Legacy Ideas and Resources
Legacy Resources
A cancer diagnosis often prompts people to take stock of their lives and what they may leave behind. One practical way to work through some of the emotions that emerge is through legacy projects: that heartwork that helps you and your loved ones remember special moments and make wishes for the future. As oncology social worker Wendy Griffith explains, “Legacy work isn't about death and dying, it's about life and living. It's about making connections and sharing precious moments with the special people in your life.”
Check out Bright Spot Network community member’s reflection on her Stage IV diagnosis and the values and feelings that she leaves her 6 year old son with daily. Read her story and thoughts here.
Legacy Projects can take a million different forms, here are a few ideas:
Take a trip with a child and commemorate your time together with pictures of the trip and a special souvenir.
Create a “Memory box” full of special memories of milestones, quiet everyday moments that you shared together, or things that you notice about your child.
Write your child letters to commemorate future birthdays and other milestones.
Put aside favorite recipes and include pictures of the family eating together or memories of a shared meal.
Create a special “scrap box” full of special momentos.
Make art for those that you love.
Create a collage of family pictures
Use Sculpey/Polymer clay to make fingerprint necklaces/tokens
Record your voice telling stories of your life and special memories.
Record yourself singing lullabies, happy birthday, or other special songs.
Create an email account for your child and send them emails (whenever you want!) that they can read when they are older.
Journal about your experience parenting with cancer so that your kids might eventually read your reflections on it.
Preserve (in video or writing) your feelings about your partner and future relationships if it seems appropriate.
Legacy Resources
Adventure Therapy Foundation provides families with a retreat adventure all their own. After coaching, these families are invited to enjoy a time of rest, either at their retreat cabin in the mountains of Tennessee or somewhere near their location. They then plan the adventure and send the family on their way.
Artsy Voiceprint was started as a way to memorialize all the memorable sounds in our life and to help those who won't settle for the ordinary, find a meaningful and beautiful way to turn their cherished memories into art. The company offers products that turn sounds of someone’s voice, a favorite song or a person’s heartbeat into art.
A sweet stuffed bear with a personalized touch. Choose a special photo to place over your CuddleBuddy’s heart and record a message of your choice. Built with love, to comfort the ones you love. The personalized stuffed bear costs about $55.
Hallmark Recordable Storybooks
Hallmark's recordable books allow you to read to a child and have the story recorded to be listened to in the future. Just press the record button to record your voice. Personalize your story with silly voices and personal messages to the child. Each book is about $30.
Lea Redmond Amazon Store of "Letter to..." Books
Lea Redmond has written multiple “Letter to…” books including: Letters to my Baby, Letters to my Daughter, Letters to my Son, Letters to my Dad, Letters to my Mom, Letters to my Friend and Letters to Open When. Each keepsake book includes twelve prompted and each letter has a space to write when it was sealed and when it should be opened.
The Luna Bean 3D casting kit puts the creativity of making your own keepsake right in your hands. Create a statue that will last forever of you and your beloved’s interlaced fingers, your hand clasping your child or baby’s hands, your hands holding your baby’s feet. Everything you need to complete your keepsake statue is included in this kit. Basic kit costs about $42, XL kit for 4 hands costs about $70.
Magic Hour Foundation provides a free photo shoot for individuals with cancer and their family. They work with photographers across the country, who will work with the limitations and geography of a patient and family to create portraits at no cost.
Memories Live is a free service to help individuals with cancer share their lives with their loved ones through video. The mission of Memories Live is to help people with life-limiting illnesses preserve their images, stories and wisdom by creating personalized movies to pass on to their loved ones.
One Day to Remember strives to provide a curated experience that is individualized for each family—AND at no cost to them. These can be at home or at local attractions. OneDaytoRemember’s goal is to give families dealing with a life-limiting illness the opportunity to make lasting, positive memories. Included in the day is a professional photographer, allowing every family to receive a commemorative photobook.
Professional photo shoot that’s easy and low commitment. Easily book a 30 minute session with a talented photographer. Pay only for the pics you love, $15 each or less.
Storyworth emails you weekly prompts about your life, thoughts, feelings, memories, etc. (you can respond more quickly if you’d like). You write a reply to the email and can edit the responses at any time. Storyworth sends a bound keepsake book of the collected stories and responses. A one-year subscription costs about $100 for prompts and commemorative album.
StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. This is an opportunity to talk with a loved one, you’ll be given prompts and instructions. It is free to participate and accessible by StoryCorps App.
Wish Upon a Wedding grants weddings and vow renewals to couples facing serious illness or life-altering health circumstances.
Inheritance of Hope
Inheritance of Hope supports children and families where a parent has a terminal illness. They offer in-person and virtual retreats, support groups for kids and adults, as well as legacy building workshops. While their programs are open to anyone, the Christian faith is foundational to the programs.