Waste Not, Want Not
Did you know that 40% of people who receive gift cards don’t use their full value? In 2011, it was estimated that since 2005 $41 billion worth of gift cards had gone unclaimed. That’s a whole lot of money and a bunch of gift cards.
Enter A Great Idea
One woman heard these facts and has made it her mission to see that those gift cards are used. Her name is Emily Tickle Thomas, the mother of 4 boys and a cancer survivor.
In 2007, Emily got a strange diagnosis while pregnant with her fourth son. She had oral squamous cell carcinoma. Her doctors in Memphis referred her to MD Anderson in Houston for treatment.
A gift card from friends, to a popular restaurant in Houston, provided her and her husband with a much-needed respite from the drudgery of treatment. Memories of that kind gift, coupled with learning about wasted gift cards gave Emily an idea. Maybe she could find a way to get some of those wasted gift cards into the hands of cancer patients. The Gift Card Exchange is the result.
Since its beginning in 2011, The Gift Card Exchange has given over
$120,000 worth of gift cards to 1200 cancer patients. With just a Facebook account, PO Box and purchase of a domain name, Emily has been able to make a difference for many people. In personal correspondence, Emily stated, “The Cancer Card Xchange is a small nonprofit run from a home office with no paid staff at this point. We depend 100% on donations. We send gifts to verified cancer patients as donations are available.” This is her busiest time of the year.
“It’s snowballed into something bigger than we could have ever imagined,” Emily said in a recent radio interview. “Everyone knows someone with cancer, everyone wants to do something to help…It has taken off…” In fact, there is a waiting list of patients who want and/or need gift cards.
Although the exchange headquarters is in Memphis, Tennessee, they have sent gift cards to people in every state, except Rhode Island and Wyoming… “We don’t know why but that hasn’t happened yet…”
The Holidays and Gift Cards
The type of gift card that are most commonly needed are from “national retailers, gas stations, drugstores and restaurants. (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Visa, restaurant chains)” however they find patients who can use more local gift cards. “Usually we receive newly purchased or re-gifted gift cards that people aren’t planning to use,” Emily says.
If you are a cancer patient who could benefit from a gift card, or know of someone who could benefit please email this address: info@cancercardxchange.org
If you are interested in giving a gift card to a cancer patient, consider sending it to:
Emily T. Thomas
The Cancer Card Xchange
PO Box 1004
Collierville, TN 38027
Or for online gift card orders:
Emily T. Thomas
The Cancer Card Xchange
1772 Cypress Springs Lane
Collierville, TN 38017
Happy Holidays to you and yours from Medivizor!
I was diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia on june 16 2015. I am in treatment and will be for quite some time. I am being treated at the Tumor Clinic in Chattanooga tn. My contact their is Kathy Woods R.N. Nurse Manager. Phone number is 423-778-7503. I had to be put on disability. I want receive a check until Dec. of 2015. My wife is only able to work about three days a week. We are desperately trying to find some help until then. This was very unexpected. My name is Ronald Hayes phone number is 423-280-6500. My address is po box 1122 Hixson tn.37343 Please let me know if you received this and if you need more info. Thank You
I have kidney cancer and I’m broke with 3 kids,and a sick husband what can we do,The Stress is getting to me,on everyday how I’m going to feed my family, I go without eating so they can eat, Please Help. Thanks Wanda
There is a post on Medivizor’s blog called Burden of Bills: Living with Cancer in the US which has a list of resources. There is also http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/financial-considerations/financial-resources cited in the article with a list of resources. Thank you for writing this comment so that others might provide information and other assistance/resources for you.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive lobular cercoma this has been the hardest thing that ever happened to me. I had to take family leave without pay. I have 2 children and went through all my savings. Trying to keep a roof over our head as well as paying utilities it has been hard. I am still going through reconstruction and not aloud to return to work until I can go back to full capacity.