heidi, you know life isn’t always fair when God shows you favor. We must first give him thanks, for he is the reason we are all here and able to do good deeds for others. You know we always say “I am blessed to be a blessing”. Your organization is truly living by those words. My wife, son, daughter and I thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts, we loved the entire weekend. The limo drive was great, and our photographer, Eric was a joy, he really made our visit very special at the Georgia Aquarian. Everything was really AWSOME!!

Again thank you for bringing my family together to enjoy a stress free weekend, it couldn’t have been better. Heidi, thanks for the joy you put back in our lives, if only for a few days…Thanks. Our memory with the Jack and Jill Foundation is center around “JOY” (Jesus, others, yourself) because you are spreading it right now.

Sincerely,

Killis L Hendricks

A many thanks goes out to everyone that was involved in putting together our WOW weekend trip to the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. What a great weekend it was from the time we got on the plane to the time we returned home. Everyone that I tell about our trip cannot believe some of the things that we were able to do. Busch race, Helicopter ride to and from race, garage passes, pit passes, Suite passes, drivers meeting, photos with Tony Stewart. What a Weekend,and to top it all off Tony won the race. Thank You Jack Jills for the things you do for cancer patients like my self. Me and my sons have a lot of good memories to look back on.

Thanks Again,
Jeff Richardson
Stephen Richardson

Heidi,

I have attached our thank you letter for Monday night's events. Please feel free to make any comments and/or suggestions. I will admit that I am not a great writer. I am an accountant who is all about the numbers.

As far as the World of Coke Tour, I am doing a little bit of research. Unfortunately, we do not recall our VIP guide's name which I wanted to include in the thank you letter. I spoke with a representative with World of Coke and she is going to forward me the name and the address to send the thank you letter. Hopefully, I will have it this afternoon and will forward my letter to you. My chemo treatment starts back tomorrow so if we do not get it today I will see if Paul can write the letter.

I definitely do not want to leave you out of my thanks. If it was not for all of your calls and contacts, there would be no one to write thank you letters to. The Jack and Jill Foundation and you are doing wonderful things to give families time to forget the sickness and enjoy life. Thanks again and again and again for all that you do. It has been a pleasure getting to know about the Jack and Jill Foundation and you.

Sincerely,
Lisa White

Lisa White and Family

June 11, 2007

Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation
Suite 100
3282 Northside Parkway, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30327

So simply said - but, so heartfully felt ... thank you!

You cannot imagine how much the day meant to our family. It was a day that honored my children for their unconditional love, support and bravery since my diagnosis nearly five years ago. For that, I am forever grateful.

Cancer is unbelievably complex. Every patient reacts a little differently, both biologically and psychologically. The only constant in cancer is inconstancy; the only certainty is a future of uncertainty. Unfortunately, it profoundly affects every member of the family. It is a road that no child should ever have to endure ... a road of endless heartache and anguish in its purest form.

Thank you so much for honoring my children and giving us a day of "normal" ... a day of laughs and wonderful memories that they will hold with them forever.

A special thank you to Chris, our limousine driver and to Erica Newsome of the Brave's organization ... the day could not have been more enjoyable!!

With endless gratitude,

Jane M. Kerns

May 15, 2007

Heidi Cohen

Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation

Dear Heidi,

We really want to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the work you did to arrange the weekend for our family. It meant so much to us to be able to enjoy time together during this difficult time in our lives.

We want to start at the beginning and thank everyone that was involved in making this weekend so memorable, full of great memories.

The entire staff at the hotel was so nice and helpful. It was nice to arrive at the hotel and already be recognized. Thank you.

Lynn had a couple of conversations with the chef Tony. He was very accomodating and wanted to make sure our meal was perfect and it definitely was. I can't remember the last time we were actually able to sit down and enjoy a meal like that. Thank you Tony.

Once we left the hotel it got better. Rochell did us a great favor by sending her mother, Myrtle, to the hotel to watch Molly so we could enjoy the great meal. Thank you Myrtle.

Rochell also did a superb job getting us into the symphony. Molly loves music and really enjoyed the concert. She stayed awake through the entire concert which is sometimes difficult for her. We want to thank Rochell for setting it up so we could meet some of the performers. Thank you Rochell. They were a great group of people. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet us.

Once again, Heidi, we want to thank you personally for all the hard work you put into getting this all set up. At the beginning when we were approached, we were not sure if it would be able to pull this off because of Molly's special situation but you did it and you did it with flying colors.

I will send a few of the 70 pictures we took of the entire weekend. It is obvious in the pictures that we enjoyed every minute.

Sincerely,

 

Jeff, Lynn and Miss Molly Koch

Heidi,

I would like to thank the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, the Sheraton Suites Hotel, Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium for a WONDERFUL getaway! It was so nice to spend time together as a family without having to worry about doctor's appointments, bills and test results. We all truly enjoyed ourselves and I am so

The staff at the Sheraton was so nice and courteous. My daughters could not believe that we had four TVs in our room and they loved ordering room service and movies. We even let them stay up late and order chocolate cake while we all watched a movie together. They also really enjoyed the indoor/outdoor pool. We really enjoyed our stay there.

We have been to the Zoo Atlanta many times, but the VIP tour let us see the zoo in a whole new way. All the staff members were very informative and they answered any and all questions we had about the animals. The real star of our visit was Kelly the elephant. The girls loved feeding her and have not stopped talking about her. They also enjoyed meeting Rosie the rhinoceros.

The girls and I have visited the Georgia Aquarium before, but my husband had never been so they had a blast showing him around. Our favorite is still the Beluga whales and we also really enjoyed watching the River Otters. As always the aquarium was a real treat.

Thanks to everyone again for a wonderful time. I cannot express how much it means to have these memories.

Sincerely,

Allison Lyrberg

Jack & Jill

Late Stage Cancer Foundation

Jon and Heidi,

We would like to thank the Jack & Jill Foundation for providing our family the opportunity to visit New York City. My wife, Micki, first developed breast cancer four years ago. The prognosis was good after she completed Chemo. But the cancer came back shortly after that. Hardly a day has gone by the last four years that cancer has not controlled our lives. This get a away trip to New York was a blessing. To be able to travel to New York with the children and get away for a weekend, it was the happiest that my wife has been in a long time. It’s a memory that my children and I will cherish forever.

The city highlights boat tour around the harbor and the city sights bus tour around New York were very entertaining and informative. We also had a great time at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Broadway shows, The Drowsy Chaperone and the Blue Man Group.

Trump International Hotel & Tower was an amazing place to stay. The staff could not have been any kinder than what they were. The hotel concierge gave us gift certificates to eat dinner at the Fireman Hospitality Group restaurant Café Fiorello and lunch at the China Grill Management restaurant Hudson Cafeteria. Also, the Manhattan Limousine Company picked us up at the airport when we arrived and took us back to the airport when it was time to leave. They were great.

Words cannot express our gratitude. The service that your organization provides to the families of cancer patients is invaluable.

Thanks again,

Charlie Mangan

April 30, 2007

Dear Christine Parker and Katie Seuberling (Staff at Stone Mountain Park

We would like to thank you for all the work that you did to make this a wonderful weekend for our family. You don't realize what is missing in your life until you are given the opportunity to receive it. This is the first trip we have had with just the three of us. And to watch each other laugh and have a good time is something that we will remember forever. The room and boarding was great, our daughter thought it was very cool to have her own hotel room at four years old. The staff treated us special like the pins said. We don’t know how else to thank you for the wonderful weekend. We felt like a normal family for once, to be able to relax and enjoy a weekend vacation with out having to worry about our everyday struggles. It felt great to leave that all behind for two days. The food and snack coupons that you provided for us was very nice of you, the food was great. Again we would like to say thank you for taking the time out to help Jack and Jill Foundation make wonderful memories for our family.

Sincerely,

Shomari Minter-Smith (father)

Adneisha Minter-Smith(mother)

Talieah Minter-Smith (daughter)

August 2, 2007

Heidi, thank you, we had a great time especially the kids. The trip was very well organized, and we were very well taken care of with VIP treatment and all. We enjoyed the Duck ride very much, and the rooms were great. Duane was super nice. We are grateful for the opportunity and touched by the generosity of those who helped to make this trip possible.

God bless you all.

Justin, Mai, Alex, Adrien and Alan.

February 24, 2007

Dear Heidi/ Jack and Jill Foundation,

What a wonderful experience our family had at the Circus! Me, my husband, Jim, and my son, Jared, all attended. The day started out perfect by being picked up in a limousine. That was my son's first experience in a limousine and he was beside himself. He said he wanted us to buy a car like that. He enjoyed the animal crackers, gingerale and snacks the driver provided for us all. I especially loved the beautiful tulips the limo driver brought me. I am weak from the chemo so having such a luxurious type of transportation was wonderful. Not having to find somewhere to park and walk helped save much of my energy to enjoy the circus. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the photographer who stayed with us the entire time and took tons of pictures of our experience. I know we will enjoy them for years to come. The private meet and greet we had with the performers was really neat. They were all very kind and very funny! That was the first time my son and I had seen the circus. He loved every part of it, but he says his favorite was the acrobats. He would like to quit baseball and learn to become an acrobat so he can join the circus, we all laughed at that one! Having the private booth was perfect. It was a very comfortable place to relax and enjoy the show. My immune is low which means I can catch bugs easily, so it was good not to be sitting so close to others to avoid germs. I can't thank the Jack and Jill Foundation enough for the experience they provided for my family! We have been through a lot this year so it was a great day to let go of all my stresses and enjoy my family in a great environment! I thank God for all the people who took part in making this day possible. What the foundation does is a true blessing! We are all grateful for all the gifts you have given us. I pray the foundation will be able to provide this incredible service for many others.

Thank you Again!

Nicole Smith and family

Heidi, Jon,

I hope all is well with both of you. I feel like I have not thanked you and your organization enough. Since the trip, we have been under a lot of stress. Casey has been pretty sick since we got back through mid January with flu-like symptoms, which have delayed some treatments, but essentially, she was out of commission for about a month. As of last week, she is starting to come back to “normal”. She had her treatment last week and we have 2 more. We tried to keep it low-keyed during the holidays, but inevitably, it was a lot of work. On top of that, I have had to travel more than I would like and my company dropped a bombshell and asked us to relocate to Dallas this Spring. We won a significant account and I will be part of the leadership team (not a bad thing, just one more thing to stress about). And, of course, the kids have an endless number of activities that have kept us busy. That being said (and I’m not complaining), I feel like I haven’t said thank you.

The trip was an incredible experience for us. First of all, the fact that your organization wanted to do this for us and show us the kindness and generosity that you have done is overwhelming. As you may know, not only is this difficult physically for Casey to continue to endure the chemo, it takes an emotional toll on all of us. Casey and I have made the conscious decision to try and maintain a somewhat stable environment for the kids so they don’t have to worry as much, so the burden of enduring this falls on Casey and me. Being able to forget (temporarily) of the hard chemo sessions and just have fun in DC was a wonderful blessing. Second, the time we spent together seeing the sites of DC and especially the program was something the kids will never forget. Not many kids get to me the President, and now my kids have that unique experience. Thank you.

Turner made us feel like true VIPs. They were incredible with the kids as we prepared for the program and helping Natalie get ready for her part. They even sent us a gift basket after the program with 12 DVDs, including a special edition box set of the Harry Potter movies.

We received the book this past week and it was beautiful. I can’t thank you enough for that and it will go up on our display shelves in the family room.

I truly want to thank you for this trip. It was a memory we will never forget. Your generosity was overwhelming and for a few days, our family felt like royalty.

If there is ever anything I can do for the foundation, please let me know. I would be happy to help.

Thanks,
Rob, Casey, Eric, Natalie and Tyler Norr

Irene

Thank you and the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort for a fantastic weekend. We all felt terribly spoiled. You and the staff were very attentive and made our trip a once in a lifetime adventure.

You have a beautiful hotel and a wonderful city. The time that we spent together as a family this past weekend was more special than any other vacation we have been on. Just to be able to spend time together without thinking about cancer for a whole weekend was amazing.

We have all decided that we need to go back sometime to see some of the things we did not have time to. We will also enjoy seeing you and your staff again.

Sincerely,

Brian, Lee, Josh and Jennifer

Lisa White
837 Mount McKinley Way
Grayson GA 30017

 

October 25, 2007

Gwinnett Center
ATTN: Julia Karrenbauer
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097

 

RE: Jack & Jill Foundation / So you think you can dance? Tour

 

Dear Julia,

On behalf of my whole family, we want to thank you. You went above and beyond to make our experience a one of a kind. We will cherish these moments for years to come all because of you.

We are going to frame the poster and yes, allow Veronica to put it in her sitting room. Her excitement to meet the dancers in a one on one VIP setting was priceless. I’ll admit for me too. It was also nice to step across the street to the Hilton Garden Inn to lay our sleepy heads down and dream of the night all over again.

Sincerely,

Lisa White

 

Lisa White and family

Heidi,

Please be on the lookout from Mike with some photos from the Jack and Jill Foundation trip to Steamboat. But first of all we would like to humbly thank you and Jon Albert for the most unforgettable family trip to Steamboat, Co. It was truly more than we could ever have dreamed of. Our children saw "Real" snow for the first time in their lives. Combined with the kind ski lesson and great equipment you provided them they were already skiing intermediate runs by their 2nd day.

Alpine Shuttle service was prompt and we felt very safe considering the icy road conditions. They stopped for restroom/snack breaks and gave good information on Steamboat ( a little history on the way).

The Sheraton Resort could not have been nicer. A ski in-ski out situation for us was just perfect since I needed to rest every day. The service at the hotel was impeccable and the food at every meal was incredible.

Also, the kids were in heaven on the Red Runner Dog Sled Adventure. They took us out on a frozen lake, taught the kids how to harness the dogs and best of all they each got to steer the sleds. And being big dog fans and having our own Siberian Husky, it was the icing on the cake to the trip:-)

We hope we can personally thank everyone involved in this once in a lifetime event that we will never forget. And after everything our two children have been through these years with Fran's illness it was like Heaven seeing them with the biggest smiles on their faces. We will look at the pictures and be reminded of how blessed we were to be chosen and treated by your organization.

We hope one day to be able to help you raise money for this more than worthwhile foundation you have created.

Blessings and Many Thanks,

Mike and Fran Wellstead

I apologize for my thank you not being in a more timely manner. However, life continues to throw curve balls. I started with a cold while I was in Florida and ended up with Pneumonia and then we received word that my husbands' nephew faced an untimely death.

I don't even know where to begin to express our gratitude. Thank you seems so small for the overwhelming acts of kindness that were showed my family. Thank you Heidi for having a foundation that allowed us a family retreat after such a difficult year. And Jon I know if I start naming things I will surely miss someone or something but the memories will be with us forever. IT WAS PERFECT!!!

The staff & merchants made us feel like royalty. I remember having a sewage backup on Christmas day and not wanting to call and take someone from their families but we had to. I don't think I had actually put the phone back when there was a knock at the door. And two very, very nice men were there to help.

When we arrived the house was adorable with the tree trimmed and stocking hanging and a visit already from Santa. WOW!! The gifts could not have been more perfect. It was as if you knew my children individually including their favorite colors. My son's skateboard was a huge hit. I mentioned to you that we love board games and have a million of them, however the games you gave us…we did not already own.

And all the fabulous meals that were planned at the different restaurants and cafes, it was fun to watch the Truman Show and see the store where we enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice with our breakfast and see the owner on the ladder (we were there). We were blown away when you took us around to the bookstore and seaside shop and they were so generous with the gift cards. We received shirts from Bud & Alleys that we have been wearing since we have been back home and we have had several customers comment on what an excellent restaurant it is and "didn't you just love their sweet potato fries"! What a fun evening both there and the Red Bar. Everyone was so kind.

You know how much we enjoyed the bikes and especially the segway. I personally had a great time on it the day we all rode over to Publix. We were grateful for the gift cards that they furnished. We are not even sure who to thank for Christmas Dinner (that was like being at grandmas) or for the breakfast that was delivered and the Pizza. Wow does the list go on.

And what a fun day we spent working on our ice cream bowl at the pottery shop. We felt like family when we left. In fact our children kept saying they felt like we should stop in and say goodbye AGAIN.

Everyone enjoyed the tennis and my husband wanted to make sure I again said thanks for restringing his racquet. It was a really fun day for Keith to play with the children and I enjoyed some sleep. We have received the email with the proofs from Shane and thrilled to have finally had a family portrait made. It has been to many years. And best of all he seemed to have captured our personalities and love for each other.

I am sure I have missed things and not because they were not important to us just the shear volume of generosity was overwhelming. But before I close I would once again like to personally thank Jon for all the time and effort in organizing such a fairy tale week. Even the extra night in the house when you learned that we would be arriving a little earlier than expected was not taken for granted. And the impromptu tour of the Vera Bradley Inn You were an amazing host!

And now in closing my motto in life has always been to live like you are dying. Never go without saying I love you to those you love. Or thank you, to someone who has shared an act of kindness. You each have left a footprint on our hearts and we will be forever grateful!!

Sincerely,
Julia & The Westover Family

March 27, 2008

Special Thanks To:

Mrs.Victoria Cobb and staff at the Ritz Carlton,
Dailey and staff at the World of Coke,
Tony and Shawn and staff at Six Flags over Georgia,
Jen and Samantha and staff at Phillips Arena and Atlanta Hawks,
To the wonderful people who gave us the most beautiful Suite,
And last for the wonderful photographer Eric Bern and his son.

May the Lord repay you for all you have done. This is a sincere message that expresses our deepest gratitude for everything that was done for us this wonderful weekend. It will be a very memorable time in our lives. We appreciate all the gifts that was given to our children, they will never forget this time in their lives. They have talked and shared this weekend with anyone that would listen. My husband (Tony) and I (Tara) truly have been blessed by wonderful people like you all.

May God Bless you All

Tony,Tara,D'Angel,Mario,Kamaron,Brendin

October 8 2007

We would like to take this opportunity to THANK all that had a part in ourWOW! Experience TM weekend. I must say it was a “wonderful” weekend! Starting with everyone at the Grand Hyatt; the staff was exceptionally nice from the time we arrived on Friday until we left on Sunday. We ate dinner and breakfast both days down at Cassis. The staff there was very considerate of Hunter and Halie. I know that the restaurant is a very extravagant/elegant setting however; they made my kids feel very welcome. They made sure they got their food first. They served them ice cream with faces made out of M&M’s. Hunter and Halie got a kick out of that. They opened the doors to the patio so that they could go in and out as they pleased. They took very good care of us. The food at Cassis was outstanding. Again, thank you for all that the Grand Hyatt did, you all are above the rest in a class of your own.

We arrived at the Zoo Saturday morning a little earlier than scheduled. It was impossible to keep Hunter and Halie under control due to their overwhelming excitement. I had talked to them for the past 2 weeks about going to the zoo. Every morning leading up to Saturday, they both asked me if that was day we were going to the zoo. I would always tell them how many days we had left. Ok, so Saturday morning got here, they woke up with smiles on their faces. They could not wait to see the animals. They were both like little windup toys but their little turn mechanism had broken off. So, we got into the gate and let them run around until Duane arrived. I must say having Duane there was amazing. (Thank you so much Duane for your time. It was great having you with us.) To be followed and have him capturing the looks on my kids faces seeing all the animals. At times they were just so amazed; they would stand still and just watch the animals. Being able to have all 4 of us in pictures, we will look back on these for years to come. Duane I hope Hunter didn’t drive you too crazy. I know he talked your ears off but thanks for being so understanding. Again, the kids had so much fun at the zoo. At the end of our day we had one last thing to do. That was to feed the elephants!!!! I had talked to the kids about this leading up to Saturday. We walked into the exhibit where the elephants were being washed. The kids were amazed. I know they didn’t expect to be that close to something so Large! They were very hesitant of feeding her. However, I will say I enjoyed the experience! Letting Tara eat of my hands, ok I must say it was a little messy but an experience of a lifetime. Once my kids saw that Tara would eat the food off the floor they were asking to throw her food to her. So, the zoo keeper allowed them to throw the whole bucket. After feeding the elephants, I was very surprised that Lori Perkins added a little more to our visit than we expected. She actually took us behind the scenes and allowed us to meet the lions up close and personal. Well, not to personal Hunter said he didn’t want to be eaten for lunch. Again, the kids were in amazement. They have not quit talking about all of this. At the end of the day the kids had to call their grandmother to tell her about their day. I only wish I would have thought earlier to get the video camera out. The excitement in their voices brought tears to my eyes. They were going on and on about their day and they were so excited that at times it was very hard to understand them. Thanks again to all the zoo employees and Duane Stork for making our day one that we will remember for years to come!

On Sunday, we visited the Georgia Aquarium. This day too was a very enjoying day. We were able to watch the otters wake up. The kids were front side viewing of the morning feeding of the sea lions. They really had a great time enjoying all the fish. They were kind of reluctant about touching all the animals but they got a kick out of seeing Jason and I touching all of them.

Again, I would like to THANK everyone who helped in making our weekend both exciting and memorable; one that Hunter and Halie will think about, talk about and remember for years to come.

The Marsh Family

Wendy, Jason, Hunter & Halie

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 9:22 AM
To: Heidi Cohen, Executive Director, JAJF
Subject: Thank You

Dear Heidi/ Jack and Jill Foundation,

What a wonderful experience our family had at the Circus! Me, my husband, Jim, and my son, Jared, all attended. The day started out perfect by being picked up in a limousine. That was my son's first experience in a limousine and he was beside himself. He said he wanted us to buy a car like that. He enjoyed the animal crackers, gingerale and snacks the driver provided for us all. I especially loved the beautiful tulips the limo driver brought me. I am weak from the chemo so having such a luxurious type of transportation was wonderful. Not having to find somewhere to park and walk helped save much of my energy to enjoy the circus. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the photographer who stayed with us the entire time and took tons of pictures of our experience. I know we will enjoy them for years to come. The private meet and greet we had with the performers was really neat. They were all very kind and very funny! That was the first time my son and I had seen the circus. He loved every part of it, but he says his favorite was the acrobats. He would like to quit baseball and learn to become an acrobat so he can join the circus, we all laughed at that one! Having the private booth was perfect. It was a very comfortable place to relax and enjoy the show. My immune is low which means I can catch bugs easily, so it was good not to be sitting so close to others to avoid germs. I can't thank the Jack and Jill Foundation enough for the experience they provided for my family! We have been through a lot this year so it was a great day to let go of all my stresses and enjoy my family in a great environment! I thank God for all the people who took part in making this day possible. What the foundation does is a true blessing! We are all grateful for all the gifts you have given us. I pray the foundation will be able to provide this incredible service for many others.

Thank you Again!

Nicole Smith and family

To all our New York hosts:

 Words cannot express our extreme gratitude for the once in a lifetime family memory you provided us. Our New York experiences will definitely be cherished by each of us always. My brain cancer turned our world upside down, but the trip you provided us brought a respite for our family to regroup and have fun together. We so appreciate all that you did for us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
 
 
Thank you,
 
The Castronovas
 

Dil and Susan,

  We had a wonderful time at the farm.  Your hospitality allowed us to become part of your family while we were there. 
  Everyone was GREAT!  Even you neighbors seemed to bond with us. We enjoyed the horses, boat, skiing,  swimming, skeet shooting, gator riding, motor bikes, and the swamp donkey.  The adventures we had with you will be cherished for the rest of our lives.
Thank You for opening your home and family to us. 
 
God Bless!
 
 the Lannings...
      Connie, Special K, and DJ

Hi Heidi

Thank you! Thank you! Thank You! You have know idea what this incredible, WOW! weekend this has, and will mean to me and my family for the rest of our lives. Thank you for this fabulous Jack and Jill foundation. I would also like to thank all of the others who where involved in the process of making one of the GREAT, GRAND, HAPPIEST and marvelous weekends in our lives. Thank you Stephanie parker, you are the best. Mr. Delroy Meredith of Georgian Terrace hotel, the hospitality was excellent. You treated me and my family like royalty. Mr. Muhammad for the parking service. Mr. Michael at the civic center and the sign that read, “reserved for the Davis family.” How grand is that? One of the members of the Lion King came out to greet us after the show was, Mr. Paul Sadler that was really special, he took us behind the scene to meet some of the cast, amazing. Mr. Michael our photographer thank you! I know you have captured some wonderful shots of my family, and that is one thing we don't have is family portraits thanks again, it was fantastic. I hope Maurice wasn't to much for you LOL.
You all have filled my heart and lifted my sprits, for to see the joy and happiness in my kids eyes and face. I would like to thank Barbara Bear at WSB Radio, bless you. Our Tour guide at the World of Coke Cola for give me,  I can't remember her name, you were awesome knowledgeable. If this is how celebrities are treated or feel, you all definitely made us feel like one. I graciously and humbly thank each and every one of you. I never felt that much love from people who don't know me. The whole experience, WOW! Because of people like all of you I know that things are going to ok. Bless you all
 
 
Thanking You With Love
                                                                                                                 

Karen Davis

Hi Heidi,

 Just a note that Jack passed away last week and first, I was so happy that he was able to see the pictures in the album and secondly that we were able to show it off at his services. Everyone thought it was the coolest memory for us. Also, just a note that the hat that he had signed from Coach Meyer was such a treasure for him. I caught him one day just looking at it. He wanted Austin, our son to have it for a keepsake. I know you didn't know him but he was a great guy and the trip was such a special thing for all of us. Thanks again!!
 
Regards,
 
Jo Anne

Heidi:

 
Thank you, all yourJack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation friends, and involved partners for wonderful days in the mountains.  While the event was a great time, the real benefits were for Greg and Sara!
 
Roy Swartzberg and his family were very kind in providing their wonderful mountainside house!  Seeing the deer roaming the woods immediately around the house was tremendous.  And that sight was only part of the relaxation and evening place we called "home."
 
Sheri's Health Club boat rental was very relaxing.  Winding around the lake's islands created the start to an adventures day.
 
Amicalola Falls State park made for a nice northern excursion.  It has been many years since we have been to the park, yet the arrival created immediate, as well as new, memories.
 
Both Trevi Pizzeria and Amicalola Falls State Park And Lodge provided wonderful dinners!  Caty was quite friendly at Trevi's and the Amicalola Mountain view both presented good food for the hunger built by our days.
 
Heidi, these few days gave us plenty of exercise, exquisite mountain and water viewpoints, and truly family time to help all, particularly Greg, bring relaxation into life!  Again, we are most grateful to all in bringing this together.
 
Heidi, again, thank you and all involved for your kindness!
 
All the best,
 
Cathie Gillispie

To whom it may concern.

 My wife and daughter join me to thank you for your generosity. Our journey in San Antonio was wonderful. It was so much more than what we could ever imagine and for the first time in over a year, I didn't think of my illness. And it could have never happened without you.
Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.

Sincerely,
Nicolas, Lily and Emilie Mathe

This is a thank you for all the wonderful people who work so hard to make a trip for me and my kids take place. To places that we may have never gotten the chance to go if it weren't for  the Jack and Jill Foundation and the NBA. You have given me and the kids memories that we will never forget. 

 Special Thanks to Alex Goldberg and Collin Davis for spending extra time with the boys.
 
Thank You,
The Thompkins Family

August 21, 2008

  
The Wildy family would like to thank all of the sponsors and everyone that was involved in our WOW experience with The Jack and Jill Foundation.  My family and I will forever cherish each and every moment of our vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada.  WHAT A GREAT CITY VEGAS IS!  From the time we landed until the time we departed was absolutely enjoyable.  We got in so much in 4 days there ought to be a law against it.  We did the museum, the gondola ride, 2 shows, the spa, sightseeing, our suite and lets not forget nearly ate ourselves into another weight class.  Everyone we came in contact with was very helpful and did not stop until any issue was resolved.  We appreciate everything that was done for us and will forever remember our experience in Las Vegas!
 
Sincerely,
 
The Wildy Family

Hi Heidi,

My family and I would like to thank Jack & Jill Foundation and all of the sponsors who made this weekend possible. We had such a magnificent time in Los Angeles. All of the activities that were planned were superb. I would like to personally thank the staff at the Marriott Marina Del Rey and Valentino for being so attentive and accommodating to our needs.
Thanks for providing my family with a trip that we will cherish for a lifetime.


 

Regards,
Vickers Family

Heidi,

Please let everyone know how wonderful this trip was for us. The hotel was awesome, Six Flags was a blast, Alcatraz and Pier 39 were very enjoyable and the Muir Wood was amazing. San Francisco is the most beautiful city we have ever seen. Everyone made us feel like royalty and this trip will be something we will never forget. We want to thank everyone that made this possible for us. It truly was a dream vacation.
 
Thanks again!
 
Cindy, Steven and Trevor Boggs

I would like to thank everyone for our family time together. Puerto Rico was amazing! Ritz Carlton in San Juan is top notch. We have never experience anything like this before. Thanks to everyone for making this possible for us.
 
Sincerely,
Jones Family

12/10/2008

 We would like to say thanks to all of the people who make trips like this possible. The Westin is a wonderful place to stay. The hotel and dining staff were great and so helpful when we may have had that odd request occasionally. Everyone was very friendly and made our stay enjoyable and relaxing.

     I would like to say a special thanks to Senator Johnny Isakson and staff for all their quick work to make our tour possible. The White House is beautiful this time of year with all of the Christmas decorations. It was an honor to be allowed into such a place.
     Park n Fly made it so easy getting in and out of the airport. It was nice not to have to deal with the traffic getting out of the airport.
     A special thanks to the Willard International Hotel and to Mr Robert Watson for holding our camera equipment so it would be available for us later in the day. It means so much for us to be able to go back and look at the pictures from the trip.
     It was great to just “get away” and put our troubles behind for a few days. We appreciate all of the time that everyone puts in to make things like this possible.
 
                                                      Thank You again,
 
                                                      William, Tracie and JB Collins
 

I,Veronica Gray and my son Cameron would like to thank you all for the wonderful experience we had on our trip to Disney World. We had an amazing 1st flight on AirTran Airways, this was a trip that we will nerver forget. Everything went well the driver was awesome, the hotel room was great, the service was unforgetable. It's people like you, that make dreams come true. We are forever grateful for your expression of companion for others. This trip we will always cherish!!
 
            I can not stop talking about how wonderful your organization, has given us memories we will forever hold dear to our hearts. The Disney Parks was awesome.
 
                                                                                                 Thanks In Advance,
                                                                                                      Veronica Johnson-Gray
                                                                                                       Cameron Anderson

 Heidi,

 
I want to thank you and thank all those who made our New York City trip so special.  We had such a wonderful family vacation.  It was so nice to go on vacation without having to worry about anything.  The accommodations, transportation, activities, and meals were fabulous.  The whole trip exceeded any of my expectations.  We had so much fun and so many laughs together.  We will remember this vacation always.  It was just what our family needed after the tough couple of years we had dealing with my cancer. 
 
Thank you! 
 
Carolyn

Dear Friends,

 
My name is Jennifer Bowers, and my husband, Rick, and I have three children-Abby (9 years), Will (5 years), and Jack (21 months).  We live in Woodstock, GA, and I teach Talented and Gifted elementary school students in a nearby town.  My husband worked as a freshwater mussel ecologist and taught part-time at Kennesaw State University on Saturdays.  He was working on his PhD long-distance at Kent State University.  He was also a member of a band and dabbled in his own music production company.  As you have probably guessed, we led very busy lives.  This past summer, my husband, who is NEVER sick, began to experience some vision problems, which progressed into ringing of the ears, speech problems, and numbness/weakness on the right side of his body.  It took a couple of months, MANY tests, and finally a craniotomy, but my 34 year old husband was finally diagnosed with a brain stem glioma, which is a very rare and serious form of brain cancer.  They have given him 3-5 years, but he is determined to beat that and see our children reach all of the important milestones in their lives.  The diagnosis also came on the day he was laid off from work.  As you can imagine, it was a very rough time for us.  Luckily, we have found a lot of support from family, friends, co-workers, and even complete strangers.
Imagine our thrill when we received a call from Heidi at the Jack and Jill Foundation informing us that we had been awarded a trip.  Because of Rick's PhD research, we had not been on a family vacation in years, and now because of our financial situation, we weren't expecting to go on one any time soon.  We had an absolutely fabulous time on the trip!  Every last detail was carefully thought out to make our time easier and more fun.  The Park and Fly Plus was so convenient and ideal given all of the luggage we had.  Everyone at the airport helped us out, and the limo driver was wonderful.  The resort was absolutely beautiful.  We had a golf cart, a special wheelchair for the sand, and a shower chair for Rick.  Ruth, Rick, and Marcos checked on us many times to make sure we had everything we needed, and Ruth took us personally on a tour of the resort.  The kids loved their sand toys and stuffed dolphins.  Will had trouble believing that they would be allowed to take them home and not have to leave them for the next group of children who stayed there!  The New Year's Eve party, dolphin cruise, and sunset dinner on the beach were a lot of fun for all of us, although Will was afraid that the captain of the boat was lost since we hadn't seen any dolphins for awhile!  We ate at different restaurant every lunch and dinner and got to do every activity we were interested in doing at least once.  Of course, I enjoyed not having to cook!  We really appreciated the groceries that were provided for us for breakfast and snacks.  In short, we had a fabulous time and were able to make memories that we will keep for a lifetime.  Rick was a little apprehensive about going on the trip.  He was afraid to leave his comfort zone here at home, but after facing any challenges that we came across on the trip, he came home with a much more positive attitude.  He is originally from Florida, so he enjoyed smelling the sea air and dinner on the beach the most.  Abby enjoyed collecting shells that she and her dad identified later and going to the pool.  Will enjoyed riding in the golf cart.  And Jack enjoyed going places and his new shoes (go and shoes are two of his new words).  I enjoyed spending time together away from home, doing fun things, just the five of us.  It seems as if we have not had any time to ourselves since this whole thing started.  While I appreciate everyone's help, our house has become a revolving door. 
So, please accept our most sincere thanks.  All of you are wonderful people, and I hope your generosity and kindness are returned to you tenfold should you ever need it.
 
Sincerely, Jennifer, Rick, Abby, Will, and Jack Bowers

Dear Donors,

We are so very thankful for the wonderful vacation/memory-creating trip that you sent my family and I on to AZ! We can’t thank you enough for all the fun we were able to have while on our trip.  The diagnosis of terminal brain cancer has been one of the most challenging things in my life. This trip enabled my family and I to create some amazing/incredible memories that we will cherish forever.  Thank you so much! I only hope that one day I can donate money to a family in a similar situation--not that I hope anyone ever gets terminal cancer--but that I have the resources to be able to donate money for a great cause like the Jack & Jill foundation. 
 
Thank you so much! 
Spencer, Brianne, Angelina, and Alexander

July 22, 2009

  
I would like to thank everyone who helped making our trip to Disney world possibles we had a very good time which haven't had in a very long time. It meant the world to me to see my husband act like a kid again and enjoy himself so much. I was hopping to get this letter to you all much quickly however we had an unexpected medical delay were we had to take gabe to Houston medical. None the less the thank all the more I will never forget this amazing experience we had as a family aswell as the new and ever lasting memories. God bless you all and again thank you in so many ways we could never fully express how much this truly meant to us .....
 
 
Mr. and Mrs. Gabrial Nieto and kids

Dear Heidi,

 
I don't know where to start. I was trying to formulate a letter to you from the first day of our wonderful trip! Let me first tell you that my husband works two jobs to keep our health insurance. His partner just had major cancer surgery and has been out for 2 months, one of the few remaining customers they have tripled their work load for this month, and they had to relocate their office this month as well. The timing for our WOW Weekend could not have worked out better, because he was ready to collapse.
 
When we arrived late in the evening at the W Seattle after a full day of traveling, we were warmly welcomed - "Oh, THE JOHNSONS are here!", Tom and his staff had been waiting and we had just missed them, but they had set up a lovely welcome snack of fresh fruit (including fabulous Rainier Cherries) and juice in our room with a personal note from Tom. We felt like special guests from the first minute we walked in.
 
Where do I even start about the room? We were given a huge corner suite with a separate room for Hannah. Our suite alone could have seated 20 people - furnished super-modern but still comfortable, it had a giant plasma TV that swiveled from the living to the bedroom area, a gorgeous bathroom with jacuzzi tub, stereos in both rooms as well as a place to dock your ipod. A large vase of fresh pink flowers. VIEWS out of every window. And there were some BIG windows. Including one over the jacuzzi tub.
 
it was a level of luxury we are entirely unaccustomed to.
 
Then Hannah spotted the gifts.
 
On her bed, cuddled up to a "W" Teddy bear, An I-TOUCH.
She says;
"Hello...Are you kidding??? Is this for me? Seriously??? Noooooo Way!! Seriously?? NOOOOO WAAAAAYYYY? Are you kidding? They are giving me this??? WHO? HOW? OH MY GOD I can't believe this, can we LIVE here???"
 
I am not exaggerating.
 
Also, wrapped in "W" purple metallic gift bags; candles,  "W" baseball caps, "W" logo snowglobe (that lights up), bath products, and among other things, Seattle City Passes and tickets to the Seattle Ducks tour!
 
Hannah was bouncing off the walls with happiness. You have teenagers, so you know that this can be a rare moment for these usually cranky and unimpressed humans. The trip could have ended right there and I would have been content.
 
This hotel made us feel special at every contact with any employee. I don't know what Tom said to them, but they were all looking out for us. "Oh, THE JOHNSONS, right this way, you're THE JOHNSONS!" Everyone was just so nice & solicitous! We met Tom and his assisants. They THANKED US for coming!
 
We had one dinner in the restaurant that was so gourmet I was not sure Hannah would eat anything. She's a picky vegetarian teenager who doesn't like vegetables. She ate everything! Said it was an adventure and she would feel bad if she didn't try it all. We liked our waiter Leicia so much we wanted him to join us (of course he wouldn't). We were stuffed after the main course and tried to decline dessert, but they had already prepared a special platter of ALL of their desserts for us, all showpieces of  culinary art. Special, for THE JOHNSONS. We left dinner feeling special. Like the most important guests in the hotel.
 
And by the way, the bed there was the most comfortable either my husband or I have ever slept on. I don't know if it was simple exhaustion or the amazing pillows, but we both slept great! He even peeked under the sheet to see what brand mattress it was. "W"! Custom made, of course.
 
The hotel arranged for a car (adorable Stephanie driving) to take us the few blocks to the Ducks. We really enjoyed the tour. Honestly, I thought it would be a little too wacky for us, I mean, come on, it's a Duck-Truck-Boat thing driven by a cartoon character, but I have to say it was informative as well as entertaining. We got to see all the parts of the city that we would have missed otherwise. The driver whipped that truck-boat behemoth around so fast, talking the whole time,  I was sure he would scrape something. He didn't. Everybody on the street waves to you on that thing. We just figured they were waving because WE ARE THE JOHNSONS!  Hannah actually wanted to tip the driver with her own money (and she did)!
 
We spent the rest of that day with the regular tourists in the Experience Music Museum and in the Space Needle with our City Passes. Nobody recognized us as THE JOHNSONS. We were surprised.
 
The next day we spent about an hour at Pike's Place shopping before we had to return to the hotel to catch our Town Car and Driver(!!) (Dan, another super-nice guy) to take us to meet Deathcab for Cutie. My daughter has loved them for their music and lyrics - she writes songs herself, and she has introduced my husband and I to Deathcab over the last two years or so. It took us a while to get past the name. 
 
We called their manager, Mark Duston when we arrived, and he brought the band out. This was the most thrilling, WOW-ish, surreal, words-fail-me thing!  Ben, Chris, Nick and Jason; all so friendly and sweet and REAL - I mean they seemed GENUINE, not rock-star-where-are-the-groupies, just NICE. They all signed the Deathcab t-shirt and CD case we brought and let us take a couple of pictures, they made 5 minutes of small talk, and I KNOW this must be a pain to them, so many people trying to meet them, but I want them to know how important this was. For me to watch my daughter be so happy, in the midst of being dragged through so much - the fear and uncertainty of my illness, for her to just be happy.
 
Hannah was unable to form a sentence when they asked if there was a song she particularly wanted to hear. She says she just got stuck because everything she thought of, she thought, oh, well, they would play that anyway. So after watching her struggle to get a title out I mentioned MY favorite song.
 
After our meeting, I called my cousin, who although I was close to growing up, I haven't seen in 14 years. He and his wife live 10 minutes from the park where the concert was. They came over and brought us chairs and blankets, and my husband and Hannah went in and got settled while I got to visit with them. Hannah waited right up in front of the stage and got friendly with other obsessed fans while waiting for the show to start. It was important to her to get that spot.
 
The show was nothing short of magical - a cool breeze, the sun setting over the mountains in the distance, pine trees in the sky behind the band. My husband and I had our blankets and Hannah had her spot in front of the stage, and near the end of the show they played my song as their first encore, the one I had asked for. I felt like they were playing it for us. Maybe they weren't; maybe it's their standard set list for every show. But it didn't feel that way. I cried through the whole thing. It's about dying. It's something I think about every day. But at that moment I felt more sharply connected to the world, to my husband, to my beautiful daughter who writes songs.
 
Thank you.
 
to you, your foundation, to Southwest Airlines, Tom and The W Hotel, Mark, and the four gentlemen of Deathcab, and everyone else who made this impossible trip a reality for us.
 
Linda Johnson
and family
George
& Hannah
 

To Those That Helped Make An Amazing Memory,

 
I can’t seem to find the words to express just how amazing the vacation was. Everything went better then we could have ever imagined. The flights on Air Tran were comfortable and relaxing.The first class upgrades were unexpected and without them I have no idea how I would have gotten my son asleep and quiet for the flight back home. Thank you to all the Air Tran staff. Thank you to MEARS Transportation Service, Lars (our driver) was very helpful and informative. A HUGE thank you to the J.W. Marriott Grand Lakes Hotel and their VIP coordinator, Colleen Gugino, who made our stay a truly magical experience (and spoiled the silly out of my son).Also, thank you to the In-Room Dining and Refreshment Staff for the great gift baskets. Lastly, thank you to all the Disney World Staff and Compassion Partners. Our two days in the parks gave us a lifetime of memories and my son is still talking about it. When he isn’t pretending to fight the evil emperor Zurg with his Buzz Lightyear toy we bought while visiting, he is running around brandishing his sword from The Pirates of The Caribbean attraction while yelling “arrrrr me matties!”.
 
 
Thank You With All Our Hearts,
 
Ashley Devine and T.J. Blalock

Laurie, and Maddie,

 
I am writing to express my gratitude and appreciation for the way in which you arranged the stay at The Ritz-Carlton for my family and I.
 
With my wife, Ragan, getting sick each time a reservation had been made and having to then postpone our stay with you, this caused extra work on your behalf with rescheduling the stay to another date. With your kindness and attentiveness to your duty, you went above and beyond for my family even after Ragan had passed on.

The stay at your hotel was incredible. It provided us a chance to unwind and relax after the funeral. It definitely took a weight off my mind for the duration of our stay.
 
I truly appreciate everything you have done for my family and I in order to make our stay at the Ritz-Carlton happen. The time we spent at your hotel was a once in a lifetime experience, that Ragan would have loved - and to experience that in her memory meant a lot to myself and my kids.
 
 
Once again, thank you for everything.
 
Respectfully yours,
 
Brian Seely

Dec. 14, 2009

 
Dear Heidi,
 
Where do I begin? Heidi we had a wonderful time in New Orleans. What a beautiful grand city she is. Thank you for the Jack and Jill Foundation. I know it must be the beat of your heart. You are an angel to work so hard and bless so many. Thank you for your hand in all the coordinating of our wonderful trip and flights.
 
We want to thank Nikki Harris at the Sheraton New Orleans. Nikki was like a Guardian Angel. She coordinated all our adventures and checked on us to make sure that there was nothing we were in need of. Her attention to every detail really showed. Because of her we had a wonderful time, awesome experiences, and fell in love with New Orleans.
 
The staff at Sheraton New Orleans really treated us like Kings & Queens from the moment we arrived. Anytime we called for room service or the concierge desk or for advice in general everyone was very knowledgeable, helpful and courteous. Our room was beyond awesome and far beyond our expectations. What an incredible view we had of the city and the mighty Mississippi!
 
My husband and sons thoroughly enjoyed the welcome platter that the Sheraton New Orleans provided for us. Especially because it contained Zapp chips! These are their favorite chips in the world. I can’t tell how ecstatic they were when they saw them!
 
The food at the Roux Bistro was delicious. Some of our favorite New Orleans food was on the menu. And the desserts were yummy. Room service was just as good. The staff was always welcoming and courteous. Great service indeed!
 
The Aquarium was really fantastic. There were so many interesting and beautiful creatures there. It was relaxing to stroll thru at our leisure. I don’t know whom to thank for it but it was so special and well designed.
 
The tour on the Steamboat Natchez was a highlight for me, as I have always wanted to travel down the Mississippi on a steamboat ever since I was a child, a dream come true. My men loved the trip too. The tour guide really knew her stuff. And the Calliope was also great, an instrument I dearly love. In fact, on the day we left as I was alone packing in the room I was stopped by it’s music lilting through the air. I was able to see the Natchez from our bedroom window and watch the steam escape as the Calliope played, very cool!
 
We want to thank Bob at the Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro for a great night. He greeted us and took us straight to our table to enjoy the evening’s performance. It was a side of New Orleans that only the locals get to see. We felt very welcomed.
 
We didn’t get the name of the manager of Huck Finn Café but we would definitely like to thank her for her hospitality and delicious complimentary lunch. My men chowed down some of the best food in New Orleans. As my son Tres would say, the staff was “uber” kind.
 
The highlight of our trip was the Super City Grayline Tour. Our guide was OUTSTANDING! Didn’t get his name either. He was a black man in his 50’s probably. What a wonderful teacher he was. He knew everything from the history of New Orleans to the current trends to the locations of everything. He was funny and informative with that Southern charm that New Orleans is famous for. We really fell in love the whole city because of him. There is so much more to it than we ever knew.
 
Our drivers both from and to the airport were phenomenal another example of New Orleans southern hospitality. They answered all our touristy questions and made us feel like family. They too treated us as VIP’s making sure that we didn’t lift a finger.
 
Lastly, we’d like to thank the City of New Orleans because we always felt safe and welcome. The trolleys were efficient and fun to ride. They are such a part of the history and charm of this great town. We’re glad they are maintained and their operators are so patient with tourists. The police were present but never obtrusive. That’s not easy in town so large. We are so glad we chose to visit New Orleans.
 
May the holidays be a blessing to you are your family Heidi. As much a blessing as you have been to us. Happy Hanukkah/Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!


Hope,
 

 
 Marty, Charlie, Travis and Tres
 

I want to say a big huge Thank You to everyone who made my trip so wonderful. My family and I had an absolute wonderful time. Thanks so much to all the limo drivers (especially Tony). Thanks to the Hotel management and staff who were all so very nice. Thanks so much to the helicopter driver (sorry I forgot your name, although I will not forget you). A big huge thanks to Tony and Ann Marie for such a wonderful tour. We had a great time and Amy misses the dogs :) Thanks to Theresa at the AMA awards and to Reba for taking her time to meet us. My kids tell there friends at school and then their friends have to ask me because they do not believe the kids that they went to Hollywood, on a helicopter, to Disneyland and met Reba McIntyre all in one weekend. A very huge and special thanks to Heidi who put this all together for us. This wonderful foundation is absolutely doing a  great thing. I am so very Thankful to everyone. Please keep me in all of your prayers and I will keep all of you in my prayers.

Charlotte Haney and Family :)

Dear Heidi, 

 
On behalf of the Ramos family, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude for  such a wonderful vacation extended to us. Please extend our thanks to the providers of the hotel accommodations. The Marriott Residence Inn was perfect. Their staff is very kind and courteous. Did you know they even afforded us a bigger room complete with kitchenette and 2 bedrooms. To Airtran,  thank you for our plane tickets. The flights were on time and your employees were delightful. To the Compassion Partners who provided for our Disney world tickets, thank you so much for this once in a lifetime experience. We were able to visit the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center.
              Our overall experience was excellent. From our shuttle service from Park N Go, and  shuttle services from MEARS Transportation, "Ed" who picked us up from the Orlando airport and back, All these services facilitated our travel with so much convenience. Again. we thank you all very much from the bottom of our hearts.
               To you Heidi and the Jack & Jill Foundation,  we thank you very much. May the Good Lord bless you and your families as you continue to provide these services and great happiness to patients and their loved ones. Special thanks to whoever provided for our meal money, it surely came in handy.
                Again, thank you so much for everything. We will be sending the camera with our pictures.
 
 
                                                                                                                                                   Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                           Anabelle D. Ramos

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