Tiny Superheroes
The TinySuperheroes program seeks to empower extraordinary kids as they overcome serious illnesses or disability. Since 2013, TinySuperheroes has empowered over 60,000 kids all over the world. It is such a great idea as our children fighting these illnesses are our tiny superheroes! Children can pick the color of their cape. The program does not just send capes to children with serious illnesses, they also have a patches program. Receiving the cape is just the beginning of their journey.
The patches program is where the child receives a mission every month that unlocks their superpowers! Once they have completed it, they receive another patch to add to their cape! The missions come out the first of every month. The patches program help our children have lasting memories and helps them feel more confident.
They also have a Facebook support group. This is an amazing group where you are part of a tight community that cares. Families post updates on their superheroes and ask questions. It is a safe space just to talk about your worries and how you are feeling.
Alice is a Tiny Superhero
We found out about the TinySuperheroes by chance when a member of a Pediatric Low Grade Glioma group on Facebook showed a photo of their child with their cape. We loved the idea of giving our heroes capes! Alice was so excited to receive a package in the mail just for her, it was labeled To Super Alice! She opened it up and smiled as soon as she saw one of her favorite colors – pink. Straight away Alice wanted to put the cape on and for me to read the little book that came with it. When her daycare friends arrived, she started running around fast with her cape on. Her daycare friends were interested in the cape too and asked how she got one. They all wanted to be her sidekick!
Not only did Alice receive a cape but she gets to do monthly missions to unlock her superpowers. I think this is such an amazing idea! One of my biggest worries has been that Alice will feel different or left out. Now though she is part of a team with other superheroes.
Alice’s first mission was to create a TinySuperheroes toolbox. The toolbox is a place where Alice will put the special things, she acquires throughout her TinySuperheroes journey. Alice choose an owl box from the dollar store and decorated it with colors and stickers. She had a great time!
This is Michael Schow AKA Bute silver bow officer Hulk. He was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. After seven surgeries, a year and a half of chemotherapy, twenty radiation treatments - he beat it! Rang the cancer free bell.
Four months later he relapsed, this time the cancer was behind his right. We travel from Montana to Salt Lake City every week for treatment.
He is doing good with the treatment and so many people look to for strength. We love his superhero cape.
Michael is such an amazing child we will be posting a whole article on him in the up coming weeks. Please subscribe to our newsletter below to get an alert when it is posted!
This is Kaylie sporting her cape after ear surgery. Her Feel Better Friend and her Ali's monkey movement monkey. We try to keep them all with us for comfort and to show off being a superhero while at appointments and inpatient.
I have two TSHs (Tiny Superheroes). Both have Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. The youngest one also has issues with her ears, as well as asthma. I know they may not go through what a lot of other kids go through, but they live with pain every single day. They have never let that stop them though. They have their capes, and maybe just for a little while, while wearing their capes they feel like they can do anything. Here are Super Rebekah and Super Jonathan.
Tiny superheroes is a community you wish you didn't need but can't live without. The love and kindness is felt so much you would think we all knew each other forever.
Tiny superheroes has taught me to never give up my fight.
When our LO was fighting a complex case of gram negative bacterial meningitis at only 31 weeks (she was born 28+5), her cape was one of the first things we got FOR her and the very first thing that personalized her hospital room. It was an acknowledgement that she was a person with a name, and that she was fighting harder than anyone should ever have to. We're so grateful that she made it through!! It now hangs in her bedroom! It means so, so much to me!!
There are many great programs available to help support families with child with serious illnesses. Please do reach out to the various groups and programs for help. The great thing about TinySuperheroes is it is a community. It makes you realize you are not alone. Most importantly it makes our children not feel so alone. Another organization we love is Feel Better Friends, click here to read about this amazing program!
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