Emily's Gracious Gifts

10/19/2026

Over the past 10 days, donations for Emily's Birthday Bash have begun to arrive! Thank you to those who have generously donated so far and have gotten this year's toy drive off to a great start! (picture below)

We also want to thank our friend, Bernadine & all the folks at Oplinger Towers in Nanticoke that have decided to graciously host a toy collection for the 4th year in a row! We appreciate these dear folks and their continued support!

For those new to our page, the idea for Emily's Birthday Bash began with Emily's Celebration of Life service, which also happened to be her 4th birthday. We asked that in lieu of flowers that those that were able, to consider bringing a new, unwrapped toy to be donated to Janet Weis Children's Hospital where Emily received the majority of her care. For her birthday the following year, we wanted to do something to honor her memory and celebrate her life and decided to make it an annual event and named it Emily's Birthday Bash. (see pictures below)

For links to online registries please see the links below.The process is easy! Simply choose the items you wish to purchase from a registry and upon checkout, choose Emily's Birthday Bash as the shipping address. All donations will be shipped directly to us and delivered to Janet Weis Children's Hospital in early December. For additional information please visit our previous post or please message this page.

Please LIKE & SHARE to help us continue to spread the word!

Online Registries:
Target- https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift-giver?registryId=7243a8a0-c1c9-11f1-b608-3ff2872bae24&type=CUSTOM

Walmart- https://www.walmart.com/registry/BR/ef0296bc-9653-44be-8b81-aeda9b5bc92a

Kohls- https://www.kohls.com/babyregistry/d0947bd6-c511-43c0-8b4c-3054db30a206

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/BY04IQRQHULN?ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_ggr-subnav-share_W1KN7H1GACWEP4REG6WS&language=en-US

Monetary donations- https://luzfdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1105&fbclid=IwY2xjawVDDyhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMW8waUU2WWcxNm9JT3ljdUFzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeFMfkPe6PE2ew3YDNY9tCnMMSvDTi_hH4uiTTi-0YYeYTCb90ZIWMsJxUMHE_aem_8_w9xz55mhP8hFGIjXVkdg

10/07/2026

Today kicks off Emily’s Birthday Bash toy drive! This year we mark 8 years celebrating and remembering the life of our precious little warrior Emily, who passed away November 14, 2018, 2 weeks shy of her 4th birthday, after a 10.5 month battle with neuroblastoma ( a type of childhood cancer).

For those new to our page, we annually host a toy drive to celebrate Emily’s birthday (November 28th) and to benefit and encourage the young patients and families receiving treatment at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, PA. These toys will be distributed during the hospital’s annual toy showcase in December, to children and families impatient during the holiday season and to brave warriors during their hospital stay throughout the year.

These tokens of kindness were a great encouragement to Emily while she was in treatment and brought a smile to her face! Emily’s smile could light up a room! Help us bring countless smiles to the children at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital this holiday season. You can be involved in 3 ways….

1. Host a private collection in your workplace, building complex, dormitory, etc…Let us know you'd like to participate so that you are on our radar and we can pick up the donations at your convenience anytime from now until the beginning of December. NOTE: All toys must be new and in retail packaging.

2. Provide a monetary donation that will be used to purchase additional toys and Visa gift cards for pediatric oncology families during the holiday season as well as goody bags for the nurses who work tirelessly on the pediatric oncology floor and clinic. Donations can be made to Emily’s Gracious Gifts fund held by The Luzerne Foundation through the following link- https://luzfdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1105

3. Purchase a gift through our online registries using the links below. Simply add to your cart what you'd like to purchase and choose "Emily’s Birthday Bash" as the shipping address at checkout. Your generous donation will be shipped directly to us and delivered to Janet Weis in the beginning of December. It’s that easy!
NOTE: multiples of items gladly accepted

Target- https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift-giver?registryId=7243a8a0-c1c9-11f1-b608-3ff2872bae24&type=CUSTOM

Kohl's- https://www.kohls.com/babyregistry/d0947bd6-c511-43c0-8b4c-3054db30a206

Walmart- https://www.walmart.com/registry/BR/ef0296bc-9653-44be-8b81-aeda9b5bc92a

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/BY04IQRQHULN?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_WK2Z49NGWDX88BMNJZTT

Please, LIKE & SHARE this post to get the ball rolling! If you have any further questions please message our page! We thank you in advance for generosity and support!

- Josh, Krissy, Ben & Lily Longmore

10/06/2026

Hello Everyone,

Hope you are all well and enjoying the beauty the fall season brings! It’s been a little while since we have posted and we thought we’d take a moment to briefly catch everyone up on how our family is doing and what is new in our lives.

Firstly, several have asked if we still plan on hosting Emily’s Annual Birthday Bash Toy Drive this year and the answer is, Yes!!! We are currently working on the online registries and will be posting information regarding the toy drive in the next few days, so please stay tuned!

September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and for the first time since Emily’s death nearly eight years ago we chose not to post. That wasn’t because we forgot or no longer cared about the cause. We are painfully aware that daily, 43 families in the US alone, sit where we once sat and hear the soul shaking words, “Your child has cancer”. Since Emily died, the statistics haven’t gotten better, and the numbers continue to climb. We continue to pray for these families and the tough battles they will face.

While our lives have been forever changed by childhood cancer, it doesn’t define our family. There are still hard days and seasons, and memories, although precious, can still open up the flood gates. Reminders of Emily are still scattered throughout our home. A picture of a rainbow, a random unicorn can be found here or there, and “treasures” still remain in a drawer right where Emily placed them. We want others to know that Emily’s story didn’t end with her death, but her story continues with us, her family. She is always in our hearts, but in spite of the darkest valley we have faced so far, we desire to testify of how our Savior’s great love and care has sustained us and grown our love for Him and for one another and to share the hope that can be found in Christ with others.

Our family is doing well! Lily will be taking her driving test this month and hopes to graduate from high school this year – a year early! Ben was recently engaged to his precious fiance, Bella and we are so very excited for them as they begin preparing for their life together. Josh and I are gradually adjusting to the reality of our kids growing up and enjoying some of the freedom that comes with having older/adult children.

We will always appreciate your prayers as the Lord brings us to your mind. The fall usually brings with it some really difficult memories. And November is usually tender as it is the month that Emily went to heaven, two weeks before her birthday. Your support continues to be a blessing and encouragement to our family, and we appreciate you.

1 Corinthians 4:16-18: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Love to you all,

Josh, Krissy, Ben & Lily Longmore

01/25/2026

***Please SHARE the post below and help spread the word!!!***

Snowed in??? Please consider building a snowman to support local families battling pediatric cancer. This organization was a tremendous blessing to our family during our Emily's battle.

For every snowman built and photo shared, ThinkBIG gets $10!!! Live outside Northeast PA?, no problem! You can participate too! See the post below for details and be sure to tag your photos

❄️⛄ Ready, set, SNOWMAN!

Thanks to current forecasts for a decent snowfall this weekend, our is BACK! For every snowman photo you post with this hashtag, our incredible corporate sponsor at Hampton Consulting Corporation will donate $10 to ThinkBIG’s mission of supporting families through pediatric cancer. It’s the ongoing generosity from corporations like this as well as Weis Markets and Geisinger that make our mission possible. 💛

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗻!

No snow? No problem! We encourage creativity, and ALL SUBMISSIONS are welcome, no matter where you live. Help us spread the word by sharing this post with your communities, and make a difference, one snowman at a time.

📸 Post your snowman this week, and help us raise $10,000 for an incredible cause! Let’s 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗕𝗜𝗚 together!

🌐 Learn more at www.Think𝗕𝗜𝗚PA.org

12/14/2025

Today, we packed up all the donations we received over the past few months and delivered them to Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville. Your generosity completely filled a 5 x 8 U-Haul trailer and the bed of a full size pickup truck. We are grateful for each toy/monetary donation and the kindness of each person/family that made this possible. Thank you for helping us show kindness and love to the children and families experiencing difficult battles this holiday season. We also want to thank everyone for helping us celebrate Emily’s memory in this way! She would be so proud! Thank you doesn't seem to suffice! (See below for pictures from today)

With much love and gratitude- Josh, Krissy, Ben & Lily Longmore

12/13/2025

Tomorrow is the day! In the morning we will load up the U-Haul trailer with all the generous donations that have been collected and we will head down to Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville. Thank you to everyone that has donated! We can accomplish much when we work together! So many children and families will be blessed by your generosity this Christmas! Please stay tuned tomorrow for pictures of our trip to Danville. Below are some pictures of the donations we received for Emily's 7th Annual Birthday Bash.

12/05/2025

ATTENTION!!! Please take a moment to share!

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 6th is the LAST DAY to order gifts for Emily’s Birthday Bash! Online registries will then close for the season. If you’d still like to participate, you can use the links below to purchase a gift. Be sure to choose Emily’s Birthday Bash as the shipping location at checkout and also verify that the shipping window has your gifts arriving on or before Friday, December 12th. On December 13th our family will be loading up a U-Haul trailer with all the generous donations we have received and transport them to Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville.

Thank you to everyone that has helped us celebrate Emily’s memory in this way! We appreciate you and are grateful for your support and generosity. Your gifts will bring joy to children facing big battles this holiday season. Below is a picture of gifts that have arrived in the past few days. For further information please see our previous posts or please feel free to message this page with other questions.

Love, Josh, Krissy, Ben & Lily

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2U7TJXBM2BYZD?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_XC4JJM28M8EWKE91WFRD

Target- https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/emilysbirthdaybash2025

Walmart- https://www.walmart.com/registry/BR/cbed783e-2ddc-416c-b07a-8809baa9dde6

Kohl's- https://www.kohls.com/babyregistry/d0947bd6-c511-43c0-8b4c-3054db30a206

Monetary donations- https://luzfdn.org/types-of-funds/emilys-gracious-gifts-fund/

12/04/2025

We probably all know someone who has lost a loved one this past year. Holidays can be extremely difficult to navigate for those grieving and for those close to the griever. This quick read gives helpful insight on how to minister to someone during the holidays that has experienced a deep loss.

For those who’ve recently lost someone they love, the holidays can seem more like something to survive than to enjoy.

11/30/2025

Today, we visited with the dear folks at Oplinger Towers in Nanticoke and picked up the toys that they graciously collected for Emily’s Birthday Bash. Bernadine and her crew have been participating for the past few years now and their generosity has been a tremendous blessing to us and the children receiving their gifts at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital (picture below). We are so thankful for their continued support!

Time is running out! Online registries close in 1 week, on Saturday December 6th! If you’d like to participate by purchasing a gift(s) or making a monetary donation, you can do so by using the links to the online registries below. Please choose Emily’s Birthday Bash as the shipping address upon checkout and please make sure the shipping window has your gift arriving prior to December 12th. On December 13th, we are scheduled to deliver all toy donations to Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville.

Thank you to all those that have donated! We appreciate your kindness! Please know, these gifts will be a tremendous blessing to the children and families at Janet Weis this holiday season!

Target- https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/emilysbirthdaybash2025

Walmart- https://www.walmart.com/registry/BR/cbed783e-2ddc-416c-b07a-8809baa9dde6

Kohl's- https://www.kohls.com/babyregistry/d0947bd6-c511-43c0-8b4c-3054db30a206

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2U7TJXBM2BYZD?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_7T623BS5K1QT8WCC9ZWE

Monetary donations- https://luzfdn.org/types-of-funds/emilys-gracious-gifts-fund/

11/28/2025

Today is Emily's 11th birthday. Although we were only able to celebrate three of her birthdays with her (she went ahead to Heaven two weeks before her 4th birthday), we are thankful to the Lord for the blessing she was to us and to those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Oh, how we wish we were celebrating with her today, but we are comforted by knowing that one day we will be reunited with Emily and be able to celebrate with her again!

Thank you to everyone who continues helping us celebrate our daughter’s birthday and honor her memory through Emily’s Birthday Bash toy drive for Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. (See the previous post on this page if you’d like to participate.)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:1–6)