SPLURGE! on taking time to learn something NEW!

Sometimes there is no better feeling than accomplishing a new task or hobby. That is why for this week's SPLURGE! Friday we would like for you to try something new and teach yourself an unexplored terrain.
Whether that is learning how to cook a new meal or tackle a local bike path, go out on a limb! According to Interest.com "Learning can improve your cognitive abilities, add a new dimension to your life, and encourage you to look, listen and learn more about the world around you."

As you may already know, chemotherapy can have huge impacts on the everyday workings of your brain, that is why continually seeking out innovative tasks for your brain can be so important.

Here are just a few suggestions for this SPLURGE! Friday....

1. Learn a new language
2. Learn to cook a new meal 
3. Try gardening [such as growing your own produce]
4. Ride a bike
5. Pick up a new book
6. Learn how to play chess
7. Learn how to knit--which is great for those who have started the process of hair loss!
8. Take an online course

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#TBT & A Little Christmas in July.....

Today's program resource, we are throwing it back to our 2011 Giving Tree Program to showcase a little holiday spirit in July! This particular year's themes were.......

Hollywood Glamour

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

What is Teen with a Dream's Giving Tree Program?
Every holiday season we conjure up two fun and innovative themes for our two Giving Trees that we put up at Rocky Mountain Children's Hospital. Every trinket that we decide to put up on our tree's are carefully thought through and have every patient that walks through their doors in mind. We ensure to have a wide range of accessories that will be wonderful for all ages.

What is the purpose of our Giving Tree Program
The Giving Tree program assists in accomplishing a core part of our mission to provide aid and comfort in pediatric cancer patient's physical environments by providing engaging, enriching and most importantly fun accents to make going to doctors appointments a little less sterile.

Space Quote

”When I first looked back at the Earth, standing on the Moon, I cried.”

Alan Shepard talking about his time on the lunar surface during the Apollo 14 mission in February 1971.

Even Nasa Astronauts have to work through emotion just like we do. 

Going to the Moon Emotional Journey

Here is a book that continues on with our Space Theme from last week but I think it speaks to children going through cancer because it is a long journey.

And remeber picture books aren't just for little kids, even teens can benefit from reading them!

Link to order:
http://www.amazon.com/If-You-Decide-The-Moon/dp/0590483595

Tip for telling your doctor how you are feeling.

Any cancer patient can tell you, seeing your doctor everyday or even just 2 days a week makes it seem like you are never apart, which means you may think that they know how you are feeling, however Doctors aren't mind readers so here is a tip to help your medical team out.

Keep notes or a journal at the ready so that if you start feelings badly or differently, you can write it down and then give the journal to the doctor or nurse when you go to the doctor or read it aloud for them to hear.

It can save you a lot of time and also you may catch something that they can help with.

Alien Slime !

We have found an activity that is out of this world and fun for the whole family- alien slime! It is a great and simple craft from Mini Monets and Mommies to accompany you this weekend! 

Ingredients:

• Elmer's Glue
• Tap Water
• Liquid Starch
• Green Food Coloring

Directions:

1. Measure out equal parts of water and glue. Mini Monets and Mommies suggest a 1/2 cup each.
2. Mix water and glue thoroughly.
3. Add same measurement used for water and glue ingredients and add liquid starch.
4. Mix and experiment with ingredients until you obtain the slime consistency you prefer.

Check out this craft and more on Mini Monets and Mommies 

SPLURGE! on Astronaut Ice Cream

We have discussed many a times how cold treats are a cancer patients friend during treatment. That is why today, SPLURGE! on a classic treat with a little spin--astronaut ice cream!

So, what is astronaut ice cream? Lets look at this brief overview provided by Astronaut Ice Cream Shop.......

Originally developed for the early Apollo Space missions, food is frozen to -40 degrees and then vacuum dried and placed in a special foil pouch. This is the same ice cream found at science museums for a fraction of the price!

The shelf life is 3 years, so there is no worry about it expiring. These products are manufactured by the same company that supplies freeze-dried foods to NASA for the Space Shuttle missions. Freeze drying removes water from the ice cream by lowering the air pressure to a point where ice shifts from a solid to a gas. The ice cream is placed in a vacuum chamber and frozen until the water crystallizes.

The air pressure is lowered, creating a partial vacuum, forcing air out of the chamber; next heat is applied, vaporizing the ice; finally a freezing coil traps the vaporized water. This process continues for hours, resulting in a freeze-dried ice cream slice. Try our other great flavors of ice cream!

 They also have other choice beyond ice cream such as fruit snacks! Get yours today from Astronaut Ice Cream's website or check out your local grocery stores to see if they sell astronaut ice cream as well!

Reach for the Stars

Halfway through the week and we could all use a good dose of inspiration, and there is no better place to start looking then yourself. Being cancer patients and going through the monumental task of going through treatment and dealing with the side effect means you've achived something in life that is incredible. Here at Teen with a Dream we do research all year round to find things to post, but also to know other nonprofits that help children with cancer this being Space week I thought that the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center STARS Survivorship Clinic fits in perfectly. 

www.starssurvivorshipclinic.com  

This is there matto Reach for the Stars and there may not be a better saying that fits what childhood cancer survivors can do! You can do anything you set your mind to, and it may be hard but know that there is help all you have to do is ask. 

The concept of space

Space isn’t just a place where stars and planets are it is also something that a child needs to deal with their diagnosis and even after their treatment. Here is some advise for parents or for kids to have their parents read hopefully it will help with finding your space

Maureen Healy, MA, is a fromer art therapist and has this to say about giving kids space:

"Give them Space: Your son or daughter may or may not want to “talk about it” due to their personality, temperament and situation. As a highly effective parent, you need to give your child the space to process his or her emotions by themselves. Every child is learning what emotions are (identification), what to do with them (regulation) and how to do it (approach) so during this process of feeling deep emotions – many boys and girls need to sit with an emotion like sadness, and then with your assistance (when they are ready) learn to let it go (talk about it). But giving a child the space and allowing them the time they need to feel strong enough or comfortable enough to talk about it is very respectful.” 

it is important they have their own space to deal with their feelings and come to terms with everything that is going on, however here is a good way both parent and child can come to together and possible share some feelings, Be Creative Together, do one of our Splurge Crafts together or make a piece of art you can bring to your hospital room to brighten it up, and try talking some during it and see what happens, it may be the perfect thing to allow you to communicate and still have space. 

Source 

A Message from our founder....

Coming up on the 46th Anniversary of the Moon Landing I can’t help but think of some parallel between the Apollo Program and being a cancer patient. So for todays tip we ask you to look to the stars and think about this… 

The Apollo Program took more then 400,000 people to achieve its goal, every little detail to make someone live in a unlivable situation had to be thought of and made. Just like cancer thinking about how many people and man hours went into coming up with chemotherapy drugs, researching different types of cancer, and how many people trained your doctors and nurses to achieve the impossible. It is mind blowing to truly think about the amount of people that have come to together to move mountains and make you well again. 

So to celebrate Space week, look up at the moon or the stars, and then close your eyes and think, so many people are looking after me, all will be well. I have hope and faith. 

-Spencer