Jack Pack
What's a Jack Pack?
Non-Profit Organization
Learn More About Our I Know Jack Pack
We created the "I KNOW JACK" pack for cancer patients after experiencing first-hand how much we appreciated the support and generosity we received while our son, Jack, went through cancer treatment. Jack was an inspiration throughout his treatment, and because of him, we created the motto "If You Don't Fight Cancer, You Don't Know Jack!"
When he was five years old, doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of brain cancer that would end up threatening his life. There had been no reports of survivors of this type of cancer he had, and there was no protocol throughout the medical industry on how to treat this disease.
Jack had no easy time dealing with this diagnosis, but he was determined to fight the disease regardless. Needless to say, Jack won the battle since the cancer has been in remission ever since.
Our entire family was affected by the cancer diagnosis, and we relied upon the goodwill and generosity of many people to help us during this difficult time.
Your support of our fundraising events and activities allows us to provide the "I KNOW JACK" pack to cancer patients through the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa. These packs include a variety of items to hopefully provide comfort and support to patients going through treatment. It is our desire to help induce confidence and positivity for anyone who is in the same situation Jack was in.
More than 2,500 cancer patients have received a backpack.
- Backpack
- Water bottle
- “One Left Handed Hug” (Book written by Martin Hoeger – Jack’s Dad)
- Pocket Cross
- Meditation Stone
- Comfort Items
- Camp Connections
- Skull and/or Knit Cap
- Journal
- Cards / Hy-Vee Items / YMCA Pass
- Quotes and Humor
- Daily Planner / Calendar
Backpack and Water Bottle
We have a backpack and water bottle package with our logo to always remind as many people as possible to be strong and fight the battle when it comes to cancer, no matter what form of the disease it happens to be.
It is our hope that you will carry these items with you on a daily basis with honor and pride. You are not alone when it comes to the battle against cancer - count on it!
“One Left Handed Hug”
Our son Jack prevailed against tremendous odds. His oncologist couldn't believe what had happened when she deemed him to be in remission from the disease - she basically called it a miracle. This entire story of triumph over tragedy made us aware of how we can help others in Jack's position, so when we asked what we could do to thank Jack's oncologist for all that she had done, she replied, "Tell Jack's Story!" Marty therefore wrote the book, "One Left Handed Hug".
We give you Jack's story in an attempt to help you combat the disease with the same amount of confidence he did - keep in mind, Jack won. If you would like to meet Jack, you can visit our YouTube page.
Prayer
Deacon Dan Hoeger, Jack's grandfather, has put together pocket crosses made by hand to help you feel the power of prayer. Without question, we have certainly experienced it firsthand.
Meditation Stone
For those who do not turn to prayer, we offer you another source of comfort - our meditation stone. We supply this in the pack for those who wish to try it.
Comfort Items
When the body is at its weakest, it's beating cancer in the best way under the best circumstances. What we supply for you is lavender oil, lip balm, lotion, coloring books, lemon drops, markers, and word search books in an attempt to try and distract you from any discomfort you may be experiencing. Many people don't know this, but one's own outlook regarding whether they will survive or succumb makes a gigantic difference.
Camp Connections
Our son Jack was still very fragile and delicate when he had his treatments as a young boy. The seizures, lingering tiredness, and various side effects made it impossible for him to be a normal child, and one of the worst things a parent can experience is knowing that your child cannot have the same privileges as other children.
We were eventually referred to a place called Camp Heart Connection, which provides a camp for children who are dealing with cancer or have successfully beaten it. It's a safe and fun environment for children who can relate to one another through their experiences dealing with this disease. One of the kids described the camp in this way, "it's where no one stares, and everyone cares."
Many of the camp counselors, if not most of them, were campers themselves originally, and there are plenty of doctors and nurses always on staff. The duration of the stay is one week per year, and our son Jack is just like every other child when he visits. Camp Heart Connection has been indispensable to our family during this trial, and they even provide a sibling camp where brothers and sisters can have fun too.
It goes without saying that cancer affects an entire family, and our greatest fear was that even if we had physically stopped the cancer itself, the emotional trauma of the entire ordeal would have done us in. Thankfully, this wasn't the case, and we cannot express our gratitude enough to the camp since they have provided all kinds of support to children like Jack that we wouldn't have been able to provide. Ben and Ella are looking forward to becoming sibling camp counselors in the near future.
If you'd like to know more about Camp Heart Connection, click here.
Camp Kesem is another amazing camp that we recommend for children if they have or had a parent with cancer. There are priceless, lifelong friendships made with so many people, and we have been truly blessed to be within the vicinity of this camp here in Iowa to support us along with other families to give the children the outlet they need. To know more about Camp Kesem, click here.
Marty and I will openly admit that we knew of Jack's unlikely chance of survival from the beginning, so we were preparing for the worst. This horror was controlling our thoughts and our outlook on life significantly where we couldn't help but ask, "why me?" or "why us and no on else?" All this changed when good friends of ours presented us with a book called, "It's Not About The Bike" by Lance Armstrong. This was a life-changing experience for us, and it was then that we decided we were not going to allow negativity and pessimism to dictate reality.
Shortly afterwards, we adopted what we now call the Livestrong motto, "unity is strength, knowledge is power, and attitude is everything!" Yes, our attitudes changed, and we decided that Jack was going to survive. To this day, we never took off our bracelets as they remind us on a daily basis of the strength that we possess and to keep a positive attitude even when things look hopeless.
Livestrong offers free cancer navigation services at its clinic where patients with the disease can manage things such as medical and insurance expenses, treatment options, and even emotional support easier. We are constantly raising funds for this organization, and when I look at my bracelet each day, I am always reminded of the strength we had as a family that got us through this hardship. I'm strengthened even more when I see other people wearing such a bracelet knowing that we are all in this together.
If you'd like to know more about the Livestrong Foundation, you can visit them online, or you can call The Free Navigation Center at (855) 220-7777.
Journal
When our son Jack was being treated, Marty and I went to the site CaringBridge
to update our friends and family about Jack's status, and for many years afterwards were we still using this site. It wasn't in my best interest to keep a journal - what I had realized was not so much the importance of informing others about how Jack was doing but what enabled us to communicate our feelings and emotions with others without needing to speak. This has been one of the most vital elements enabling Marty and I to stay strong while we supported each other as a couple.
It's completely natural for a disease like cancer to make one cry and be stricken with fear about what the future holds. I would allow such feelings to do what they wanted to me since I felt the expectation of the worst was rational. But at the same time, it made me very well aware of what I was grateful for. The trauma that this disease causes people and their families seemed like it became more and more a figment of one's own imagination when I would stress that I'm grateful for the things I have.
For instance, sometimes my "I'm Grateful" statement would be as simple as me being grateful for the sun shining that day. Other times, it would be the simple fact that I had a wonderful son like Jack to begin with. When I look back, I've been made to realize how important it is to desire things with a positive mindset. An example of such would be requesting blood counts to increase as opposed to not wanting blood counts to decrease. If you can see where I'm going with this, it definitely allowed us to move forward in a much better way.
Cards
We eventually learned to accept all kinds of help while Jack was going through his treatments, and this was difficult to say the least. We were offered things like financial help, people offering to do yard work, those willing to make us food, and many other acts of charity. We were humbled by this experience, which was not easy for us, but we always assured each and every person who was generous to us that we would one day return the favor when we were able.
It became evident that it was our turn to receive for the time being; we were cared for while we were also the caregivers. We offer a variety of blank cards to tell someone you are grateful, express love, tell jokes, or just to let someone know you're thinking of them.
Hy-Vee Items
One need not mention the cost of cancer treatments and the financial burden that it results in afterwards. We have enclosed a Hy-Vee Coupon Book in our pack along with a $20 gift card in the hopes that these can assist you in some way.
YMCA Pass
It's always important to stay active since this helps heal the mind, body, and spirit when it comes to any type of treatment along with recovery. We have enclosed a YMCA pass to help give you a more active and healthier lifestyle. Being active makes a difference, trust us on this one.
Livestrong Guidebook - Planner & Journal
When it comes to helping people navigate through their cancer treatments in the hopes that they reach their destination, journals do the trick. We present to you our Livestrong Guidebook - Planner & Journal to make it somewhat easier. It contains a wealth of information and resources that will address all kinds of concerns that patients and their families, not to mention caregivers, will usually have before, during, and after treatment. This journal enables you to organize all your information, record your individual experiences, and show others your progress.
Quotes and Humor
Our son Jack was hospitalized for long periods when he was being treated. Laughter is one of the emotions children pursue and need, so when doctors and nurses made their rounds for Jack every day, he tried his best to make the medical crew laugh. Telling jokes often along with surprising them with Walter the Farting Dog (a stuffed animal that would toot when you held it) made him feel more like a child who shouldn't have to deal with the trauma of being a cancer patient.
Humor is one of the best ways to deal with stress and fear, and it seemed like we were beating the cancer more and more every day the more we knew we could laugh. It is without question that we know the power of words can heal, and what we provide for you is a collection of quotes and humorous anecdotes to help you get through the day. It is our hope that you will be inspired by the quotes and jokes that we have in our photo gallery as well.
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