Last Saturday, Pattie Watts submitted a kit request and included a note on how she is living paycheck to paycheck. Her message was why I rushed to Walmart to buy her a gift card for groceries and gas. We managed to get her kit delivered by Monday afternoon, and the following morning, I woke up to read the most heartfelt email.
The subject line reads, “Tears, tears and more tears!!” What follows* only motivates me to keep giving and validates our important work:
“Dearest Sonia,
I can't even express to you the emotions and happy tears I’ve been shedding since getting your package.
I haven't gotten past the cards or the origami made on the top of the wrapping. I just like handwritten cards by different people! I keep reading and crying over the cards—handwritten by people who don't even know me.
It's ironic because I'm literally struggling to find a ride to and from surgery on Thursday, another major surgery for more cancer that was found last Thursday so it was just amazing timing, and I can't find anyone in my life that will take the time help me. Granted, I worked my whole life. I have a very small circle of friends and I have no family left. But I did my life so very wrong. I just worked. I never balanced work with life and friendships—anyway, I digress.
Then here comes this package with handwritten cards and notes from people who don't even know me!! It was so uplifting to have these beautiful, handwritten notes, showing me that people really care about me without even knowing me.
The package arrived yesterday late afternoon and here it is 6:11 a.m. in the morning and I just keep reading the notes and looking at the origami piece that was on top. I haven't even looked underneath the wrapping because the meaning of the notes is the most important. I will look under the wrapping, I promise! I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you and everyone else who does this for others of us unknown to any of you! It is so meaningful and brings about such hope when all seems so hopeless.”
😭
Thank YOU for choosing #KitsToHeart to bring such joy. I find joy by giving joy. And messages like these mean everything to me as a cancer survivor who knows how hard it can be to live after receiving a cancer diagnosis. I am grateful to be able to show support through our curated cancer care kits.
Want to read more testimonials? Check them out here (and prepare tissues)!
*Edited for length and clarity, and shared with Pattie’s explicit permission.