The Dragonfly Effect Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joe Strecker Productions
The Dragonfly Foundation's podcast shares uplifting, sometimes poignant stories of pediatric cancer patients and their families. Programs will also include information, tips and insights about the personal and organizational challenges of helping Dragonfly families find strength, courage, and joy. The goals of the podcast include:
educate and inform the public about Dragonfly and its impact
help support the emotional, relational and practical challenges of patients and families
help build a more caring and compassionate community
inform and inspire listeners to support and fund Dragonfly programs and services, patient/family spaces, and fundraising opportunities/events.
The Dragonfly Foundation helps pediatric cancer patients and their families find strength, courage and joy. We do this by providing emotional, relational and practical support, relevant materials, and caring, nurturing and transformative experiences.
For more information, please visit Dragonfly.org or Subscribe To Our Email List.
To donate, visit Dragonfly.org/donate-now or text WINGS to 71777.
In this episode, dragonfly parents, Stacy and Adam, reflect on the impact cancer and The Dragonfly Foundation have had on their family after their young daughter Kylie was diagnosed. They also share stories of the support they received from the community, their children's school, and others.
Dragonfly has been with them from the beginning, starting with a bag of essentials they received at the hospital. Other programs and support services Dragonfly offers continue to play a vital in helping the family along their journey.
Dragonfly's patient/family events have helped to distract the family. Thanks to the generosity of donors like Cincinnati Bell, the family was able to attend a Garth Brooks concert (Kylie's first!) and a Cyclones game, among others. Having access to Dragonfly's suite at a local arena was especially important during times when Kylie was immune compromised. To donate tickets/suites to give to patients/families, please contact The Dragonfly Foundation.
Another event that brought them joy was when their children participated in Sycamore High School's Fashion For The Cure, a annual fundraiser for The Dragonfly Foundation in Cincinnati, OH. They were amazed at the event
For them, spending time doing things together as a family was huge. Dragonfly's Landing is a great place for them to get together, to relax and to connect with other families sharing similar experiences.
The family loves being a part of the Dragonfly family. They also appreciate the emotional support they receive from family, friends and associates. Texting or calls meant a lot to them, especially during the first year of treatment when they had extended hospital stays and multiple appointments and crises.
Whether at home, the hospital or the landing, the family spent a lot of time together playing with Legos. It kept them busy and helped pass the time. They credit the toy with providing a lot of happiness. This has lead them to create an annual Lego Drive for Dragonfly!
Everyone at their children's school was incredibly supportive. One of the family's fondest memories is when the students, teachers and event the principal lined the halls to welcome Kylie's return to school after an extended absence during treatment.
Treatment, surgeries, testing and maintenance visits cause a lot of stress, so Dragonfly is a welcome lifeline of support for not only the patient, but siblings/offspring and parents/caregivers.
This episode of The Dragonfly Effect illustrates the impact a community of caring creates in the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families.
As a legal guardian, grandmother, and caregiver guiding two Dragonflies, a patient and sibling, through treatment and long-term recovery, Tammy describes her/her family's pre-Dragonfly experience, as if they were living life in a dark box, feeling alone, isolated, and "empty inside," thinking "you are the only one."
The delivery of The Dragonfly Foundationâs essentials care bag and gifts proved to important first steps towards âpeeling away a layer of tape.â Gifts, patient/family event opportunities, times at the The Landing, Dragonfly's patient/family space, and other programs and services brought rays of "sunshine" into the days, months, and years that followed her young daughter being diagnosed with a bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in 2011.
Tammy's granddaughter enjoys drawing/coloring, creating designs, reading and writing; her grandson loves music, dancing and playing games. Much to Tammy's delight, Dragonfly took to heart the family's individual and collective interests and passions, helping distract them from treatment, surgeries, and fear of the unknown. Dragonfly's unique approach to emotional, relational, and practical support continues to profoundly impact their lives, even to this day.
While they continue to experience cancer-related challenges, they are are grateful for how they have been embraced by a welcoming, inclusive Dragonfly community of families, staff, volunteers and supporters.
The Dragonfly Effect continues to grow with the organization's efforts to spread kindness, love and compassion. Tammy encourages everyone to support Dragonfly by making contributions, donating tickets and suites for patient/family event opportunities, and sponsoring programs and services.
Listen now as Tammy shares her Dragonfly Foundation experience in a heartfelt conversation with co-founder, Ria Davidson.
Dragonfly is grateful to iHeart Radio host, Scott Sloan, for recording the closing of this podcast, and to executive producer Joe Strecker for his time and talents.
To donate or to learn more about how Dragonfly provides ongoing support, relevant materials, and caring, nurturing and transformative experiences, please visit Dragonfly.org.
This edition of The Dragonfly Effect shares the story of a young survivor who used the uncertainty surrounding her cancer diagnosis as a motivation to make other young patients and families' lives better as they overcome the challenges of treatment and long-term recovery.
The Dragonfly Foundation didn't exist when high school student Jen Morand was 15 and being treated for thyroid cancer; it would have helped her and her family immensely. After learning about Dragonfly's mission as a college student at the University of Cincinnati, she immediately knew the foundation was the perfect place to fulfill her goal.
She first became involved as a volunteer, and next, as an intern. Today, the foundation's multi-faceted community relations manager brings a unique combination of peaceful and positive energy to all things Dragonfly - truly epitomizing The Dragonfly Effect...
In this wide-ranging interview, hosted by Dragonfly co-founder, Ria Davidson, Jen talks about her experience, how it impacted her and her family, and how Dragonfly would have made a difference in their lives. She also discusses her role at Dragonfly and how she recruits, coordinates, and manages volunteers. She describes Dragonfly's volunteer protocols and shares opportunities where volunteers are needed.
Jen shares first-hand testimonials about the Dragonfly effect, and encourages people to support Dragonfly as a way to make an immediate impact on families affected by pediatric cancer. One "cool experience" Jen describes is the opportunity for Dragonfly families to play baseball at Great American Ball Park thanks to CBTS/Cincinnati Bell.
Dragonfly is grateful to iHeart Radio host, Scott Sloan, for recording the introduction/closing of the podcast.
The executive producer of Dragonfly's podcast is Joe Strecker.
The Dragonfly Foundation(R), a 501c3 nonprofit, helps pediatric cancer patients and their families find strength, courage, and joy. We do this by providing ongoing support, relevant materials, and caring, nurturing and transformative experiences.
To donate and to learn more about Dragonfly, please visit Dragonfly.org or text WINGS to 71777.
Ria Davidson, co-founder of The Dragonfly Foundation, interviews a 21-year-old Dragonfly patient, Briana, explores her Dragonfly experience and her journey overcoming the challenges of pediatric cancer.
Topics discussed include:
The registration process to engage with Dragonfly
Dragonfly programs, including patient/family events, the Landing, the Dragonfly suite at US Bank Arena, New Diagnosis Care Bags, and our "I Am Still Me"(R) Program
The support she received from family and friends, Dragonfly, her professor from Thomas More University, hospital staff, etc.
The emotional, relational, practical, physical and financial challenges she/her family experienced
Tips, advice, and the importance of asking for and accepting help
The welcoming, open hearts of Dragonfly families
Dragonfly's mission, vision and Lamar Advertising billboards
Things to say/not say to someone with cancer
Processing her experience and the after-journey
Dragonfly is grateful to iHeart Radio host, Scott Sloan, for recording the closing of the podcast. The executive producer of Dragonfly's podcast is Joe Strecker.
The Dragonfly Foundation(R), a 501c3 nonprofit, helps pediatric cancer patients and their families find strength, courage, and joy. We do this by providing ongoing support, relevant materials, and caring, nurturing and transformative experiences.
To donate and to learn more about Dragonfly, please visit Dragonfly.org or text WINGS to 71777.