In the U.S., seven children lose their battle with cancer every day, leaving families to navigate the profound grief of loss. Though the pain may never fully fade, the knowledge that their little ones are remembered can offer solace. This is the driving force behind a remarkable initiative created by a courageous mother that enables anonymous donors to send beautiful memorial lockets to mothers mourning the loss of their children.
Inspired by the memory of a brave young fighter named Jake Thompson, who passed away at just six years old, this program was established by his mother, Lisa Thompson. Lisa wears a locket containing Jake’s photo and a touching quote from a beloved poem: “You are forever in my heart.” To honor her son, Lisa founded the Jake Thompson Foundation, which focuses on childhood cancer research, as well as a dedicated store where all profits support the foundation—100 percent of proceeds go directly to research.
Through the program, each $40 donation provides a gold locket featuring a child’s photo, mailed anonymously to their grieving mother. Donors can choose to specify a particular mom to receive the locket, or recipients are randomly selected through social media and nominations on the store’s website. Anyone can nominate a mother, including those who have experienced loss themselves, and no donation is necessary to make a nomination. Each donor receives a keychain, a heartfelt letter of thanks, and a photo of the recipient with her child, along with a link to learn more about their story. For those who wish to personalize a locket, empty ones are also available for purchase.
Lisa explains her motivation to provide comfort to other mothers, sharing, “For me, it’s vital that my son is remembered. I hope this program helps other moms see that their child is honored by caring strangers across the nation.” As Mother’s Day approaches, the initiative already has over 50 lockets prepared for delivery, though funding remains an ongoing challenge. “We often cover costs after the lockets have been sent,” Lisa notes. “This program is continuous, but we see an uptick in requests during this season.”
Facing Mother’s Day while grieving a child is unimaginable, and it’s heartwarming to know that many mothers will receive these cherished lockets this year. While we hope for a future where such gestures are no longer needed, each contribution signifies a small yet meaningful act of compassion, a way of letting grieving families know that their children live on in our hearts too. If you would like to support this initiative, you can visit the dedicated PRET*TY Store donation page.
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In summary, this heartfelt initiative allows donors to send memorial lockets to grieving mothers, providing comfort and a reminder that their loved ones will never be forgotten.