WHO WE ARE
Preston’s League is a non-profit, volunteer based, 501 C-3 charitable organization committed to providing basic necessities to patients and their families through a weekly wish list program within the Duke Pediatric Bone Marrow Department (DBMT).
Preston's League was founded by Celeste and James Winslow in memory of their son, Preston, who passed away following a long battle fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Meet Preston
Preston was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on January 14th, 2010 at the age of 2. After 2 relapses, a bone marrow transplant, and 498 days inpatient between Texas Children's Hospital and Duke Children's Hospital, Preston passed away on May 19th, 2012.
Preston was funny, loving, a jokester, and so smart. He loved watching Justice League -- that is why Preston's League is so fitting. He would stay up all night long watching episode after episode, always saying "just one more show" even at 3 in the morning. He loved playing with trains, trucks (especially Hess Trucks), Magna Tiles, Batman and the rest of his superhero toys, and he loved to paint. He loved the color green (just like the color of his eyes). He loved being able to come home. When you spend 498 days inpatient over the course of 2 years, being home is a vacation. He loved playing outside and taking walks or riding on his scooter. He loved Tim Tebow and watching football with his Dad. But what he loved the most was playing with his sisters, Abigail and Stephanie. The happiest parts of his days were when his sisters were visiting.
Courageous isn't the best word we could use to describe Preston. I don't even know if there is an all encompassing word for him. He went through more than anyone should ever have to go through, especially a child.
Preston Winslow, hero
We look back and don't know how he did it with practically no complaints. Preston made us a better family and left us wanting to be better people and through Preston's League, we hope we can make a positive impact on patients and their families -- just like the one Preston made on us. So many times a day Preston would express how much he loved us by saying "I love you, you're the best". He truly is the best and we hope we can spread that love and feeling of being the best to all the patients and families we will get to help.
Preston has 3 sisters. Abigail, Stephanie, and Emily. Preston never met Emily but we are so blessed that he named her. Knowing we wanted more children, Preston picked out names for both a boy and a girl. Emily Belle, named after his 2 favorite Thomas the Trains, looks so much like Preston. We are so thankful for our family and for all the time we had with Preston. The Fantastic 4!
Preston, we miss you so much. We love you Preston, you're the best!
THE JOURNEY
Preston was diagnosed at the age of 2 and over the next 2 1/2 years, he spent 498 days in-patient at both Texas Children's (where he was 1st diagnosed, relapsed, and had a bone marrow transplant) and Duke Children's Hospital (3 months after moving to Durham, NC for his Dad's job, we heard that horrible news that Preston relapsed for a second time and hoped we could get him to a 2nd bone marrow transplant).
While at Texas Children's, it was there that the organization called B.I.G. Love, made such an impact not only for our family, but over the years, for thousands of others. We had only lived in Houston, TX for about 3 months after Preston's Dad started a residency at MD Anderson, when Preston was diagnosed. Our closest family was in Florida and in New York and while we were very fortunate to have family come in and help with our daughters, it was also the help of B.I.G. Love that made our many, many days inpatient more manageable. Week after week we looked forward to their wish list deliveries.
After moving to Durham, NC on day 100 post bone marrow transplant, we transferred Preston's care to Duke. It was 3 months later we heard the unimaginable news that our son's cancer had returned.
DBMT had many great things to help patients and their families while inpatient but while one parent stayed every night at the hospital with Preston and the other left very late at night with our two very young girls, trying to spend as much time as we could with Preston as a family, there were many nights that we found ourselves stopping at Target at 10-11 at night to grab some things that we needed or wanted,. What we realized we missed while inpatient over the next 6 months was the weekly wish list program that we were fortunate to have at Texas Children's.
For nearly 5 years after Preston passed away, we talked about how we could give back and because of the generosity while at Texas Children's, we created and started Preston's League and delivered our first weekly wish list in September of 2018. Preston's League wants to help make a difference for the patients and families so that these families can avoid wasting precious family time shopping, while also relieving them of some of the financial burdens not covered by insurance.
The goal for Preston’s league is to provide a weekly wish list program to all patients and families on the Duke Pediatric Bone Marrow inpatient Floor.
Our Weekly Wish List Program provides all pediatric bone marrow patients and their caregivers with an opportunity to request on a weekly basis special grocery or comfort items that they might desire.
OUR MISSION
Rowan
Our Weekly Wish List Program
The Weekly Wishlist Program will provide all pediatric bone marrow patients and their caregivers with an opportunity to request items that they would like to receive (e.g. snacks, toys, detergent, toiletries, blankets, clothing, movies). This enables patients and their families to obtain basic necessities needed to make their extended hospital stay more manageable.
More specifically, we receive the patient’s wishlists ($25 allowance) each week. Preston’s League volunteers then go shopping for all these families. By week’s end, Preston’s League volunteers deliver requested items to each child’s room. The primary benefit is that these families can avoid wasting precious family time shopping for things that they really need, while also relieving them of some of the financial burdens not covered by insurance.
It is our hope with the success of this program that in the future we would be able to extend our weekly wish list program to patients and their families in the Duke Children's Cancer Unit.
STEP ONE
Preston's League receives wish list from patient and caregivers.
Volunteers take the list and go shopping for the items listed with a $25 allowance.
STEP TWO
Volunteers will deliver the items directly to each child's room by the end of the week.
STEP THREE