Chapin Couple Continue on an Elf Tradition for Cancer Research

Jenny Wilkins gave birth to her second child Isabella less than a week after burying her first child, Catie.  Jenny is turning the pain of losing a child to cancer into a mission to raise the awareness of childhood cancer. 

One of Catie’s favorite possessions was her Elf that she received at the Ronald McDonald House two Christmases before she passed away.  Renee Smith, a Chapin, SC resident is the one who donated that Elf.  At the time, Renee and her partner sold the elves primarily on a retail basis, but she wanted to bring the magic of the Elves to some children who could use it.  

Catie’s Elf was a doll to hold and give her comfort during the day, but give it a jelly bean before bedtime and watch out!  With the help of her parents and the caregivers at the hospital, her Elf would get into all kinds of mischief.  One night at home it got into the flour and made a mess.  It was also found in the refrigerator, in the pantry eating cookies and various places at the hospital.

Catie would wake up every morning and say, ‘What’s that silly elf doing?’ says Jenny Wilkins.  Ours was always a mischievous elf. She really only had two Christmases with that Elf, but she just fell in love with it.

Jenny decided the best way she could honor Catie’s memory was to bring the same joy to other childhood cancer patients and their families.  She tracked down  Renee and her partner and Elves from Catie was launched. 

It was a great way to get through that first Christmas, says Wilkins.

In the two short years since its inception, over 1000 Elves have found their way to 12 different hospitals and over $10,000 has been donated to CURE Childhood Cancer. Now raising the awareness of childhood cancer is Renee’s passion as well as her husband David’s.  Almost all of the Elves were sponsored by individual donations of $20 that delivers an elf, a donation to CURE and a million dollar smile to a childhood cancer patient.

Elves are a great avenue for families to make memories, says Wilkins.  And research is vital for hopefully coming up with a cure.  So it’s really the best of both worlds this program. 

If you would like to sponsor an elf please visit www.elvesfromcatie.com.