When a child is diagnosed with cancer, life changes in an instant. Parents feel scared. Kids feel confused. Siblings feel worried. The hospital becomes home, and the future feels uncertain. It’s a time filled with fear, stress, and sadness.
That’s why Sammy’s Superheroes Foundation created something special to bring comfort and care during the hardest moments:
🟡 Sammy’s Comfort Box
These are not just ordinary packages. Each one is packed with love, hope, and healing. They remind families that they are not alone. They let children and parents know that someone out there understands and cares.
Let’s open up one of these boxes and explore what’s inside—and more importantly, why it matters so much.
What Is a Sammy’s Comfort Box?
A Sammy’s Comfort Box is a special gift sent to families whose child has been diagnosed with cancer. It includes cozy, helpful, and thoughtful items to support families during treatment.
These boxes are made possible through a partnership with Northwestern Mutual Nebraska, one of Sammy’s Superheroes Foundation’s strongest supporters. They help fund the boxes and even deliver them to local hospitals.
But what makes these boxes truly powerful is that they’re created by people who’ve lived through the cancer journey—including Sammy’s own family.
What’s Inside the Box?
Each box is filled with items chosen for their comfort, care, and usefulness. Here’s what you’ll typically find:
1. A Soft Blanket
Hospital rooms can feel cold and unfamiliar. A soft, warm blanket helps children feel cozy and safe. Some of the blankets are just like the ones Sammy loved to snuggle in during his treatment.
2. Matching T-Shirts
Families often wear matching shirts with superhero logos or “Team Sammy” designs. It helps them feel united—and strong—like a team ready to fight together.
3. Journals and Books
Writing things down can help children and parents express their feelings. Journals are included to give families a private place to write, draw, or reflect. Sometimes there are uplifting storybooks, too.
4. Resources and Guides
The journey through childhood cancer is hard to understand at first. The box includes printed materials and brochures to help families learn about support groups, hospitals, and services available to them.
5. Comfort Items for Parents
It’s not just the kids who need care—parents do too. The box may include candles, lotion, or simple things that offer peace and calm during stressful days.
6. An Angel Family Gift (For Families Who’ve Lost a Child)
When a child passes away, Sammy’s Superheroes sends a special comfort box called an Angel Box. It includes a heartfelt “Angel Family Blanket” and other items meant to honor the child and comfort grieving parents.
Why These Boxes Matter
1. They Show Families They’re Not Alone
One of the hardest parts of a cancer diagnosis is the feeling of being alone. But when a Sammy’s Comfort Box arrives, it’s like a warm hug from people who understand.
Erin Nahorny, Sammy’s mom and president of the foundation, knows this firsthand. She remembers how simple gifts and thoughtful gestures helped her family through the darkest days. Now, she wants every family to feel that same comfort.
“We want other families to know that we understand and we are here to help them through their fight.” — Erin Nahorny
2. They Create a Sense of Hope
Hospital stays can feel endless. Painful treatments, long nights, and scary tests can make children lose their smiles. But a Comfort Box brings light back into the room. It gives families something good to open. Something to hold on to.
3. They Inspire Strength
When families wear matching shirts, wrap up in the same blankets, and read together—it builds strength. It builds unity. It reminds them: We’re in this together.
Real Impact in Real Homes
Since the launch of this program, Sammy’s Comfort Boxes have reached many families in Nebraska and beyond. They’ve been delivered to hospitals like Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, and also sent directly to families in need.
Northwestern Mutual Nebraska has been a huge part of this success. Since 2016, they’ve:
- Donated nearly $500,000 to childhood cancer causes in Nebraska
- Contributed over 5,000 volunteer hours
- Helped run over 100 events statewide
- Supported the Comfort Box program year after year
This kind of partnership shows what’s possible when businesses and nonprofits team up to do good.
Comfort Today, Hope for Tomorrow
While the comfort boxes are small in size, their impact is big. They touch the hearts of children and families in ways that words can’t explain.
But there’s more work to be done. Every day, more children are diagnosed. More families begin the hard journey through cancer. That’s why Sammy’s Superheroes Foundation continues to grow this program—and why your help is needed now more than ever.
How You Can Help
You can be part of the comfort, the healing, and the hope. Here’s how:
🟡 Donate to support more Comfort Boxes and childhood cancer research:
https://sammyssuperheroes.com/donate-now/
🟡 Volunteer your time and help prepare or deliver care packages:
https://sammyssuperheroes.com/volunters/
🟡 Become an Advocate and spread the word about the 4% funding gap and childhood cancer awareness:
https://sammyssuperheroes.com/become-an-advocate/
🟡 Attend Upcoming Events and support fundraisers, awareness walks, and family programs:
https://sammyssuperheroes.com/upcoming-events-calendar/
Contact Us
📍 Visit Us at:
2002 23rd St.
Columbus, NE 68601
📞 Phone:
(402) 563-4673
Every gift counts. Every box heals. Every act of kindness brings us closer to a world without childhood cancer. Be part of the story—be a superhero.
