Emily’s Hopeful Holiday was created in honor of our daughter Emily, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the age of 7 in 2007. She was treated at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio and is now a CANCER SURVIVOR.
During our painful journey we discovered that there were many families who struggle with the staggering cost of cancer treatments.
This motivated us to start raising money for families who did not have the financial resources to deal with a cancer diagnosis.
In 2007, we established Emily's Hopeful Holiday where 100% of the money we raise goes directly to families to financially assist them with anything they need.
For more information on EHH, please review this blog and the FAQ's at the top.
We no longer have an annual fundariser, but are fortunate to still receive donations yearly. At our family's discretion and with the cooperation and agreement of our personal donors, we now distribute the money outside of the hospital. We offer financial assistance to families with a child or young adult with cancer.
Please use the CONTACT ME button to email me if you would like more information.
To donate, use the PAYPAL DONATION button on the right side bar to make a donation or contact me.
This fund assists families throughout the entire year.
We will always remember the fear and heartache of chemo treatments, lumbar punctures, sedations, medical procedures, surgeries, and anxiously waiting on every test result. Our nerve wracking, yet relatively simple routine trips to the Ireland Cancer Center for Emily’s check-ups remind us of where we have been and that there are families, children, and young adults just beginning this journey, continuing to endure this journey, and/or ending this journey with either an immense gratefulness or an unspeakable sadness.
We are so grateful for Emily’s amazing prognosis, for her health, for her laughter, for her smile, for her silliness, for her. We thank God everyday for His blessing upon our family and for all the wonderful people who surround our lives with love and support.
As a two-time cancer survivor myself (mom), and our daughter, Emily, whom the fund is created in honor of, and now a childhood cancer survivor, our family mission is: To assist families who have a child or young adult with cancer by providing financial assistance to them.
While we no longer hold an annual fundraising event, EHH is still receiving donations. Effective 2022, these funds are now distributed at our family’s discretion, in cooperation and agreement with our personal donors, to families who have a child or young adult with cancer outside of Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
In 2018, EHH hit a milestone raising $150,000 since 2007!
To date (9/9/2023), we have raised $163,900.
Our very first EHH began in November/December 2007, during the holiday season, hence the name, Emily’s Hopeful Holiday.
Our fund assists families throughout the entire year.
We are based out of Amherst, OH (Lorain County).
We continue to accept monetary donations all year round via cash, personal check, or donation through this website (Paypal button located in the upper right-hand corner).
Financial assistance is provided to help with anything the family is in need of, from utilities, rent, and mortgages, to car repairs to get back and forth to doctor appointments.
100% of the money we receive is distributed directly to families who have a child or young adults with cancer.
EHH has been successful through generous monetary donations from family, friends, local businesses, and other organizations who donate to EHH.
RAINBOW BABIES & CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CONNECTION: There is still part of our fund that is being operated through Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH through a social worker who determines the need for assistance. Emily’s Hopeful Holiday is the only fund of its kind at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
We do not raise money for cancer research, toys for the kids, or the hospital. The very first year, we raised money, asked for gift cards, and requested toys for the kids and supplies for the art room on Rainbow’s pediatric cancer floor, but now we simply raise money for families who have a child or young adult with cancer.
We receive no money from the hospital, nor do we raise money for the hospital.
Please subscribe by clicking “follow” in the lower right-hand corner to receive all blog posts/updates for EHH. Share with your friends. The more money we receive, the more families we can assist.
Emily is a 2022 Cedarville University Graduate who double majored in Early Childhood and Special Education; She is currently teaching Special Education and loves her job and school, and adores all her students.
Emily married her college sweetheart, Tim, on July 24, 2022, and they recently adopted an adorable cat to add to their family.
Emily was diagnosed at age 7 and her cancer treatments lasted 2 years and 2 months. She is a proud and thriving cancer survivor!
Please see below this post for all our videos on EHH!
Posted by emilyshopefulholiday on November 23, 2018
As a result of continual generous donations, EHH has just hit a milestone with the receipt of an amazing $4,000 check this week! We just hit $150,000.00!
Happy Holidays from Emily’s Hopeful Holiday
Mission: Raising money for families who have kids with cancer
YEARLY REMINDER & UPDATE:
It’s the Holiday Season and a great time to give back and pay it forward to those in need. If you are looking for a legitimate charity where 100% of your donation directly affects families in need, this is a reminder that the Emily’s Hopeful Holiday fund remains open for monetary donations. We’ve hit a milestone as we have now raised $150,000 since 2007! We have helped countless families who have kids with cancer during their time of need through YOUR generosity!
Posted by emilyshopefulholiday on November 16, 2016
As we enter into the 2016 Holiday Season, the Zichi family would like to remind you that although we are no longer holding an annual event, the Emily’s Hopeful Holiday (EHH) Fund remains open for monetary donations as it continues to financially assist families who have kids with cancer at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital throughout the entire year.
If you are looking to donate to a cause where 100% of your donation directly impacts families in need, EHH is your cause! Donations can be made to EHH on our website via Paypal. For those who rather mail a personal or business check, please make the check payable to Emily’s Hopeful Holiday and mail to 1048 Coopers Run, Amherst, OH 44001.
Throughout the next couple months, stories and messages from families who have received assistance from EHH will be posted on our EHH Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EHH2007/) so that you can see first-hand how your generous donations are being used to bring financial relief to families who have kids with cancer. For more information on EHH, please review our website: https://emilyshopefulholiday.wordpress.com/ and LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EHH2007/
Happy Holidays from our family to yours as we remember to share our many blessings with others who are not as fortunate this Holiday Season.
Thank you for your consideration,
Emily, Laura, Erica, and Tom Zichi
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Emily’s Hopeful Holiday
A Message from the Zichi Family
With the conclusion of our 9th Annual Emily’s Hopeful Holiday in November 2015, the Zichi Family is announcing that we are no longer going to be hosting an annual event.
We thank everyone who has supported our cause throughout the years. Without our donors, sponsors, Ziggy’s, and everyone who has volunteered and attended our events, we could not have raised over $135,000 for families who have kids with cancer.
Emily’s Hopeful Holiday has been an incredible gift to our family and has enabled us to meet so many amazing people and has shown us first-hand what true, genuine giving and love looks like. We’ve been deeply touched by the ongoing support to not only our family in hosting the annual fundraisers but seeing people lovingly doing for those who are in need expecting nothing in return.
Our family has reached a time in our lives where we want to move forward and not have cancer define us any longer. Emily and I are very proud cancer survivors but we feel it is time to close that chapter in our lives and not look back, but forward. That chapter has been filled with some of the greatest pain we have ever experienced as a family, as well as great joy in our healing and accomplishments with Emily’s Hopeful Holiday. We are excited to see what future endeavors lie ahead for the Zichi family unrelated to cancer.
The trials we have faced has made a huge impact on our family and we have been forever changed by them. In trials, you can become bitter or you can become better. We’ve chosen to become better letting the trials God has allowed in our lives to mold us into who we needed to become as individuals as well as a family. In them, we have learned many lessons. While the typical cliché holds true, “don’t take anything for granted,” we’ve also been reminded how important it is to cherish the people in your life, be genuine, be kind, live a life of truth, strive for peace in all things, accept the things you cannot change with grace, and always put others first.
While we will not be having our annual event any longer, the Emily’s Hopeful Holiday Fund will remain open at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital to receive monetary donations at any time throughout the year. Many people choose our Fund because they appreciate the fact that 100% of the money they donate goes directly to families who have kids with cancer.
We have been very fortunate in the past with organizations, businesses, and individuals having fundraisers on our behalf and that will remain an option for anyone interested.
We will always have a special place in our hearts for those who are, have, or will endure cancer and look forward to supporting them not only through personal contributions to the Emily’s Hopeful Holiday Fund but through the many other worthy causes that are available to us.
Again we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us help families who have kids with cancer and being an example of what true genuine love looks like.
This is a FREE, family-friendly event. Bring the kids!
You don’t need a ticket to get in, simply come to Ziggy’s and purchase the raffle tickets you are interested in. If you’re eating there, we’ll get 15% of all dine in/carry out orders. Upstairs will feature an All You Can Eat Wing & Pizza Buffet and downstairs will have their full menu. If part of your family wants wings from upstairs and you have a seat downstairs, feel to bring that food downstairs. Please be patient as it will be very crowded. Please be sure to tip the waitresses who are in for quite a busy day.
LifeShare will be there for anyone who would like to donate blood.
Emily's Hopeful Holiday 
