Final Chapter

I’ve come to realize that everything in life has a final chapter and in this post, I am writing the final chapter for Karl’s Books. After the UNC Libraries took over the storing of the books, they discovered how many wonderful books we had collected and made the decision to not hold a book drive because we already had enough books. And then it was decided that they actually didn’t have the space to store the books. They restocked the clinic with as many books as the shelves would hold and donated the rest of the books to local groups who needed them. So, the clinic probably has enough books to last a year and then I’m sure they will figure out how to organize one big book drive that will restock the shelves. The hardest part of this whole project has been the lack of storage space. Storage space in all campus and hospital buildings is very valuable and hard to find. When I started this project two months after Karl died in 2007, I just stored the books in my garage and drove them over and used a fold up hand cart to wheel them up to the old clinic in the Gravely Building. And after the new cancer hospital opened, we received donations of money and that helped pay for 2 different storage units and Donna and I would load up my car---yes, I bought a Honda Element partly because it has great hauling space and we would park in the parking deck and use a hand cart to wheel them to the clinic. And then we stored them in the clinic and then the Physician’s Office Building. I’ve recently been in touch with Dr. Gold and he reassures me that the book program will continue. The hospital has a great group of student volunteers and I’m sure they’ll figure out a book drive and a way to keep those shelves filled. So, I wish them well and want to thank everyone who had a part in helping me make this possible. A special Happy Birthday wish to my son Karl who would be 22 years old today. I love you. My love, Kathy Humphries, Book Fairy

Happy Tears

Ever since I started Karl’s Books over 8 years ago, I’ve hoped that one day this book program would become self-sustaining and thanks to the generous staff at UNC Chapel Hill Libraries, this is now possible. We have been storing our books in the Physician’s Office Building across from the hospital for the past 3 years. You pass this building if you park in the parking deck and take the covered walkway to the hospital. The hospital contacted the library staff and told them that the storage space was needed and the books needed to move. So, the library staff has found room to store the books and have also volunteered to do the restocking. Many thanks to Will Owen, Michele Hayslett and the Diversity Committee of the Libraries, Stephanie Mazze Rec Therapist with the clinic and Lauren Davis, Division Administrator with NC Children's Hospital for figuring this all out. I have shed some happy tears over this. Love, Kathy

UNC Libraries 2014 Book Drive

The UNC Chapel Hill 2014 book drive for Karl's Books was hugely successful. 1665 books were collected! The project is run by the Library Diversity Programming and Education Committee and this is their blog entry http://blogs.lib.unc.edu/news/index.php/2014/12/1665-books-for-pediatric-cancer-patients-thanks-to-you/. I want to send these book fairies a special thanks for all of their work and this year it also involved moving the books to storage. I know the children and their families will enjoy many moments of escaping into these treasured books. And thanks to everyone who donated these books. Your generosity is wide reaching and will help Karl's Books to continue another year. Love, Kathy, Book Fairy

UNC Book Drives

I was thinking that Karl's Books has come a long way in 7 1/2 years. I started out hauling boxes of books up the ramps and elevators of the old Gravely Building on a little fold up luggage cart held on with bungee cords and stored the books in my garage. We now store our books at the hospital and have student volunteers restocking the shelves. And because the UNC book drives have been so successful, they collect enough books for the whole year and I've been able to simplify the program. And this year we are making the program even more self-sustaining by having the library co-ordinate with the hospital in moving the books to storage. It has always been my hope that the program could continue without me and we're pretty close. Just to remind you of the types of books we're looking for. We want books that are in really good shape. New is great, but used is OK as long as it is in good condition. These books are a gift to the children. Please no books that make noise (nurse's request), have been written or drawn in, the stickers have been partially used, or are dirty or moldy. I asked the clinic for book suggestions and this is what they said: Book recommendations: board books, Spanish books!!!! (for the very young), series books for elementary school kids and adolescent.... Thanks for checking in. Love, Kathy, Book Fairy

2013 Book Drive

On this Christmas Eve I would like to thank everyone for making the annual book drive for Karl’s Books an overwhelming success! A total of 4086 books were collected. UNC Libraries collected 3686 books and 1100 of these were from the Medical School. And Facilities where I work, collected 400 books. What a wonderful stock pile we have now to distribute to the clinic’s patients and their siblings.

On this beautiful sunny afternoon, I wish you peace. Love, Kathy Book Fairy

UNC Students Volunteer

The Book Fairy is getting some much needed help from three current UNC students. Max Nagle, Ashlyn Burns and Katelyn Jones have volunteered to help restock and organized the clinic's book shelves each month.

We met last Friday and with Donna Lucier's help, we pulled all of the many chapter books from the shelves, sorted and restocked. We also put out new board books and picture books. So, we're ready for a busy fall. Karl's Books continues to be a popular distraction at the clinic and the staff appreciate the many books we provide. UNC Chapel Hill Libraries are in the planning stages for their annual book drive for us in December. We love the quality of books they are able to collect. So, I'll be the one to thank you all for your continued support. Love, Kathy Book Fairy

Asheville High School Book Drive

Alex Biggs knows first hand what its like to sit in hospital waiting rooms. His older sister Courtney, who turned 23 this year, has been an oncology patient since she was a baby. They both have been students at North Buncombe High School in Asheville, NC and this year Alex encouraged them to host a book drive for Karl's Books. They collected over 400 books. These books will help other families as they spend hours in the clinic during treatment days. I want to thank this family and their school for their support. Love, Kathy

Book Fairy Flies to School

The Book Fairy visited Rashkis Elementary School this past Friday and read to all the kindergarteners. They in turn collected much needed board books for the clinic. The kids were full of questions. "Are you a real fairy?". "Did you fly here?". And one little boy with a UNC t-shirt on asked if I was the UNC Book Fairy and if I was a Tar-heel. I said of course. Thanks to all of the great kids, their families and the school's staff. Love, Kathy

Donations

Thanks to local book drives hosted by UNC Libraries, home schoolers and private individuals Karl's Books is stocked up for now. So, please no more book deliveries. What we still need are new preschool board books and Spanish books. So, either collect these or host fund raisers and mail the check to the hospital and I will be glad to buy the books I know the kids enjoy.

Thanks for your interest and participation. The kids and families continue to enjoy the books.

Love, Kathy

Mail your checks to the address below.

Local Home Schoolers Collect 600 Books

It started as a 4-H project and ended as a gift of 600 books for the UNC Pediatric Hem/Onc Clinic. A small group of students lead by 13 year old Chase Lewis collected these books and delivered them to my home. My co-volunteer Donna Lucier and I delivered the books to the clinic this past week and they helped restock the shelves.

Hospital volunteers have started helping during the week straighten the books which is a wonderful job to do. The kids have fun pulling them out to find that special book and we all know the books need to go back.

If you are interested in helping with this project contact volunteer services and say you would like to help with Karl's Books.

Thanks again for the books collected.

Remember, we are still in need of tax deductable money donations.

Love,
Kathy, Book Fairy

Book Fairy Lapel Pins

We created Book Fairy lapel pins and are offering the pins as a "thank you gift" for a "minimum donation" of $10 (or $15 for mailing). They are 1 1/4" and gold cloisonne and look just like our new logo.

The pin is very clever. You will love it. Thanks for your support!

My love,
Kathy, Book Fairy

Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fund
UNC-Chapel Hill
Dept of Pediatrics Div Hem Onc
CB# 7236
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7236
Memo line: Karl's Books

Thanks Chase Lewis

A special thanks to 11 year old Chase Lewis. He collected a lot of books from his Boy Scout Troop and has donated them to Karl's Books. My husband loves to look through the books we collect. Karl inherited his love of reading from him. He came in this evening with a smile on his face and said he found a book he'd like to read in one of the bags. The books help us both feel connected to Karl's love.

Thanks for helping us do that.

My love, Kathy
Book Fairy

Gift Card

I want to once again thank our New York friend, Debbie Lapidus. She sent us a $200 gift card for Barnes & Noble to add to her birthday gift to her sister-in-law. That will help buy lots of new board books!

Love, Kathy

We Have gone National!

Debbie Lapidus contacted me by email wanting to know where she could send some books. I thought she was local, so I gave her my address. She wrote back and said she lived in New York and wanted to donate some books in honor of her sister-in-law's birthday. She had read about the book fairy on line. So, this week a very heavy box of wonderful books arrived from her and I'd like to say "Happy Birthday Pam!!!". The kids at the clinic will surely enjoy your birthday gift. I can feel the love from here.

Love, Kathy

UNC Libraries

This is the second year UNC libraries has hosted a campus wide book drive for us and this year was another success. They collected 2173 books. A special thanks to Katelyn Ander for her help.

Love, Kathy

Rashkis Third Graders

A special thanks to the Rashkis third graders for a great book collection. They asked the Book Fairy to come read to them and I did. What smart kids they are! Thanks so much.

Love, Kathy

Monetary Donations Needed

Please remember Karl's Books this year. Money is needed to pay for books when we have a need and for storage.

Make checks payable to:
"Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fund"
Memo line: Book drive fund, Karl's Books
Mail it to:

The University of NC at Chapel Hill
Dept of Pediatrics Div Hem Onc
CB # 7236
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7236

A tax receipt will be mailed to you, so be sure to include your current address.

Thanks so much.
Kathy
Book Fairy

Grady Brown Elementary School in Hillsborough

May 21, 2010

Dear Grady Brown Elementary School,

I want to thank you all on behalf of the kids being treated for cancer at UNC Hospitals.  Your book donations will be enjoyed by so many kids and their families.  We all know how unpleasant and boring it is to visit the doctor.  Your books will allow these kids to escape for a while.

Books are gifts that keep on giving.

My love,

Kathy Humphries, Book Fairy

Chase Jones UNC Leader

Here is an article I read in the newspaper:

Chapel Hill Herald (NC)

March 31, 2010

Cancer survivor inspires team

Teddy Mitrosilis

CHAPEL HILL -- A large gong rests in a special room at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. For many kids, it's a symbol of triumph and victory. Others aren't so lucky. After six long months of hospital beds, IV drips and doctors' orders, Chase Jones hit the heck out of that gong.

Growing up in Greensboro, Jones never imagined this would be his path. No child would ever choose this.

Jones quickly learned how to live life with a positive attitude and relentless spirit. He had no other choice. Fight or quit.

Jones always had lofty aspirations. As a kid, he wanted to attend Stanford or Harvard. When neither school accepted him, Jones became a Tar Heel.

He enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill as a freshman in fall 2006. With limited baseball abilities but with an intense love for the game, Jones asked head coach Mike Fox what he could do to help the baseball program.

Jones soon began helping the equipment manager wash towels, sort uniforms and complete other chores around the clubhouse.

But then the intense headaches and nausea began. Repeated trips to Campus Health Services failed to rectify the problem. When Jones could barely see light without his head beginning to throb, doctors ordered a CT scan. The results led to an intensive MRI, a medical imaging technique used to see the detailed internal structure of the body.

Sitting in a wheelchair on Oct. 4, 2006, Jones learned he had a malignant germinoma brain tumor, or, simply, brain cancer.

"I was actually more relieved than anything just to know what was finally wrong with me," Jones said. "But my mom was freaking out because my grandfather passed away from brain cancer."

The next day Jones laid in a bed at UNC Hospitals after undergoing emergency brain surgery. He remembers seeing his family after surgery, but he didn't know where he was or what happened.

"Within 24 hours, I went from normal college kid studying for an economics exam to brain tumor patient," Jones said. "Reality set in when I met Dr. Gold after surgery to discuss a plan for chemotherapy."

Doctors went through the top of Jones' skull to remove a tumor the size of a golf ball from the top of his spinal chord. The tumor prevented fluid from circulating around the spine and instead directed it upward into Jones' brain.

"There was no way around the surgery," Jones said. "Without it, I would have died."

Jones remained in the ICU for six days before being released. After a few days at home, the chemotherapy sessions began. Jones underwent four total chemotherapy treatments with the final one coming just before Christmas.

"The toughest thing was seeing kids and babies hooked up to IV's," Jones said. "I actually felt fortunate that I was given 18 normal years to live, because that is something many kids never get."

Jones still had doubts.

"There were plenty of times I wanted to give up," Jones said, hunched over a cheeseburger. "But I always knew I would get through it, and most of that is due to my family, faith and unbelievable support."

In January 2007, an MRI revealed that the tumor had vanished, but one more step on the road to recovery remained.

Jones spent a month in Houston receiving radiation treatment to prevent the tumor from returning. The radiation hit Jones' body harder than the chemotherapy, and the days became monotonous.

Every day at 3 p.m., Jones received his treatment. The schedule never changed.

Away from Carolina on a medical leave, Jones took two online courses to try to keep up with his work and feel some semblance of being a college student.

The rest of the day consisted of movies and naps to replenish his radiation-stricken body. When dinner came, Jones found it difficult to muster enough energy to eat.

In March 2007, doctors told Jones he had fully healed and could return to his halted life in Chapel Hill.

Because he had kicked the tumor and beat cancer, Jones got to ring the gong. The gong symbolized completeness.

Jones returned to Carolina in time for most of the baseball season, but equipment managers remain behind the scenes. They wash the uniforms, not wear them.

Two years later, as a bullpen catcher for the Tar Heels, Jones had a uniform. For the first time, he experienced the thrill of wearing "Carolina" across his chest.

"I remember thinking everything that I had gone through was finally over," Jones said. "Putting on the uniform was a dream come true, and I had cold chills during the national anthem."

Jones would never admit it, but he has had a deep impact on his teammates.

"Chase has truly been an inspiration to myself and the whole team," pitcher Colin Bates said. "His positive attitude is contagious and I am grateful that he is part of our team."

Since fighting brain cancer, Jones realized his opportunity and the impact he can have on others.

"I've been given a great opportunity to help others, and that is the most satisfying thing," Jones said. "Maybe I'm not an inspiration, but other kids can look at me and say, 'If he beat it, so can I.'"

Jones works with numerous organizations. In January he became one of two juniors to receive the Eve Marie Carson Scholarships.

Carolina Dreams connects kids from the hospital with UNC athletes by bringing the kids to games. Jones began as an outreach leader with Carolina Dreams in 2008, and he will head the program in 2010.

"Every time I meet someone with the same doctor, it's like coming full circle for me," Jones said. "I've been in their shoes, and it's good to see them away from the hospital and not defined by it."

Jones works with Friends of Jaclyn and tries to get the baseball program involved every year. Friends of Jaclyn supports kids with brain tumors by connecting them with athletic teams.

Jones says it holds a special place for him because it brings back memories of his diagnosis.

"I remember the baseball team took me in and made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself," Jones said. "To be able to give that feeling to someone else now is really neat.

"I've learned that life isn't about me," he said. "It's all about what you can do for others. I'm blessed to have been diagnosed."

Jones hopes he can build a career helping kids.

He wants every kid to hit that gong.

HELP TO STRIKE OUT CANCER

UNC baseball team bullpen catcher Chase Jones has organized the 2010 UNC BaseBald For The Cure, an event in conjunction with the Diamond Heels to challenge fans to help raise money to fight cancer.

For each $100 donated to the Lineberger Cancer Center and Children's Hospital before April 11, one Tar Heel baseball player will shave his head on the Boshamer Stadium field following the April 11 game against N.C. State. With 35 players on the roster, the event could raise as much as $3,500 to fight pediatric cancer -- and if money is raised for the entire roster to shave, talk will turn to persuading the coaches to participate.

To make a donation, call the N.C. Medical Foundation at 1-800-962-2543 or (919) 966-5905 or make your donation online at https://www.medicalfoundationofnc.org/linebergercancerctr/personal_gift.html. Designate your gift for pediatric oncology and notify in the comments field that it is intended for Carolina Baseball, or mail a check to:

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Campus Box 7295

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7295

For further questions contact the Carolina Baseball office at (919) 962-2351.

the herald-sun Lisa Pepin

Chase Jones, bullpen catcher for UNC's baseball team, went into remission for brain cancer three years ago and now is leading the team's effort to raise at least $3,500 for the Lineberger Cancer Center and N.C. Children's Hospital. For each $100 donated, one member of the baseball team will shave his head after the April 11 game against N.C. State.

I was interested in contacting Chase, so I found his UNC email address and mailed him this:

Chase,

My husband and I read the article about you in the Chapel Hill Hearld with interest because our son, Karl Humphries, was also a patient of Dr. Golds. March 2004-March 2007. Unfortunately Karl's battle with his brain tumor (brainstem Glioma) ended the month after he turned 13.

I am now the Book Fairy for the clinic and Dr. Gold and I call each other brother and sister. http://karlsbooks.blogspot.com/

As you know, he is a wonderful man.

__

I am a perennial plant gardener and am currently working part time for the UNC Grounds Dept. Some of the plants I work with are planted at the new baseball stadium. As I drive by the stadium I will be thinking of you and your good works.

I hope to meet you some day.

Kathy Humphries

/Book Fairy/

And he answered me:

Mrs. Humphries-

Thank you for telling me that. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your son, and I think its crazy that we were both being treated by Dr. Gold at the same time during that stretch.

In the past week I have undergone the first loss of a dear, dear friend of mine to cancer. I know this does not compare to a loss of a child, however, I have now finally felt the harsh reality of a battle of cancer. I feel so fortunate in what I have been through, and often describe it as the greatest blessing I have ever received, however after hearing about your son and dealing with my friend, it has driven me to do more against the horrible disease.

Dr. Gold was one of the reasons I am alive today, and probably one of the sole reasons I am so passionate in my outreach to the Children's Hospital today. His constant giving was totally undeserved by me, and I am always looking for a way to pay it forward due to him.

I have to say I have passed many hours reading some of the books you have given, so thank you for that. I also have to say thank you for the beautiful plants around the stadium- there is no better feeling than going to other baseball stadiums and knowing the one we have back in Chapel Hill is exponentially more gorgeous.

I want to extend an invite to come to this Sunday's game- we play N.C. state on the 11th, and I have started a fundraiser to get money specifically for the pediatric oncology unit over at the hospital. (If you want any more info, please visit http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/032310aan.html )

I would love to get the chance to meet you as well, and I hope that I get the chance to enjoy some of your work around campus all spring long.

Thank you again for contacting me,

Chase Jones

Magic

March 21, 2010

We are coming up on the 3rd adversary of Karl’s death (March 25, 2007). I have discovered the hard way that when someone is sick, especially my son, I just wanted to do something to help him. I did everything I could for him and that feeling did not stop with his death. I want to keep remembering him, loving him and helping him. I can continue doing the first two, but not the third. He has moved beyond my reach.

I have found with Karl’s Books I can help other children and when I become the “Book Fairy”, this seems to help me too. To physically help the kids in this clinic becomes magical. Kids love magic and I know for certain that I love it too. Karl was a lover of all things magical and I feel very close to him when I am the Book Fairy.

Thank you for helping me with this wonderful, magical project.

Love,

Kathy
Book Fairy