Dec 03, 2019

If you are looking for a good cause to support on this #GivingTuesday, SHEETS FROM HOME does great work to help kids who are fighting cancer. They collect fun, colorful sheets to deliver to children who have to stay in the hospital so their rooms are a little brighter and feel more like home. Watch the interview to find out how you can make a donation.

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https://www.facebook.com/allinwishtv/videos/2826864064094439/

Sep 18, 2019

#GiveaSheet Campaign 2019

Grab a twin or full fun & colorful bedtime sheet set next time you are at the store, then drop it off at the Carmel or New Palestine fire Departments. The #GIVEASHEET campaign started with their son...and now has led to them serving 33 hospitals in 15 states, and bringing a little more sunshine to thousands of kids with cancer who spend....everyday....behind hospital doors. 2,000 sheet sets are needed by September 30th!!! Will you help?

Oct 02, 2018

The Carmel Fire Department is asking you to "give a sheet."

It's part of a special program aimed at helping children fighting cancer. Right now, all fire stations in Carmel are collecting new, brightly colored bed sheets to donate to kids in the hospital. The drive was inspired by a fellow firefighter who lost a young daughter to cancer.

"These kids spend a lot of time in the hospital they end up, it kind of becomes a home away from home," said CFD's Tim Griffin. "Sadly, their parents have to work a lot of the time still, they are there in that hospital alone so if there's anything we can do to help brighten up their day, I mean these kids are strong and they are going through a lot."

The drive will be going on for the next few weeks but the department tells us, they will accept donations anytime.

Sep 26, 2018

By: Brittany Lewis

The families of Brody Stephens and Brooke Butler are asking for the donations to celebrate both of their lives. They both passed away from cancer at a young age. 

Butler’s dad is a Carmel firefighter. Bedsheets can be donated at any of the Carmel Fire Department stations. 

“When children are sick and have cancer, they’re going to be in the hospital for a long time and so that sort of becomes a home away from home and anyway that we can make it more comfortable for those children,” said Carmel firefighter Tim Griffin.

“Whether that be exciting cartoon character sheets, bright colored fun sheets, stuff to help brighten up those days because these kids are tough and they’re strong and they’re going through a lot and anything we can do to help them with such things as a sheet is what we want to do.”

You can also donate sheets at the Sugar Creek Township Fire Department. 

The 2-year-old son of a Sugar Creek Township firefighter is currently battling brain cancer. 

Ahren Barowsky was diagnosed with a brain tumor a few weeks after his second birthday. 

He is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

“We’re the rescuers. It’s very difficult to sit in a hospital and not be able to do anything and not feel like a failure because you did not protect your child. That’s been hard to overcome,” said Ahren’s dad, Bill. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Ahren. 

Sep 10, 2018

BY SAMANTHA MYERS

CARMEL, Ind. – One local family is asking people to help them “give a sheet” for kids battling cancer in the hospital.

The Halevi family began the organization called “Sheets from Home” back in 2011 after their son Tamir won his battle with Neuroblastoma.

They found a way to make his hospital room a little brighter.

“She ripped off those boring white hospital sheets and she put on Spongebob on his pillow case, bed sheets and it was really cool it lit up the room,” Asaf Halevi said.

Now they send colorful bed sheets full of cartoon characters to hospitals across the country, bringing smiles to thousands of kids’ faces.

They often work with doctors at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital after getting to know them throughout Tamir’s stay in the hospital. Dr. Bassem Razzouck, Medical Director for Cancer and Blood Diseases at the hospital says he’s seen the impact the sheets have on kids there.

“I have a patient upstairs now who is 15 years old who brought those colorful sheets and whenever we talk about them we kind of distract her from focusing on the nausea and vomiting from the chemotherapy,” Dr. Razzouck said.

They started a new campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness month called “I Give a Sheet, What About You?” They are hoping to increase the amount of sheet donations.

“Unfortunately children continue to get sick with cancer so that’s our sadness but also our inspiration to keep going with this,” Halevi said.

Dr. Razzouck says part of the awareness month is also about taking a moment to make sure your kids are healthy. He says always be on the lookout for abnormalities like unexplained weight loss, nose bleeds or abdominal swelling. He recommends going to see a doctor if something seems off.

They say you can send brand new bed sheets to the address on their website or there’s a link to donate money, and then they will go out and purchase sheets.

Sep 10, 2018

SAMANTHA MYERS

CARMEL, Ind. – One local family is asking people to help them “give a sheet” for kids battling cancer in the hospital.

The Halevi family began the organization called “Sheets from Home” back in 2011 after their son Tamir won his battle with Neuroblastoma.

They found a way to make his hospital room a little brighter. “She ripped off those boring white hospital sheets and she put on Spongebob on his pillow case, bed sheets and it was really cool it lit up the room,” Asaf Halevi said.

Now they send colorful bed sheets full of cartoon characters to hospitals across the country, bringing smiles to thousands of kids’ faces. They often work with doctors at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital after getting to know them throughout Tamir’s stay in the hospital. Dr. Bassem Razzouck, Medical Director for Cancer and Blood Diseases at the hospital says he’s seen the impact the sheets have on kids there.

“I have a patient upstairs now who is 15 years old who brought those colorful sheets and whenever we talk about them we kind of distract her from focusing on the nausea and vomiting from the chemotherapy,” Dr. Razzouck said.

They started a new campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness month called “I Give a Sheet, What About You?” They are hoping to increase the amount of sheet donations.

“Unfortunately children continue to get sick with cancer so that’s our sadness but also our inspiration to keep going with this,” Halevi said.

Dr. Razzouck says part of the awareness month is also about taking a moment to make sure your kids are healthy. He says always be on the lookout for abnormalities like unexplained weight loss, nose bleeds or abdominal swelling. He recommends going to see a doctor if something seems off.

They say you can send brand new bed sheets to the address on their website or there’s a link to donate money, and then they will go out and purchase sheets.

Aug 22, 2018

By Chris Bavender

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and a Carmel family is encouraging community members to do their part to make hospital stays a little more comfortable for kids who spend a lot of time there.

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The “I give a sheet. What about you?” campaign aims to collect as many new sheets as possible to donate to children’s hospitals at the end of September. The campaign is organized by Carmel resident Ya-el Halevi, co-founder of the nonprofit Sheets from Home.  “September brings in the new school year, and with that lots of excitement for the little ones. Sadly, not all kids can share that feeling. Some have to face a different, tougher reality because they’re fighting cancer,” Halevi said. “The reality is they’re spending a lot of time in hospitals away from the comforts of their home. Sheets From Home launched the ‘I give a sheet. What about you?’ campaign geared toward Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The plan is to bring that home-like feeling to as many kids as possible all over the world.”

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It’s a battle Halevi knows all too well. She fought melanoma and cervical cancer between 2006 and 2010. Then, in early 2010, her son, Tamir, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and spent the next 18 months fighting the disease.

“Our son would spend many, many nights confined to his hospital bed. We brought lots of love, we brought courage and hope, and we even brought in toys. We also brought sheets from home, and this did unexpected and amazing things,” Halevi said. “On the first night of his chemo at the hospital, we ripped off the white patient hospital sheets and replaced them with sheets from home. We thought this was just a small gesture, but over the course of treatments, a nurse, another kid or a mom would stand outside our hospital room and marvel at how the sheets brought life to the room. We were amazed at the positive impact and the smiles.”

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Although it didn’t make the pain go away, her son’s hospital bed felt more like his real home.

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To participate in the campaign, Halevi recommends organizing an event to collect sheets with donors creating personal notes of encouragement to be sent with the sheets. Groups can schedule a drop off with a local hospital.

“We’ve been donating sheets since 2011 and received the official nonprofit charity status in 2015. Since then, we were able to bring smiles to kids from Maine all the way to Florida to the Midwest to Texas and California,” Halevi said. “Some (staff) make it into a big party and let the kids choose from the pile. Others surprise the little ones after a rough procedure with colorful sheets already on their bed.”

Jun 10, 2017

By Mark Ambrogi

As Brooks School Elementary Student Council sponsor, Jennifer Mulvaney is always looking for charities her students might want to support. The student council, made up of third- and fourth-grade elected members, is allowed to do two money-making fundraisers per year. Marabeth Pareira, a Brooks School office secretary, is an ambassador for Sheets From Home and told Mulvaney about the nonprofit, which provides sheets to children in the hospital.

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Mulvaney shared the information with the student council, and they voted for it over their other ideas.

“Once they knew whom they wanted to support, they brainstormed ideas on how to raise the money and decided to just do a week-long fundraiser, asking families to donate to this worthy cause, with a culminating spirit day, a pajama day, at the end of the week,” Mulvaney said. “Students who brought in at least $1 any time that week could participate in the pajama day. They chose pajamas because it went with sheets.”

Mulvaney said student council members wrote an advertisement for the school newsletter and emails that went out to families. They also made announcements in classrooms and over the intercom at the end of each day.

The student council raised $1,920, which will translate to 70 to 80 sheets.

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Ya-el Halevi, of Carmel, started the nonprofit with her husband, Asaf, in 2011 after her son, Tamir, now 10, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2010. He spent several months in different hospitals and is now cancer-free.

“We spent weeks at a time in the hospital. It was our second home,” Halevi said. “Whenever he had to be admitted, we always brought his sheets. That’s where it started because other kids and other families saw it. They said this is cool.”

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Halevi said included in the children’s sheets donations are a few words to make it more personal.

“When a kid is feeling crummy in the hospital, it’s always nice to know someone is thinking about you,” she said.

Halevi said the sheets are always fun and colorful, some featuring cartoon characters, animals and sports teams.

“We try to have a variety so we can cheer them up,” said Halevi, who survived battles with melanoma and cervical cancer.

Mar 29, 2017

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Even the most basic items can make a tough situation, better.

Young patients at Lutheran Children’s Hospital learned that Wednesday when Sheets from Home presented them with new sheets for their hospital beds. The nonprofit organization donated 50 sets of twin-sized sheets for patients to make their hospital stay “more like home.”

Officials said having personal sheets at the hospital adds comfort that can help normalize the environment during treatment or recovery.

Jan 17, 2017

By Sierra Solis

Each year, thousands of children receive treatment for cancer, and one Carmel/Westfield family is doing its part to make a terrifying experience a little more comfortable. The Halevi family created the nonprofit Sheets from Home to provide donated kid-friendly, colorful bedsheets to replace the plain ones often found in medical facilities. The Halevis know the comfort it can bring to a child, because they’ve been there.

Tamir Halevi, 10, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2010, not long after his mother, Ya-el, had battled melanoma and cervical cancer.

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“You reflect back on that journey and you think about the things that made a difference,” said Asaf Halevi, Tamir’s father and Ya-el’s husband. “When he got admitted for his first inpatient stay, my wife actually took off his boring, white hospital sheets, and recognizing that he’s going to be there for many months to come, she put on fun, kid-friendly sheets to try to put a smile on his face.”

The experience led the family to believe that fun bed sheets could create a more home-like environment for other children battling cancer. Since its launching, Sheets from Home has donated approximately 6,000 sheets to several hospitals in the U.S. and beyond. Natives of Israel, the Havlevis moved around the East Coast before settling in Hamilton County to be near Asaf’s job with Eli Lilly. The family has a large network of friends and supporters who have helped Sheets from Home grow beyond the Midwest.

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“For me it was a dream. It was something that I was hoping to do. Sitting here today, I’m speechless,” Ya-el said. “It’s a team effort. So I’m very thankful for all the good people who helped us make this a reality, and they keep supporting us. I’m very thankful for being able to give back and do more.”

The family frequently visits Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital to donate sheets. They spent much of their time at the facility during Tamir’s battle with cancer. Child life specialist Erin Draminski plays a major role in helping deliver the sheets to patients at the hospital.

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“It’s really an incredible organization that is very personal,” Draminski said. “That’s what really hits home with families, is personal items and personal things, and the fact that someone else is thinking of something that these families aren’t thinking of.  I think (that makes) all the difference in their day and their journey.”

Draminski prepares the sheets for children coming in for a procedure or being admitted to the hospital.

“It’s a little thing that sets the tone for the future, the rest of their stay,” Draminski said.

Tamir is now cancer-free and a student at College Wood Elementary. The young cancer survivor often helps deliver sheets and raise awareness. “It took away all the annoying things, except for the things I couldn’t control,” said Tamir, reflecting on his own experience in the hospital when his parents first gave him fun bed sheets.

Ya-el said the organization’s goal is to put a smile on the faces of young patients going through what they have faced as a family.

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“I’m not a doctor. I don’t know how to make it better,” Ya-el said. “But I know that this helped me, and hopefully it’s going to help others.”

Dec 27, 2016

By Sierra Solis

Each year, thousands of children receive treatment for cancer, and one Carmel family is doing its part to make a terrifying experience a little more comfortable. The Halevi family created the nonprofit Sheets from Home to provide donated kid-friendly, colorful bedsheets to replace the plain ones often found in medical facilities. The Halevis know the comfort it can bring to a child, because they’ve been there.

​

Tamir Halevi, 10, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2010, not long after his mother, Ya-el, had battled melanoma and cervical cancer. “You reflect back on that journey and you think about the things that made a difference,” said Asaf Halevi, Tamir’s father and Ya-el’s husband. “When he got admitted for his first inpatient stay, my wife actually took off his boring, white hospital sheets, and recognizing that he’s going to be there for many months to come, she put on fun, kid-friendly sheets to try to put a smile on his face.”

The experience led the family to believe that fun bed sheets could create a more home-like environment for other children battling cancer. Since its launching, Sheets from Home has donated approximately 6,000 sheets to several hospitals in the U.S. and beyond.

​

Natives of Israel, the Havlevis moved around the East Coast before settling in Carmel to be near Asaf’s job with Eli Lilly. The family has a large network of friends and supporters who have helped Sheets from Home grow beyond the Midwest.

“For me it was a dream. It was something that I was hoping to do. Sitting here today, I’m speechless,” Ya-el said. “It’s a team effort. So I’m very thankful for all the good people who helped us make this a reality, and they keep supporting us. I’m very thankful for being able to give back and do more.”

The family frequently visits Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital to donate sheets. They spent much of their time at the facility during Tamir’s battle with cancer. Child life specialist Erin Draminski plays a major role in helping deliver the sheets to patients at the hospital.

​

“It’s really an incredible organization that is very personal,” Draminski said. “That’s what really hits home with families, is personal items and personal things, and the fact that someone else is thinking of something that these families aren’t thinking of.  I think (that makes) all the difference in their day and their journey.”

Draminski prepares the sheets for children coming in for a procedure or being admitted to the hospital.

“It’s a little thing that sets the tone for the future, the rest of their stay,” Draminski said.

Tamir is now cancer-free and a student at College Wood Elementary. The young cancer survivor often helps deliver sheets and raise awareness.

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“It took away all the annoying things, except for the things I couldn’t control,” said Tamir, reflecting on his own experience in the hospital when his parents first gave him fun bed sheets.

Ya-el said the organization’s goal is to put a smile on the faces of young patients going through what they have faced as a family.

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“I’m not a doctor. I don’t know how to make it better,” Ya-el said. “But I know that this helped me, and hopefully it’s going to help others.”

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College Wood Elementary collected 221 bed sheets Nov. 14 -18 for kids fighting cancer, the largest single donation collected for Sheets from Home.

During the week, Tamir Halevi spoke to his classmates about cancer and how they could help other kids feel more at home. For every bedsheet donated, students wrote letters and drew pictures for a child in need.