Blog
Open Enrollment, Deductibles and Insurance – Oh My!
Before launching into the technicalities of health insurance, let me start this article with a short story. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2017. At the time, our family had used our health insurance sparsely - pediatrician well-child appointments, a...
Mayday Families Share How Your Support Makes a Difference
In August, The Mayday Foundation reached out to families supported in the past 18 months. It's been a little while since The Mayday Foundation shared how your generosity makes an impact. A few facts to set the stage: Since inception in January 2018, The Mayday...
Should I Give to Mayday Directly or Through Give Local?
Give Local 2021, our community's celebration of local generosity, begins today through November 19. During Give Local, The Mayday Foundation is sharing our story along with over 90 other local nonprofits, all working to uplift our communities. Let's clear up a few...
Send a Charitable Donation with a Personalized Message & Little Treat
With the advent of Giving Tuesday (first Tuesday after Thanksgiving), charitable giving has become a large part of the holiday shopping season. Making a donation can be an elegant alternative for someone who has everything. A charitable donation may also allow you to...
GG’s Rainy Day Fund Promotes Family Time
Jane Goldberg loved her family. She was her family's cheerleader and the greatest supporter of her four kids and five grandchildren. Jane lifted up the community with her hard work and quiet philanthropy. Her death left a hole in her entire family but she leaves...
Six Local Students Receive College Scholarships in Memory of Sigrid Hardy
Last year, Derek Hardy and I surprised unsuspecting high school seniors with flowers and an announcement of their Sigrid Hardy Memorial Scholarship award. Due to school closures, this year's announcement comes via email with little fanfare, but we are nevertheless...
Temporary Mission Expansion Means Grocery Money Goes to Local Families Impacted by COVID-19
Three days was all it took to get grocery gift cards to families! It started with an email on Tuesday, March 17 in the evening with an idea. During this chaotic time, let's expand The Mayday Foundation's mission to support more local families coping with the...
Registration Open for Pickleball Pandemonium
Pick a partner and join The Mayday Foundation for its inaugural Pickleball Pandemonium event. The fundraiser is slated for Friday, May 29, 2020 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm at Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club in Olympia. All proceeds benefit The Mayday Foundation's...
Seeking 29 Leap Day Donors to Give $29 TODAY
How will you use the extra 1,440 minutes in your Leap Day? We're looking for 29 people to donate $29 to our Family Support Fund. These are the dollars that help local families coping with cancer while raising kids at home. The Family Support Fund pays household...
Pickleball Pandemonium FAQ
You are going to relish the inaugural Pickleball Pandemonium. We know it's your first time participating in a fundraising tournament like this because it's the first time it's ever been done! Come to the event with a smile on your face, a competitive spirit in the...
Birthday Bags Bring Joy to Families Coping with Cancer
It's a day or two before your child's birthday. You are coping with the side effects of chemotherapy, surgery or radiation and the thought of even pulling together the simplest birthday party seems overwhelming. As a parent, you want to keep life as "normal" as...
Hematoma: I Wish I Had Followed My Post-Op Instructions
I have never been good at following doctor’s orders. I question everything, research medication side effects and decide for myself what’s best for me. I can not tell you how many prescriptions I have refused to fill. But when it came to my doctor’s instructions about...
Delivering Joy on Birthdays
With the help of Junior League of Olympia, The Mayday Foundation will be delivering birthday bags to the children of Thurston County families impacted by cancer. Each birthday bag contains all the essentials for a small celebration - cake mix, frosting, sprinkles,...
Surgery: The Not So Easy Part of My Cancer Treatments
Throughout my cancer treatments, I considered the end of chemotherapy to be a sort of finish line. My lumpectomy and radiation should have been a breeze compared to the harsh treatments I had already endured. But as my surgery date drew nearer, it became apparent that...
Community Showers Love on Mayday Families During Holidays
Cancer does not take a break when kids are out of school for winter vacation. Chemotherapy, scans, medical appointments, radiation, surgery - it all continues despite the date on the calendar or any traditions and family plans. Families coping with cancer therefore...
A-1 Roofing & JT Painting Quickly Repair Leaking Roof for Cancer Patient
It was a heartbreaking email to receive - a local cancer patient sent a note during this week's downpour saying she woke up to a leak in her roof. "Given the very negative news this year when I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, it has been difficult to stay...
Just Shy of 75% of Donor Goal in Give Local
In its third year, Give Local is a campaign sponsored by the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. Between November 6 - 21, more than 80 local non-profit organizations are sharing stories about how philanthropy makes a difference in our community. For The Mayday...
Assistance for C.H.
Sometimes the health care you need is more than one hour from your home. The cost of gas for C.H.'s husband to drive her to daily radiation appointments is astronomical. Enter The Mayday Foundation! Living in Hoquiam, the married couple is raising three school-aged...
Two Podcasts Feature The Mayday Foundation
As an avid podcast subscriber, I was excited to be asked to participate in the recording of two podcasts. Sitting down with a microphone pointed at your mouth and hoping (desperately) to not stumble on words turned out to be a bit scarier than I anticipated. Now the...
Accel Mortgage Owner Cristin Wilson Thanks Clients with Donations
When Cristin Wilson wants to show her appreciation for a client, she opts for a gift of appreciation with long lasting impact. In 2019, Cristin decided to make a donation to The Mayday Foundation, in the name of each of her clients, upon finishing a mortgage...
Post-Chemotherapy Hair Growth: That’s An Interesting Hairstyle
Losing one’s hair during chemotherapy is par for the course. It can be disheartening, but most people assume that their hair will grow back fully, and uniformly, after treatments are complete. The reality of post-chemo hair growth can be a bit more nerve-wracking. ...
Six Thurston County High School Seniors Granted College Scholarships
When cyclists head out on Sunday, June 23 to ride a 20, 50, 100 or 200km route, they will be raising money for scholarships for local kids impacted by cancer. The Two-County Double Metric Century ride, suitable for all levels of cyclists, makes a loop back to...
Why I Ride: Lorraine Clarke
I love seeing the sights and freedom one misses when in a car, hitting backroads and exploring our hometown and the social opportunities of group rides. Cycling is also a safe low impact activity for me after total hip replacement. I cycle in the Two-County Double...
GRuB + Mayday = Healthy, Local Food for Families Coping with Cancer
A head of iceberg lettuce costs almost 60% less than its leafy, nutritionally superior, neighbor. However, when your family’s budget has been slashed due to a loss of income and increased medical bills, and you are weighing the ability to get more for your dollar, the...
Seattle Mariners Coach Jared Sandberg Donates With Every Replay Call
I may be the only Seattle Mariners fan hoping for complicated officiating calls during a game. It’s purely selfish because each time Jared Sandberg, the M’s Major League field coordinator, picks up the dugout phone, a donation is given to The Mayday Foundation. “If...
