The Hope Bus: 10/13/09 Bounce Back Kids, Raleigh, NC

BounceBack Kids’ mission is to enrich the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families through free year-round social, athletic, and recreational activities offered in a caring and supportive environment that is medically-safe. Our participants are children who struggle with physical limitations and seek to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. Since 2003, BounceBack Kids has provided an invaluable asset to the healing process of these children and offered them moments of joy and companionship in otherwise difficult times.

Beginning with four children who suffered from brain tumors, BounceBack Kids has now served over 100 children with serious medical conditions, including cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, lupus, sickle cell anemia, Crohn’s disease, diabetes and asthma. BounceBack Kids offers Sports, including group and individual basketball training sessions, group and individual fitness sessions with personal trainers, and golf; Social and Recreational Activities, including outings to local sporting events, arts and crafts, and cooking classes; and Support Services, including a College Planning Guide and special services when a child is re-hospitalized.

To be eligible to participate in BounceBack Kids, a child must be between the ages of 3-21, have a serious medical condition, and have a doctor’s permission to participate in physical activities. BounceBack Kids wants to ensure that all program activities are available to the entire family and, accordingly, BounceBack Kids events are open at no cost to participants as well as their siblings and parents/caregivers. This inclusive approach is at the core of our mission as all members of our families benefit from our activities and programs.

For more information about BounceBack Kids, including information on how to get involved and how to donate, please visit http://www.bouncebackkids.org/.

Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon

Mission:

Our mission is to empower, inspire, and make a positive difference in the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses by creating opportunities to build successful life skills through athletics.
The Basketball Marathon is a year-long fundraising effort that unites two college rivals to work together to help children with serious medical conditions and their families. Throughout the year, students from both institutions compete against each other to raise the most money. Proceeds from the Marathon benefit BounceBack Kids.

Each year, the Marathon culminates with a Duke vs. Carolina co-ed basketball game. The inaugural Marathon in 2006 broke the Guinness World Record, when students played for 57 hours and 25 minutes! Duke's team won that game 3699-3444. The Marathon was able to raise over $60,000 for the BounceBack Kids.

In 2010, the Marathon will be a 26 hour affair, starting Saturday, January 16th, 11:00 am, to Sunday, January 17th, 1:00pm. During the basketball marathon weekend, students and faculty, as well as the UNC and Duke communities, come together to cheer on their respective teams and help raise money for the children of BounceBack Kids. Throughout the basketball marathon weekend, acapella and dance groups as well as several local bands will serenade the crowd and keep the game floor bouncing.

Whether you are an organizer, player, or supporter you are a part of the team. Everyone plays a small part in creating the fun, supportive, and festive atmosphere which is a hallmark of the Student Basketball Marathon weekend.

For more information about Basketball Marathon, including information on how to get involved and how to donate, please visit www.basketballmarathon.com

The Hope Bus, Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon & BounceBack Kids
October 13, 2009

On a beautiful Carolina fall day, Helena Nyman, Sean Mitton, and Kaylene Lewek of the Hope Bus visited Duke University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to highlight the work of BounceBack Kids and the Duke-Carolina Student Basketball Marathon. BounceBack Kids and Basketball Marathon were delighted to meet Helena and Sean and welcome back Kaylene, who played in the inaugural Basketball Marathon in 2006, served as a Co-Director of the Marathon in 2007, and volunteered with BounceBack Kids when she was an undergraduate at Duke. Everyone with BounceBack Kids and Basketball Marathon who met with Helena, Sean, and Kaylene was moved by their vision to inspire others to serve the community and make a difference.

The Hope Bus visit to this basketball mecca had a “Hoops” theme. At Duke, the Marathon students set up a basketball goal on the Main Quad and students shot hoops and learned about the Marathon and BounceBack Kids. At UNC, the students set up a table at the Pit for students to learn about the Marathon and BounceBack Kids.

Both organizations are honored to have been part of the Hope Bus Tour, and we hope the Tour encourages all to contribute to their communities.

www.bouncebackkids.org