Think back for a moment to the most agonizing day of your life. Now tweak it, ever so gently. Imagine how differently you would have felt if you had had a community there, ready to alleviate the smaller, disparate parts of your burden so you could focus on tackling the massive issue, the one so heavy and suffocating that you sometimes had to remind yourself to draw breath.
That is what The Dragonfly Foundation is all about. Their mission is to help pediatric cancer patients and their families find strength, courage and joy. Since 2010, Dragonfly has served thousands of pediatric cancer and bone marrow transplant patients and their families by providing ongoing support, relevant materials, and caring, nurturing and transformative experiences. They also provide a social identity and a sense of belonging.
For Joshua and Christina Barnes, the community they forged through Dragonfly was invaluable after they relocated from Alaska to be near Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dragonfly has been a lifeline of support for LJ, their 2-year-old son, and the entire family, during his battle with DIPG, a brain tumor.
Being unfamiliar with Cincinnati and having no friends or family nearby, Dragonfly filled an important role and became an extension of their family. Dragonfly events and program spaces provide comforting and safe distractions. Their new headquarters, The Landing, located near Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center’s Uptown location, is a convenient home away from home for Dragonfly families.
“We didn’t have friends or family around but Dragonfly had a place for us, The Landing, where we could visit, enjoy their company, and have our kids play in a safe and clean environment. The Landing became a home away from home where we’d visit family on our trips back — a layer of normalcy my kids needed. My entire life perspective is different now. I see everything through the lens of a
cancer diagnosis. Dragonfly helps me wipe off those lenses and sometimes even repairs the frames, to help me live life more normally,” says Christina.
Thanks to the generosity of its amazing donors, Dragonfly continues to provide opportunities for families to relax, refresh and connect. For example, they offer multiple weekly events for families to attend, including Reds, Cyclones and FC Cincinnati games, and other sporting events, concerts, movies and more!
(Donate event tickets to Dragonfly families by contacting Dragonfly’s Ticket Donation Hotline at 513.609.4758.)
In-hospital and outpatient programs enhance quality of life and support both patients, siblings/offspring and parents/caregivers.
“Dragonfly is there week after week providing opportunities for amazing experiences with your family. You get a chance to be a normal family for a little while,” Christina continues. “We have attended numerous Cincinnati Reds games. We have hung out with Marty Brennaman in the press box. This year we attended Dragonfly’s Reds Day where the kids played baseball on the field wearing their adorable custom jerseys. There was something magical about watching a bunch of kids fighting for their lives and their families, who are so worn down, playing baseball like everything is normal. Between Dragonfly activities and other events, our family was never short on time together. Not only do these events provide memories, fun and distractions, they also place us around other families who are trying to wade through the deep waters of a cancer diagnosis.”
Today, the Barneses consider themselves a part of the Dragonfly family. They encourage others to support Dragonfly’s mission and to help the organization with the invaluable work they do in supporting patients, siblings/offspring, parents and caregivers, especially in their times of crisis.
“Dragonfly was our village when our village was spread clear across the United States. They were a place to land when we had nowhere else comfortable to go,” Christina says. “Although I wouldn’t wish a cancer diagnosis on anyone, I do wish that everyone could experience the love and support Dragonfly gives to my family.”
The Dragonfly Foundation is located at 506 Oak St., Cincinnati, OH 45219. For more information or to schedule a personal or corporate tour, call
513.494.6474 or visit dragonfly.org/Landing.