Ways to Help

Many of you have sent messages asking us how you can help. Thank you!
While we are waiting for Elena to begin treatment, we thought we would share some ideas with you.

Right now, we need your prayers and friendship. Your love, support, and encouragement are a gift every day we walk this road. Once treatment begins, we will need more practical help such as meals, help with Liv, yard work and more. A friend has set up an online calendar that will allow you to sign up to help with those needs.
If you haven't received that link via email and would like it, let us know. cjmtate@gmail.com

For now, here are some things that you can do.

For Elena:
- PRAY! It really is the most important thing!

- Encourage her!! Just like before – cards in the mail, comments on the blog, and so on will help her fight this battle. Use your imagination for other ways to surprise her with some encouragement!!

- To Elena’s friends – she needs to know that she is still the same Elena. She’s just going through something hard. She doesn’t want to be treated differently or feel isolated because of her cancer. She wants to be normal…..to be silly, hang out, listen to music, watch movies, play games, etc… as much as possible with her friends and family. If you have questions and want to know more about things that are going on, ask her! She is very open to talking about it, and if she doesn’t want to for some reason, she will tell you and won’t be mad that you asked. If you aren’t comfortable asking her about it, that is fine too! Just be her friend!

- Travel this journey with her and the rest of us – check the blog

For Liv: No doubt about it - it is so hard to be the sister of a kid with cancer. It can often seem to the siblings that all questions and concerns are about the cancer child and not the siblings. Gifts and extra attention are sometimes poured out on the cancer child and not usually the siblings.

Here are some ways you can help Liv:
- Let her know that she is special, loved, and supported through notes, encouraging words, spending time with her – whatever you can think of!!

- When you see her, ask her how she is doing instead of asking for updates on Elena. (We’ll keep you updated on Elena through the blog.)

- Some of you will help Liv by letting her stay with you : ) Thank you in advance for making her feel at home!

- PRAY specifically for her. She can be scared, worried, tired, and sad too.

For us:
- We love encouragement too! Your blog comments, emails, texts, cards, hugs, and more help us know that we are not fighting alone and are not forgotten! We love hearing from you, and we appreciate your understanding when we can’t answer the phone or return calls, texts, messages, etc…

- Forgive us in advance if we are slow to send thanks or even forget to thank you for anything! Between managing Elena’s care, work, school, home, and Liv, we are bound to forget some things. Please know that EVERY act of kindness is GREATLY appreciated!

- PRAY for us too! It is hard to watch Elena go through so much and not be able to fix it or take it for her.

Thank you to all who are ready and willing to help in an way possible!
Thank you for your prayers and joining us in asking for complete healing for Elena!

In Him,
The Tates

"But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, "You are my God!" My future is in your hands."
Psalm 31:14-15