The Real HEROES for Children

(Photo courtesy of Brett Chisholm Photography)

When I was a middle school teacher, people often commented, "I don't know how you do what you do." Of course, they were referring to the drama of working with adolescents, that strange age of 12-14 year olds. One day they liked chocolate ice cream, the next day they hated it. I would chuckle and tell them that it truly wasn't so bad. They were fun, in their own way.

However, I have often thought this same thought when it comes to the medical social workers I have encountered in my job with Heroes for Children. How do they do it? I don't know how they do what they do. How do they work with some of the sickest children in our country each and every day? How do they interact with the parents with the compassion that always seem to come across in their voice? They must be angels. Or possibly heroes. Yes, that must be it. They are heroes.

Did you know that March is National Social Work month? I didn't know that before I got in this career. But I sure do now! One of the joys of my job each day is the daily interaction with the hospital social workers. Check out our ladies at the top of this page (our models--social workers from Texas Children's Hospital--Mital, Bonnie, Arlene, and Jennifer--love these ladies!). When they enter a patient room, they provide so much more then the forms for financial assistance or resources for cancer patients. They bring hope, understanding, and comfort to these families during their darkest times.

I get calls from social workers every day to discuss what we can do for a patient. They champion for their patients and the parents to make sure that those in need receive the resources they deserve through the various community resources available (HFC being one of those). They work tirelessly for their families and treat them all with love and compassion.

They are the real heroes for children. And I am a better person for knowing the many social workers at all the hospitals we work with.

Heroes for Children is honored to work with the social workers at the following hospitals:

• Medical City Children's Hospital of Dallas
• Children's Medical Center of Dallas
• Cook Children's Medical Center of Ft. Worth
• Christus Santa Rosa Hospital of San Antonio
• MD Anderson Cancer Center of Houston
• Texas Children's Cancer Center of Houston

Thank you, ladies. I'm honored to know you all.

The Perfect Handbag

Elaine Turner is an amazing, generous woman with a heart of gold. Oh yeah, she also happens to be an extremely talented handbag designer!! Elaine has been involved with Heroes for Children since last year, and has played a huge part of Heroes and Handbags. Last year Elaine attended the events in both Dallas and Houston, and her Northpark store hosted our wrap party. She also donated alot of gorgeous Elaine Turner handbags !! This year, she is even more involved and has gone so far to design .....(drum roll, please......) an ALLIE BAG and a TAYLOR BAG!!! The Taylor bag is a gorgeous red bag, (yes, red was Taylor's favorite color!!) The darling yellow bag is the Allie bag!!
Elaine and her FAB team have also announced that they will be donating 50% of the sales of the Allie and Taylor bag back to HFC on the day of the Heroes and Handbags events!! (March 26th and April 4th!!) Let us know if you want one! These are great bags!! We also just had a couple of great photoshoots with Elaine's handbags and SHOES that were posted in a previous blog!!
Thanks to Elaine, Heather and everyone at Elaine Turner for having such a huge heart for HFC!!!

March Volunteer of the Month

Houston Heroes and Handbags is a little over three weeks away. The tables are bought, the handbags are still being donated, and decorations are being finalized. And in preparation for all the ladies to be seated at the brunch, Page Motes is ready to work. Page is our Reservations Chair for Houston Handbags, serving in her second year as this year. A working mom of two, Page still finds time to volunteer. As a working mom of only one, I find this fact amazing! Finding extra time to do a large part in a very large event isn't easy. And yet, Page doesn't complain. She works hard, and juggles her hectic schedule with such ease (or at least that's what it looks like to an outsider). I'm so proud to have her on our team!

Name, Age, Occupation:
Page Motes, 37, VP of Business Development for Gerson Lehrman Group


How did you get involved with HFC?
A friend of mine, Laura Macicek, invited me to an party to introduce Heroes for Children to the Houston area. I was incredibly moved by Jenny and Larissa’s stories and HFC’s mission. I felt it was not only an amazing organization, but I felt an instant connection with Jenny and Larissa and knew it was the place for me!


Do you have any kids and/or pets?
Two fantastic boys – Sutton, age 5 and Spencer, 8 mos. They’re the light of my life!


Favorite place to eat:
Less fancy – Cyclone Anaya’s (can’t live without queso, guacamole – oh and margaritas!)
Fancy – Bob’s Chop House (I’m a meat eater – what can I say???)


What’s on your book shelf?
A diverse selection – everything from “The McKinsey Way” (business/consulting book), “HOW” (which was recently written and released by my former CEO, and “What To Expect in the First Year” (to look up those weird baby illness symptoms) to the latest from Jennifer Weiner (she rocks!)


What’s in your iPod/CD changer?
I’m a HUGE music person with really diverse tastes. I’ve got old Depeche Mode and The Cure, Andrea Bocelli, The Black Eyed Peas, Vivaldi, and even some old school rock with the Scorpions!


Who’s your hero?
Although she’d never really believe it, it’s definitely my mother. She’s spent her entire life caring for others and often putting herself last. She’d tell me today to look out for myself more than she did, but I admire her uncontrollable urge to jump in and help make things better. She was a teacher for 36 years and just retired not too long ago. Her old students STILL look her up and tell her how much she changed their lives for the better. I only pray I could have a fraction of the effect on others that she does!