MIKEY'S WAY FOUNDATION
Helping Kids Cope with Cancer... Mikey's Way
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
On average, 15,000 children aged birth to 19 are diagnosed with cancer every year in the United States. The length of treatment is approximately three years. While significant funding is devoted to finding a cure for cancer, more needs to be done to serve the pediatric cancer patient while in the midst of treatment. Studies indicate that diversion and connection with friends and family help manage anxiety, stress and depression and enhance overall coping skills of patients undergoing long-term treatment. The mind/body connection between emotional wellness and physical well-being is important for all cancer patients, but is more pronounced in young people.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Mikey's Way Foundation
It is the goal of the Mikey’s Way Foundation to be able to connect every hospitalized child with their friends, family and school, enabling them to cope with the separation during long-term treatment for cancer and other life threatening illnesses.
We ensure this connection through the use of the Internet, (Skype/Facetime) and our ability to supply every child with a laptop computer, tablet, or similar electronic device. In creating this connection we are in turn presenting the child with a strong, and positive form of diversion. This diversion helps create the Mind-Body Connection and a way for each child to escape…Mikey’s Way.
Mikey’s Way Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity
Mikey's Way Day
When we visit selected hospitals to distribute our Wi-Fi ready electronic gifts to the children on the hematology/oncology floor.
Mikey's Way Wish List
We use our Wish List Program to reach patients we haven't seen on a Mikey's Way Day. With the help of a Child Life Specialist, patients complete and return our Wish List form and we package and ship the gift to them.
Mikey's Playroom/Teen Room Initiative
Mikey's Way Foundation also provides electronics that remain at the hospital to help enhance the play and teen room experience as well as electronics that are permanently installed in treatment rooms of the hospital.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of patients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is the total number of pediatric patients who received a Mikey's Way Gift, either via our Mikey's Way Day or Wish List Program.
Number of hospitals in our network
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is the number of children's hospitals that have received Mikey's Way support since our inception in 2005.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to serve every pediatric cancer patient in treatment. We strive to create connection and diversion by gifting patients laptop computers, tablets, and other internet-ready electronics, allowing them to stay connected to family, friends and school. We distribute these electronic devices using both our Mikey's Way Days and the Mikey's Way Wish List Programs. The electronic gifts are theirs to keep and can travel with them to doctor's appointments, clinic treatments and other procedures. Pediatric patients also use the devices during periods of isolation either in the hospital or at home when their compromised immune systems don't allow them to return to school and other normal activities. The gifts we distribute are durable and adaptable, chosen to last from the day of diagnosis to the completion of treatment.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We will work to raise awareness of the need for diversion and connection among pediatric patients in long-term treatment and of the benefit of Mikey's Way electronic gifts. We will continue to expand our hospital network. Mikey's Way Days have been paused temporarily at hospitals across the country. We are encouraging Child Life Specialists to use our Wish List Program for patients. Since the pandemic, we have not been able to visit hospitals in person; however, we are still able to serve patients through our Wish List Program, and look forward to the day we can resume our in hospital visits. We gifted over 900 pediatric patients in 2021through our Wish List program. Our goal is to exceed that number in 2022.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our capabilities include our record to date of serving over 9,700 patients in 25 states across the country since our founding in 2005. We are a recognized leader in understanding the importance of the mind-body connection and its positive effect on chemotherapy patients in treatment. We have made a conscious effort to educate the cancer community about the benefits of a Mikey's Way gift for the pediatric patient. As such we continue to expand our hospital network and our reach to different areas of the country. Our human capital includes 2 full-time senior positions, 3 part-time positions, 9 members on our Board of Directors, 1 Advisory Board Members, 9 Corporate Partner Organizations and over 75 committed volunteers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
To date we have served over 9,700 children in 25 states since inception! With 15,000 new cases of pediatric cancer diagnosed every year, we see a need for our kind of assistance for the foreseeable future. While accomplishing the short term goal of continued Mikey's Way Day's, and Wish List fulfillment we see an almost never ending need for us to continue to strive to achieve Mikey's original idea -- Helping kids cope with cancer... Mikey's Way
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
request formal feedback from the people we serve because they are in crisis.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MIKEY'S WAY FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 03/15/2022
Mikey Friedman
In Memoriam
Term: 2005 -
Michael Callahan
Counsel Financial - retired
Brian Friedman
Pegasus Capital Advisors
Dan Reininga
Lake Shore Bank
Eric Feibelkorn
Toshiba
Ryan Kagels
Counsel Financial Services
James Fleming
TP Link USA
Abraham Bartell
Westchester Medical Center - Maria Fareri Children's Hospital
Jillian Deck
Lippes, Mathias, Wexler, Friedman
Kevin Sanvidge
Chautauqua IDA - retired
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data