Kits to Heart

Kits to Heart is a nonprofit with a mission to bring smiles & solidarity to those affected by cancer.

To learn more about how you can volunteer, donate, or partner with us, please visit kitstoheart.org. Those interested in volunteering should refer to this link directly: https://kitstoheart.org/pages/volunteers

10/06/2026

These behind-the-scenes pics were shot by our lovely intern Mira last summer…and I’m only now finally getting around to sharing 😆

We host these kit assembly sessions nearly every weekend for the past several years, and I can get caught up with the work of it all and not take any photos.

Looking back a year later, I’m seeing just how valuable these moments have been and how I definitely should try to capture more of the fun that we all have.

Thanks to all of our volunteers who show up on weekend mornings to help bring joy through these care kits.

09/29/2026

🩸 As winds down, I am feeling an imbalance. It will soon be that time of year again. A hospital-affiliated cancer support center just sent out a newsletter with a calendar (designed in pink, no less) full of “breast cancer events.” I can’t help but wonder…where is this enthusiasm for other cancers?

👀 September was not only Awareness Month, but also Childhood Cancer and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This particular center had 0 events for these specific cancers. No nicely designed red, yellow, or light blue calendars—not that splashing a color everywhere means much compared to research funding, tangible support for such survivors, etc. I know many breast cancer survivors themselves are tired of “pink washing” over action.

🎗️ In 2026, diagnoses for prostate cancer are actually expected to surpass those for breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. While this is NOT to say these events for breast cancer aren’t important or shouldn’t happen, does this imbalance in awareness unintentionally say WE aren’t important? Does this not only affect where funding goes (for nonprofits but also research, etc.), but also affect what kinds of events and support for survivors we see year after year?

🧪 As one of the 18.6 million cancer survivors living in the U.S., I am here today precisely due to the advances in cancer treatments and continue to advocate for cancer research funding, education, and awareness.

🗓️ If you find yourself wanting to participate in blood cancer events like me, here are some upcoming events in Maryland, coincidentally in October, for blood cancer:

🩸 Mid-Atlantic Blood Cancer Conference
Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9 AM to 2:15 PM
Location: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Rd, Bethesda, MD 20852
Register today: www.bloodcancerunited.org/MidAtlBCC26

🩸 Light The Night Baltimore (find your local event at lightthenight.org)
Friday, October 9, 2026, 5-9 PM
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell St, Baltimore, MD 21230
Opening Ceremony/Walk Begins: 7 PM

Learn more and support blood cancer at Blood Cancer United

09/21/2026

✨ Kendra Scott is helping to host another for Kits to Heart, this time at the location!!

🗓️ Starting this Friday through Monday ONLY (9/25-9/28), shop online OR at the Bethesda location to have 20% of your purchase go toward supporting our cause!!

✅ Mention “Kits to Heart” in store or enter code GIVEBACK-MSLDU at checkout on kendrascott.com to help bring smiles to those affected by cancer.

🙏 Please help spread the word and start browsing which gorgeous pieces you’ll be getting for yourself and/or loved ones at kendrascott.com 🩵

📍Kendra Scott Bethesda Row
4835 Bethesda Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814

09/17/2026

For , I wanted to share a condensed (ish) version of my journey, as some of you are newer to Kits to Heart and my story. And to those who have been here since the beginning, thank you. It means more than you know.

🗓️ Let’s start from this beginning:

😞 November 2017: Chest pain started. Being 24 and in grad school meant cancer wasn’t even a thought. (And neither for my school’s student health center.)

🩸 January 2018: After a winding path from misdiagnosis to my mother in panic-mode faxing nearby hospitals about the mass in my chest, I started 6 cycles of chemo for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

🫠 June-October 2018: Although I completed treatments, I started feeling progressively worse over months until I was admitted to the hospital for “salvage” chemotherapy. “Prognosis isn’t good,” they said.

😭 February 2019: Second-line chemo failed. 25-year-old me had my first (and notably, last) sob sesh in front of my oncologist.

🎂 March 2019: Different team. Different hospital. Received a newer treatment: CAR T-cell therapy. At my lowest, I found on my bed ✨ THE KIT ✨ that inspired Kits to Heart. Then turned 26 in the ICU. Eventually returned home to recover.

📚 September 2019: With scans clear and a summer of respite, I returned to grad school, hiding baldness in hats (and luckily never told to remove).

😷 May 2020: I graduated! Hoya Saxa! Kits to Heart officially launched out of a living room during COVID.

⏩

🥹 September 2026: Surpassed 14,000 care kits distributed to patients and caregivers—including special gifts for the cancer center that saved my life. The center is finally moving into its new building this month, and Kits to Heart had the honor of contributing to the special Welcome Bags for patients and families.

…Now as for , that beast is for another time, if anyone is interested.

Than you for following along my journey and remember to TAKE YOUR HEALTH SERIOUSLY, not for granted!!!!!! 🩵🙏🩵

09/10/2026

🎉 This week, Kits to Heart officially surpassed 14,000 distributed since 2020!! It’s all thanks to our selfless volunteers, donors, and supporters like you. Thank you 🥹

🩸 It is especially meaningful to hit this milestone in September during Awareness Month. According to Blood Cancer United:

🩵 Every 3 minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma.
🩵 A combined total of 192,070 people in the US were estimated to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2025.
🩵 New cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma were estimated to account for 9.4% of the estimated 2,041,910 new cancer cases diagnosed in the US in 2025.

To help us continue bringing hope and joy when needed most, please support us today!

💝 Donate: https://givebutter.com/cancercarekits
✍🏼 Volunteer: https://kitstoheart.org/pages/volunteers
🛍️ Shop Amazon Wish List: bit.ly/KitsToHeart

09/08/2026

🫚 Huge thanks to (The Ginger People) for generously donating a box full of ginger lozenges, tablets, and info cards on the health benefits of ginger for our kits.

🩵 Since we started our efforts in 2020, we make sure to include ginger chews in every kit, because ginger is effective against nausea after chemotherapy.

🙏 The Ginger People have been helping us include much-needed anti-nausea support in our care kits. YOU too can help us by shopping their products on our Amazon Wish List at bit.ly/KitsToHeart

🥹 Thanks to our incredible supporters for continuing to support us and our cause! Learn more at kitstoheart.org

09/01/2026

🚐 It’s been another BUSY week of packing kits for patients across the country! Today, we packed and dropped off 40+ care kits and art kits, in preparation for our fall workshops.

🩵 We rely on the generosity of supporters like you to continue bringing joy. Please consider supporting us today at kitstoheart.org

08/26/2026

✨ Even after 6+ years of packing and distributing over 13,700 care kits, I still find each so magical.

🩵 This is because we’ve worked with thousands of the most talented and kind volunteers, and I am forever grateful for this community and for KTH for allowing me to continue meeting and interacting with people who are far more skilled and talented than me!

🙏 Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our mission in any capacity, from shopping our Amazon Wish List to thoughtfully painting rocks of encouragement and sewing heart pillows.

➡️ Please consider supporting us today at kitstoheart.org

08/25/2026

🩵 Huge thanks to our AMAZING community of talented volunteers and generous supporters, who help to make our unique kits possible.

🥰 We received a second donation of skincare products from AmaSKN to help recipients feel and look beautiful! One recipient told us, “[The kit] is amazing, beyond what I thought I would receive. Loaded with body/face/head oil, word book, neck pillow, electrolyte sample (very good ingredients). Some lovely squeeze animals, and more. I am overjoyed what a great gift to receive after my 3rd round of Chemo. Only 9 more to go. So very happy, great gifts to look up and purchase more oil, electrolytes etc. It made my day!“

🙏 Please help us bring more joy by volunteering remotely or making a donation at kitstoheart.org

08/11/2026

🚐 Shoutout to Mike for dropping off 44 kits at USPS today and yesterday. We’ve had an uptick in requests this past week, and we still have 19 kits and counting to assemble.

🩵 These kits are packed full of love and care, thanks to our talented volunteers and generous supporters who donate handmade items and items. I’ve especially enjoyed decorating the boxes with punny handmade ice cream stickers that say “You Cone Do It” and customizing requests that mention liking cats with the cutest cat stickers made by a AACPS Service Learning high school volunteer!

🙏 Please continue to help bring hope by volunteering, making a recurring donation, and spreading the word! Learn more at kitstoheart.org

Address

10 Avenue Of The Arts
Philadelphia, PA
19102

Website

http://kitstoheart.org/

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