Phoenix mom honors daughter’s memory with special chemo shirts
Nov 7, 2014, 9:52 AM | Updated: 9:56 am
PHOENIX — More than two years ago, Lorraine Tallman of Arizona went through one of the worst experiences a parent can imagine: she lost her 9-year-old daughter to leukemia.
She’s still honoring one of her daughter’s final wishes, and helping hundreds of kids coping with chemotherapy.
Amanda Hope, Tallman’s daughter, had experienced flu-like symptoms for a long time, when Tallman finally requested some tests be done. The doctor diagnosed Amanda with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
During her years of chemotherapy, medical tubes scratched Amanda’s skin and got tangled in her clothes. She was constantly removing her shirt so doctors and nurses could place needles into her chest or arms for IV lines and blood transfusions.
Tallman said her daughter felt humiliated during this part of the procedures.
But then Amanda invented a solution that would take away the discomfort and embarrassment.
“One night, she had a dream about this T-shirt that would have all these little zippers and pockets on the inside,” Tallman said.
This dream became so important to Amanda, it was one of her final wishes.
“Right before she passed away she held my hand and said, ‘Mommy promise me, promise me [that] every child, you’ll touch their lives and give them this shirt’ and I said ‘I promise,’ and that’s what I’m doing,” Tallman said through tears.
ComfyCozy’s was born. Tallman began creating these special shirts (which are always tie-dye, Amanda’s favorite design).
In her first outreach project, she donated 500 shirts to Phoenix Children’s Hospital over the 2012 holiday season. Since then, the shirts have made their way to thousands of children all over Phoenix and the country.
All the shirts are given away and are funded through donations.
But Tallman didn’t stop there. She’s also committed to providing other support to children with cancer and their families.
Every week, she and her team visit hospitals and clinics to spend time with the kids, offering “spa days” to girls so they can feel pampered. She also helps the parents with gas cards, groceries and other errands — she says she understands the special circumstances of having a child in the hospital.
Early this year, Tallman was given $50,000 by 5-Hour Energy’s charity group, which recognizes amazing citizens. She immediately donated the money to ComfyCozy’s.
“That’s a lot of kids we can help,” Tallman said in a video. “Look out world, here we come.”
To get more involved with Tallman’s ComfyCozy’s organization, visit comfycozys.com or take a look at the organization’s Facebook page.
