ARTICLES

6.5.2010

Mikey’s Way Foundation Expands from Hospitals to Ronald McDonald House New York on June 5th.

Westport, CT – The Mikey’s Way Foundation will begin a new alliance when it holds its first “Mikey’s Way Day” event at Ronald McDonald House New York at 10:00 AM on June 5th. The House, which can accommodate 84 families, and is filled to capacity nearly every night, will be the largest gifting the Mikey’s Way has ever undertaken.

Mikey’s Way helps children with cancer escape the fear, isolation and boredom of prolonged and often lonely hospital stays by providing them with laptop computers and, handheld interactive electronic toys and games. Founded by Michael “Mikey” Friedman, who at age fifteen, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Mikey understood what it meant to go through chemotherapy treatment, and wanted to help other children who were suffering through the same experience. Mikey created Mikey’s Way Foundation after using his Make-A-Wish gift to buy a cart full of hand held portable gaming equipment, DVD players, laptop computers, and similar electronic toys and games. Then headed to his local children’s hospital where he went room –to- room and gave it all away.

Sadly, Mikey passed away in October, 2008 but his legacy lives on through the Mikey’s Way Foundation. Les Friedman, CEO of Mikey’s Way Foundation and Mikey’s Dad, states, “Our goal is to help as many children as possible to overcome the social isolation and anxiety that often accompany cancer treatment, June 5th celebrates our biggest undertaking and also marks our 2,000th give-away”. Friedman is especially pleased by the Foundation’s alliance with the Ronald McDonald House New York because it serves entire families who are affected by the treatment. “These are the children that deserve the best we can give them,” says Friedman.

Ronald McDonald House New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Ronald McDonald House New York is the largest facility of its type in the world. The House can accommodate 84 families, and it is filled to capacity almost every night. The House’s location in Manhattan, in close proximity to 14 major cancer treatment centers, draws children and families from across the country and the world, as well as from the metropolitan New York City area. Since its founding, more than 25,000 families have stayed at Ronald McDonald House New York. For more information, visit www.rmdh.org.

Mikey’s Way Foundation relies solely on private donations. The Foundation has an additional 7 Mikey’s Way Days this year and hopes to raise enough funds to provide each child in need with a fun, interactive handheld electronic toys and games to help kids cope. … Mikey’s Way. www.mikeysway.org

4.6.10

Jennifer Love Hewitt supports Mikey’s Way Foundation!

Hollywood actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt, best known for her role as Melinda Gordon on Ghost Whisperer (CBS), films promotional video for Mikey’s Way Foundation

Westport, CT April 6, 2010: Many Hollywood actresses require extensive press coverage in order to be involved in charitable work: not Jennifer Love Hewitt. Every year on her birthday, without press or fanfare, Jennifer Love Hewitt and her mother visit a hospital where kids are being treated for serious illness. And it was on her birthday at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, that Jennifer first met Mikey Friedman.

Mikey, a 15 years old at the time, was being treated at Sloan for a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Mikey was inspired by Jennifer’s act of pure compassion, and the quiet way she went from room to room. Her mother, equipped with a Polaroid camera, took photos of Jennifer and each patient, and each photo was graced with an inspirational note and autograph from the star.

Mikey, deeply impressed by the star’s generous nature, was inspired to give back and to get actively involved in making the “cancer experience” easier for hospitalized children. Approached by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mikey choose a shopping spree and bought personalized gifts for every patient on the pediatric cancer ward of the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. The press coverage and community reaction was overwhelming and donations poured in. Mikey went on to visit fourteen different hospitals, and hosted 17 “Mikey’s Way Days” across the country.

Mikey met with each patient personally, and allowed them to choose a gift from his cart that would make treatment a little easier. He knew the pitfalls well: social isolation, boredom, anxiety and fear. Each gift was chosen to address one or all of these issues. Choices include: netbooks, laptops, PSP game systems, portable DVD players and iPods.

Mikey lost his battle to cancer in 2008 while studying pre-med as a sophmore at Harvard. His intention was to study pediatric cancers and look for a cure. His family is continuing his foundation and has seven hospitals on the calendar for 2010.

Upon hearing about the foundation she inspired, Hewitt agreed to film a promotional piece that she will include on her website, asking her fans to donate to this cause. There are more than 14,000 children each year diagnosed with this disease. And while we look for a cure for tomorrow, we need to reach the children who are suffering today.

5.2.06
On May 2, 2006, Mikey received an award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of NJ (Hudson County) as 2006 Young Hero of the Year. About 400 people attended. The students had an essay contest about how Mikey and Mikey’s Way has inspired them. The children also raised almost $2,500 from bake sales and an anonymous donor matched that amount for a total of $5,000 raised by the Clubs. The winner of the essay contest was a little girl (age 11) who got to read her essay to the crowd and received a plague honoring her writing.
read the essay
read KeaLani Jack’s biography