E.R. Services has joined forced with the Roc Solid Foundation to provide support for families facing pediatric cancer. The E.R. Services team is happy to sponsor events in support of this wonderful organization as well as to provide support through volunteer hours in playground building sessions and room makeovers.
Roc Solid Foundation
Completed playset built by Roc Solid volunteers (including volunteers from E.R. Services) August 2018.
The seed for the creation of Roc Solid Foundation® was planted three decades ago when founder Eric Newman was diagnosed with liver cancer as a three-year-old. Fortunately, Eric survived and has been in remission for years. Sadly, he lost two of his cousins to cancer, both as children. Eric decided to take this opportunity to give back, both to families who are dealing with pediatric cancer and to the children’s hospital (Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va.) that saved his life.
Roc Solid, founded in 2009, has now built hundreds of Play It Forward projects and distributed thousands of Roc Solid Ready Bags through children’s hospitals all across the nation.
The Roc Solid Mission
Roc Solid is devoted to building hope for every child diagnosed with cancer and every family dealing with pediatric cancer. Most of the foundation's efforts fall into the following three categories: ready bags, play sets and room makeovers.
Roc Solid Ready Bags
Roc Solid Ready Bags are given to families on the worst day of their lives… the day they find out their child has cancer. Everything changes in that moment. Treatment is started immediately, and everything in that family's life becomes centered on helping their child beat cancer.
None of us are prepared for this terrible day. Ready Bags include everything a family might need to get them through an unexpected hospital stay – toiletries, a blanket, a journal, a tablet and more. Our hope is that these items will help families realize they are not alone. They are supported by people who care about them and their child, and who want to help them get through this difficult time.
Each Ready Bag costs $25. If you'd like to support a family with cancer through a Ready Bag, you can contribute here.
Roc Solid Playset Builds
The Roc Solid Play It Forward initiative supports the building of playsets in the back yards of families of children with pediatric cancer ages 1-8. Already they have built hundreds of play sets for families across the nation.
Why playsets? Because kids with cancer lose many of their opportunities to play. Instead of school or daycare, they are in doctor appointments and experiencing invasive medical treatments that often involve hospital stays. Because they have weak immune systems, they may not be able to play in public play spaces. A playset in the back yard allows them to play when strong enough to do so, and to escape thinking about the fact that they have cancer, keeping their spirits up.
Playset builds are facilitated by volunteers on Saturdays while the family is taken to breakfast and an activity suitable for the child diagnosed with cancer. Meanwhile the volunteers build the playset, followed by a catered lunch and playtime. If you would like to volunteer, contact Roc Solid for information on getting involved.
Roc Solid Room Makeovers
Because older kids with cancer spend a lot of time in their rooms (especially with a weak immune system), we provide room makeovers to help every older child with cancer have a encouraging space in which to be. We want to keep hope alive and spirits as bright as possible, so we offer top-to-bottom renovations, including paint, fixtures, furniture and accessories. We first learn about the child's interests and taste and then work with professional interior designers to design bedroom makeovers that will reflect the child's unique personality and preferences.
Get Involved
E.R. Services is a proud volunteer partner. If you would like to make a difference alongside us, contact the Roc Solid Foundation and offer your time and/or resources. Together we can provide hope for families facing pediatric cancer.
Roc Solid 2020
Despite limitations due to COVID-19, the E.R. Services team was able to support a family through a Roc Solid Build, and we had a wonderful time doing it! Notice the big smiles on our happy volunteer's faces. We love making a difference here in Charlotte, especially when we get to help a family in need. Spread the love, all!
We didn't let COVID-19 stop us from doing good! We masked up and got the job done for this wonderful family!
We were thrilled to build a playset for this family!
Smiles make all the hard work worth it!
Look who's excited about a new playset!
Roc Solid 2018 and 2019
In both 2018 and 2019 E.R. Services put together playsets for families of children fighting pediatric cancer. The team delighted in working hard together so these children can play hard while fighting to get well.
