about us
Our mission is sparking joy and connection for families in the PNW who have a child with cancer through playful and meaningful experiences at home and in community. We cultivate communities of light in the darkness by hosting safe and delightful experiences every month where families make memories together and connect to a larger community of families on a similar journey.
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HISTORY:
From 1998 through 2020, a Seattle-based organization called Side-by-Side provided support services for families who had a seriously ill child at Seattle Children's Hospital, including two annual camp experiences and a variety of in-person support programs. In fall 2020, COVID restrictions made the already-isolating experience of childhood cancer 1,000 times worse. We watched as almost all support services available to families evaporated. Hospital visitor limitations, canceled support services, and fractured community networks left cancer families almost entirely alone.
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A group of Side-by-SIde volunteers got together to think of how we might continue to share the best parts of camp with families. What began as a simple idea — delivering delightfully distracting games, crafts, and snacks to the doorsteps of cancer families as they sheltered in place — quickly grew into a vision for a monthly virtual family fun day that would spark joy and connection to counterbalance grief and isolation.
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The most important “ah-ha” moment? We realized COVID-inspired “virtual programming” would be a viable long-term strategy to meet the unique needs of families with immunosuppressed children, even without a global pandemic.
From that first Matchbox Day to today, The Light Collective has created a supportive and joyful community for families enduring extraordinary strain.
The Light Collective is supported by a community of expert professionals trained in health care, education, social work, human development, counseling, pastoral care, and organizational health. We are eager to provide services and experiences that are safe, developmentally appropriate, mutually encouraging, and delivered with excellence.
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We work with a team of medical professionals to ensure our programs are safe and appropriate for families. This team includes:
Kristin Gard: Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner
Sue Ehling: Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner
Timothy Ehling: Director of Clinical Operations, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
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OUR VISION:
Kinship, resilience, and joy for every family member impacted by childhood cancer.
OUR VALUES:
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FAMILY: We honor the unique and beautiful forms and structures that make a family and affirm the importance of families turning toward one another.
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MUTUALITY: We recognize each of us—families, volunteers, donors, and partners—join the Collective with unique experiences, and all benefit from shared joy and connection.
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PLAY: We share imaginative prompts and joyful invitations for play where families can experience delightful distraction and meaningful memory-making within their homes and together with other families.
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GRIEF: We recognize the enormous grief of childhood cancer, which
impacts the whole family: isolation, uncertainty, and loss. -
EMPATHY: We create intentional opportunities for volunteers and families to build skills in empathy.
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WELCOME: We enthusiastically welcome and provide support for children and families without discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity,
cultural background, national origin, disability, sexuality, gender identity, gender expression, or socioeconomic status. -
EQUITY: We build a team of experts while working to dismantle oppressive systems and uncover problematic biases which could hinder our ability to create connection.
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EXCELLENCE: We anchor our work in proactive study of best practices to remain a trusted “go-to” resource for families and partner organizations.
We enthusiastically welcome and provide support for children and families without discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, cultural background, national origin, disability, sexuality, gender identity, gender expression, or socioeconomic status.