Spread the love! 9 sweet ways to support sick kids you know right this second


One of our favorite YouTube masters, Talia Joy, was diagnosed with cancer six years ago. As her videos profess, she hasn’t let her Stage IV Neuroblastoma slow her down. But in the last week, Talia’s family has let us know that she’s not doing very well. #PrayforTalia has taken over Twitter and other social media outlets, and her sister swears the kind thoughts are making a difference. Here are 9 other ways to help Talia and other kids just like her, right now.

Volunteer at a hospital. You don’t have to clock a lot of hours or do it regularly—one visit can make a huge difference.

Treat them normally. Wouldn’t you get tired of having everyone you know walk on eggshells and look sad 24/7? We sure would. Do ‘em a favor and act like you would if you had no idea they were sick at all.

Raise money. Get your family, friends and community in on the act, too, with walks, dance-a-thons, bake sales—anything you can think of that people can get behind.

Ask loved ones if they need anything, from birthday cakes or Sunday night dinner to an after-school dog walker.

Celebrate them. The world has rallied around Talia, but to tell the truth, she is no more or less remarkable than any ill tween or teen you know. Throw a spontaneous party and make her the guest of honor, start a sweet Facebook page—anything!

Get crafty. There are dozens of charities out there that send homemade goodies, like blankets, pillowcases and teddy bears, to the children’s wings at various hospitals.

Remember their favorites. From sports teams (record a big game or decorate a hospital room with memorabilia while they’re having tests done) to musicians (start a campaign to get Tay to follow her on Twitter), make an effort to show them you care in a special, personal way.

Get behind their charity of choice. Instead of wallowing, many kids with cancer and other serious diseases rally to support a charity that can help other people like them. Why not follow their lead?

Shave your head. OK, so you don’t have to go that far. Try making tees with your teammates or good luck elephants with your ceramics club or, well, anything that gets a group of people together to send good juju to someone in need.

What have you done to support someone you know who is sick? Tell us in the comments!

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by Brittany Taylor | 2/1/2016
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