History Dragonfly's Delights
Dragonfly's Delights has morphed from the original concept, a gift basket giving company for those newly diagnosed with cancer, to its new rebirth of Messages of Hope & Cope: stories, quotes, inspiration & art for those who either have cancer, Message of Hope, or for those who are caring for someone with cancer, Messages of Cope.
Below is Dragonfly's Delights history and how it has morphed with Alice's battle with cancer and her courage to fight back and not just survive, but thrive!
Dragonfly's Delights reborn :
In March of 2007 Alice noticed her cough was getting worse. Many trips to the doctors, misdiagnosis, and other health issues, Alice, was diagnosed in September 2007 with a 3 cm mass in the lower part of her right lung and lesions on her bones in three places and the cancer had metastasized into her bones. Treatment began with Lupron injections for the next several months.
In December 2007, Alice decided to rebirth Dragonfly's Delights with a new focus & mission: to provide Messages of Hope & Cope: stories, quotes, inspiration & art for those who either have cancer, Message of Hope, or for those who are caring for someone with cancer, Messages of Cope.
In February 2008, Alice received very good news from her oncologist: her cat/pet scan showed no new metastasis and that possibly the tumor is shrinking.
Since January 2008, Alice & Dianne have been planning, designing and creating the web site for Dragonfly's Delights which is launching May 2008. During this time Alice's health is improving and her spirit is soaring.
Alice brings Dragonfly's Delights a true gift to all of those who are touched with cancer: Messages of Hope and Cope when dealing with the complications of living through cancer.
Alice is back working in her art studio, creating paintings, mail art and digital art, while still undergoing treatment. Her paintings are featured on every page of Dragonfly's Delights web site. So Alice is busy creating and living with joy and gratitude.
Alice's success shows her courage to fight back and not just survive, but thrive!
Dragonfly's Delights in 2000:
Dragonfly Delights, the original non-profit
Alice was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2000. Detection of the disease was the direct result of her regular gynecological exam, which included a clinical breast exam.
Alice confided that the sense of isolation was the hardest. "To be honest, I really didn't have the local support I had imagined I would have. Some of my friends didn't even show up," she said. "I think they just couldn't deal with sickness and facing their own stuff that comes up when one is going through a life threatening disease."
It all started in January of the year 2001, I had just begun my treatments for breast cancer. The days mail brought with it when I received a lovely anonymous gift. The sender had packed a basket up with lovely gifts such as homemade jelly, a pine needle sachet, a stuffed moose, a journal, a tape of music she recorded, and a lobster lollipop. All fun things from her home state Maine. I marveled and delighted in each thoughtful gift she included. As time passed and I finally ended my chemo treatments I thought about setting up a non-profit to give the same kind of gift for the newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The goal is to give the newly diagnosed woman some pampering just for her. So much is happening in the beginning of one's diagnosis it can become overwhelming, shocking and make one feel very alone. I want to give the woman a moment to herself to breath in love, strength, and hope.
Out of this experience, Dragonfly's Delights was first born.
A gift basket from a stranger, another woman who had had breast cancer, changed Alice's outlook on the loneliness of going through cancer. The woman from Maine filled a basket with candy lobsters and other goodies from her home state.
"It was so amazing that someone I didn't even know could reach out and send a hug through the mail as this lovely gift of goodies," said Alice.
So moved by the gesture, Alice decided to make reaching out to women with breast cancer her life's work. Alice founded Dragonfly Delights, a non-profit venture set up to benefit the newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The goal is to create beautiful gift baskets with the aim to comfort, soothe and delight the woman who has just found out she has breast cancer.
"I want to give the newly diagnosed woman some pampering just for her," says Alice. "So much is happening in the beginning of one's diagnosis it can become overwhelming. I want to give the woman a moment to herself to breathe in love, strength, and hope." The items in these baskets will be similar to the gift Alice received, but with a New Mexico/Santa Fe twist.
Items in baskets included journals, stuffed animals, sachets, dream catchers, candles, sweet stuff, like chocolates, jellies, jams, handmade cards, salsas, poetry and books, scarves and luxury bath and body items.
Dragonfly Delights distributed baskets in Northern New Mexico but Alice's dream was to extend her outreach nation wide. Alice was seeking donations of basket items and volunteers.
When asked about the effectiveness of gift baskets versus helping to fund research or doing outreach, Alice didn't skip a beat. "There are quite a few BIG groups raising money for research and what does that do for the woman who faces breast cancer right here and now? Nothing. I wanted to provide a message that she is not alone and here is a gift of support and love," said Alice.
Though the baskets were distributed to anonymous recipients through local cancer organizations, Alice has been privileged to see first hand the results of her work. After a recent women's health event, two women who received baskets came up to hug Alice and thank her. Cancer center workers are also affected by the basket gesture. Another woman who is a helper at The Cancer Institute talked to Alice about handing out the baskets. She spoke of how she is strong when she first picks up the basket to give it away, but after being with the recipient the tears just flow.
"These stories just warm my heart," says Alice. "They are an acknowledgment that we are fulfilling our mission, and I am so happy."
Alice closed the Dragonfly's Delights in 2004, choosing to work and her art full time and has recently reopened it with a new mission & purpose: to create Messages of Hope & Cope: stories, quotes, inspiration & art for those who either have cancer, Message of Hope, or for those who are caring for someone with cancer, Messages of Cope.
