Marsha Jordan gives sick kids a reason to smile. She believes that children shouldn’t suffer, but sadly many children do suffer. Who is Marsha Jordon you ask? Marsha Jordon is the founder of Hugs and Hope Club for Sick Kids.
Hugs and Hope is a ministry devoted to brightening the lives of children who are battling a critical illness. Having a child with a chronic or terminal illness is stressful for any family. Thanks to Hugs and Hope, parents do not need to face this alone. I caught up with Marsha via email, where she shared with me the history behind Hugs and Hope ministry.
So tell us a little about the history behind Hugs and Hope.
It began as my hobby of sending cheery mail to hospitalized children. It all started with one little boy who had a brain tumor. My heart was deeply touched by Michael because he was the same age as my grandson. After telling many of my friends and family about him, asking them to send mail as well, I began receiving so many requests for updates on Michael that I asked his family's permission to create a website where I could post his latest news. People who were curious to learn how Michael was doing could simply log on to the site and read the most recent message sent by his grandmother. Before I knew it, other families began begging me to post their child on the site too; and now it's grown to hundreds of pages with stories about children from across the country.
How long has Hugs and Hope been in operation?
My hobby of sending "happy mail" began in the fall of 2000. It became a nonprofit charity in 2003, when I had nearly 3,000 volunteer "hug givers and hope builders" helping to spread cheer nationwide.
Why was Hugs and Hope started?
When my grandson was badly burned, I learned how helpless and devastated an adult feels when their little one is suffering. I could empathize with parents whose children were battling illnesses like cancer or serious injuries. I wanted to encourage these families and let them know that someone out there cared about what they were going through and knew how they were feeling. I corresponded with moms and grandmothers mostly. I sent mail to the kids too, because I knew how sad and afraid they must feel when they have little to look forward besides pain, needles, and medical testing.
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