The Big Hug Box delivers 40 RHoK Boxes to Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
"How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it” – George Elliston
Monday 12th November 2018
As a result of overwhelming community support The Big Hug Box delivered 40 Random Hug of Kindness (RHoK) Boxes to the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
I was greeted yesterday with a big hug from Lorainne Brecard, Manager of Volunteer Services. Lorainne and her team work tirelessly supporting not only the patients but also the staff also requiring advice on how to provide comfort to patients who may have just received their diagnosis.
In photo (L to R): Dr Lisa Horvath (Director Medical Oncology and Research), Lorainne Brecard (Manager, Volunteer Services) and Lisa Greissl (Founder, The Big Hug Box)
As we wheeled in the RHoK Boxes I was also fortunate to meet Dr Lisa Horvath, Director of Medical Oncology and Research (Left in the photo). Dr Horvath shared with us that she had recently reached out to Lorainne for support to provide comfort to the patient who was in shock of her diagnosis and that she had offered her a RHoK Box to gift the patient. Dr Horvath said how lovely that she could give her patient a Big Hug Box to provide a moment of joy and distraction from the uncertainty that was ahead for that patient. Even after her treatment Dr Horvath said that the patient continued to comment on how lovely all the products in the box were and useful during treatment.
Feeling and amazing sense of gratuity from all we had achieved and having met another volunteer David, I began walking back to the lift to attend my next meeting with CancerAid. As the lift doors opened to go up to level 5 I realised that I knew the man who was looking straight back at me.
In photo above (L to R) : Lisa Greissl and James
Please excuse my very cheesy smile, I was just so surprised and thrilled to see him. This man many of you may know from our amazing segment on Channel 10 in May, it was James! James was our patient who received our RHoK box infront of the whole of Australia in our last delivery. It was such a lovely surprise to see him and even more wonderful to hear that he was on his way home after receiving further treatment. He too, said that the RHoK Box was absolutely wonderful and that the Ginger Biscuits from I Love Oma were the highlight.
And so, I would like to thank all the community for their involvement in making this delivery our largest delivery to date! We have had individuals and businesses donate so generously to this very rewarding cause.
Some RHoK Stars I would particularly like to mention are Macquarie Hills Community Preschool who donated 8 Mini RHoK and 1 RHoK Box and also Kurtzys Flowers who have donated 5 RhoK Boxes and 3 Mini RHoK Boxes.
Your RHoK boxes will be gifted to someone when they really need a moment of happiness, but not only that comfort that will help them through their treatment. A success story like this does not only happen through the act of one person, but through many.
Thankyou once again and we look forward to our next RHoK delivery which will take place in timing with Random Act of Kindness Day on the 17th February 2019 in which we have already received our first donation!
With Gratitude,
The Big Hug Box Team
