Sending greeting cards in the mail has, in many ways, become a lost art. But when Amy Collins lost her brother Keith Wilson to esophageal cancer in December 2022, comfort in the form of snail mail connected her with hundreds all over the globe and she’s healed in ways she never thought possible. She’s also helped others heal through the compassionate network she’s created - Harvesting Hope Mail and the Harvesting Hope community.
Having just established the network last April, Collins shared her journey with Preferred Health Magazine and opened up about how her brother’s story and loss led to a beautiful healing path filled with cards and letters - all delivered through good old fashioned conventional mail!
In 2021, Wilson began suffering from bad headaches and even passed out. Test results showed a brain tumor. Another health scare came when the retired police officer was diagnosed with liver cancer, but it wasn’t the main site of a more complex tumor. Finally, an upper GI scope revealed he had Stage 4 esophageal cancer - a disease that’s treatable but not curable.
“Keith told me he couldn’t believe, at 53 years old, that he’d be planning his funeral and all of that end-of-life stuff. He was worried about his daughter Aubrey growing up without her dad and all of the things he would miss,” Collins said. “But I promised him that I’d be there for him for whatever he needed, and we’d get through this. Seeing my big, tough brother cry tears of sadness is something I’d never seen before.”
​
During her brother’s roller coaster illness, Collins joined various cancer support platforms for patients and caregivers. With greeting card mailing groups popping up, it reminded her of the old days when connecting with a pen pal in another state or country meant communicating with them via conventional mail - back when handwritten letters and cards for all types of occasions were exchanged instead of e-mail or social media.
“When I was younger - going back as far as 5th grade - I had pen pals from Australia and Japan. We’re still friends on Facebook,” she said, with a sense of nostalgia. “We don’t exchange letters anymore, but I still love writing cards, putting stickers in letters and being creative with something you can touch and hold!”
​
Collins signed her brother up for a mailing group and he received tons of cards from all over the world, some from as far away as Hong Kong. She also began sending greeting cards as well, finding it therapeutic, mentally and emotionally calming as well as honorable.
“Keith loved this even though he couldn’t read the cards. It really lifted his spirits! He’d ask us how many cards were coming on specific days…I had no idea if was going to like this group sending cards, but I knew he needed more support and he got tons of correspondence,” she recalls.
Sadly, Wilson passed away merely 18 months after diagnosis in December of 2022 despite the expectation that he might beat the odds of esophageal cancer and surpass the statistical five-year survival mark.
Determined to keep her brother’s legacy alive as a way to cope, connect with others and open her arms to those who seek a more personal form of communication, she started Harvesting Hope and Harvesting Hope Mail groups. While she’s based in Illinois, her volunteer outreach has garnered almost 400 members from all over the world.
“We cater to cancer patients, but it’s really support for anyone suffering from an illness who needs to just see and feel that others are there for them,” Collins said. “My hope is that the cards and correspondence bring even a little happiness - and for that person to know that there are strangers out there who do care about what you’re going through. It’s sending love and turning a heart-breaking situation into a warm and healthy way of coping.”
On Harvesting Hope Mail’s Facebook page, members post a photo and share their battle with the group - adding their mailing address (or their loved one’s address) to receive cards in the mail. Collins also said that she’s proud the group has connected so many who keep in touch with each other, forming true friendships.
She added, “Even though it’s something unfortunate that’s connected us, I’m so grateful our members see the value in how it helps us heal; writing in general helps the soul heal and I personally write cards to each member who joins the group to let them know they’re not alone.”
June Morris was one of the first members to join Harvest for Hope.
“When I joined Harvesting Hope Mail, I just thought I was joining a group that sent encouraging cards,” she said. “What I discovered was a community of people who genuinely want to share kindness and hope with others during some of life's most difficult moments,” Morris said.
“Even though it’s something unfortunate that’s connected us,
I’m so grateful our members see the value in how it helps us heal."
​
“As a breast cancer survivor, I know how much it means to receive encouragement when life feels uncertain. A simple card can remind someone that they are seen, cared for, prayed for, and never truly alone. But what I love most about Harvesting Hope Mail is that its mission reaches far beyond cancer. Whether someone is grieving, battling an illness, facing a difficult diagnosis, struggling with depression or loneliness, or simply going through a hard season, everyone deserves to know that someone is thinking about them.”
Harvesting Hope Mail member Lori Schuch said, “I have been making handmade cards for many years, and I truly enjoy sending them. Discovering the Harvesting Hope group has brought a new sense of purpose and joy to my letter writing. While it does take time, knowing that I may be bringing a smile, encouragement, or a little bit of hope to someone’s mailbox makes every moment worthwhile. Giving back in this simple way fills my heart with happiness.”
Bringing joy to mailboxes is just one of Collins’ goals. Some day she would like to set up Harvesting Hope as a non-profit organization and she’s working on turning the cards she’s received into a book to memorialize her brother. As the network of generous members grows she’s also designing t-shirts among other custom-designed items.
For those facing terminal illness, battling challenging diseases, or even celebrating their final chemo treatment, finding solace and support from a stranger miles away can be a source of mental, spiritual and emotional healing.
“My brother would be proud of what we’re doing and he probably wouldn’t believe how many people are in this group already,” said Collins. “It all starts with a simple card and a lot of love.”
You can find Collins’ group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/harvestinghopemail