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Monkey serves as substitute at school for sick kids

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Published: 4/07/2010 10:26 am

Updated: 4/07/2010 10:33 am

SALINA, Kansas – Five thousand children ages four to 11 are diagnosed with cancer each year and a Salina organization is helping those kids as they battle the disease while they are away from school.

One year ago, Josie Frederiksen was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which forced her to miss three months of school. But thanks to There’s a Monkey in My Chair Program, Josie’s presence was still felt in the classroom.

"It made me feel happy because it made my friends think about me when I was gone,” Josie said.

Josie is talking about a stuffed animal who occupied her desk while she was receiving treatment and created a lifeline between her and her classmates.

"The kids still remembered her and sent pictures and they sent photographs and notes,” said Ann Frederiksen, Josie’s mother. “It was nice to know that Josie was still remembered."

It’s a program that’s now in 18 hospitals across the country, started by Heidi Feyerherm in January of last year. She is the president of the Love Chloe Foundation, dedicated to her daughter, Chloe, who died of brain cancer in October 2007.

"We started the foundation in memory of her, to help other families like ours that have children with brain tumors,” Feyerherm said. “We want to help them financially and also be able to help them with research.”

So far, the non-for-profit foundation has sent out 4,000 ‘monkey in my chair’ kits, which come with a backpack for students to pass notes and gifts back to their sick classmate.

Children's hospitals say they've seen a real difference in the behavior of sick children once they've become involved in this program. That's why 25 hospitals are on a waiting list for the kits.

To learn more about the Love Chloe Foundation and get more information on any of its upcoming events, go to www.lovechloefoundation.org.

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Monkey serves as substitute at school for sick kids

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