About
Each year, thousands of children across America are diagnosed with life-threatening, life-changing, and often-times fatal illnesses. Cancer, heart defects, muscular dystrophy, meningitis, life-saving organ transplantation and AIDS/HIV are just a few of the wide variety of maladies facing today's children. Research is constantly generating new paths of treatment and therapy and hopefully will one day be able to ensure our children a world of carefree days and unimpeded nights.
Unfortunately, that day is not yet here. In the mean time many families with critically and terminally ill children are being inundated with the high costs of medical bills, traveling expenses, parking fees, dining expenses and more. Many of the families referred to Patches of Light have one or more parent on an unpaid leave and find they are unable to pay for even the basic necessities of everyday life. When there is no viable income, there can only be a detrimental outcome.
Our mission at Patches of Light is to assist families with critically and terminally ill children so that they can remain together during their hospitalizations and treatments. Our funding is used to pay for past due mortgages, rent, and utilities. We provide phone cards, gas cards, grocery cards and parking tokens. Many parents do not even have the comfort of knowing whether they can make it to the hospital on a daily basis.
Patches of Light assists with emergencies such as: auto repairs, housing for long distance care, airline tickets, supporting families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House, extermination and/or purification items for bone-marrow patients homes and much more. We have assisted families throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. We have also helped families from Africa, England, and Palestine.
Patches of Light is based and founded on the experiences of Rodney and Mindy Atwood. The Atwood's have experienced first hand the hardship, heartache and stress that accompanies having a critically ill child. In 1982 one of the Atwood's children (they have four boys) was diagnosed with a Wilm's Tumor.
In 1992, another of the Atwood's children was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and underwent open-heart surgery. Their compassion and dedication are fueled by these events.
Meet the Team
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Mindy Atwood
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT
Patchesoflight@aol.com
Mindy Atwood is the founder and CEO of Patches of Light. Patches of Light was created based on experiences Mindy had dealing with two of her four children facing catastrophic health issues.
Mindy resides with her husband and Co-Founder of Patches of Light, Rod Atwood, her granddaughter Alexis Atwood, their dog Finnegan, and their Guinea Pig Craig.
Mindy is the mother of four sons and 7 grandchildren. Their lives are blessed, albeit crazy at times, but always enveloped with love. Mindy’s motto is: “Believe in the Light, Be the Light.” Her family is her light.
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Marie Pugsley
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mpugsleypatchesoflight@gmail.com
Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio Marie currently resides in Hilliard with her husband Eddie and their 2 sons, Ben and Adam. Marie also has 2 bonus sons, David and Scott, daughter-in-law Heather, and grandsons, Danny and Kai.
Marie has been an active board member with Patches of Light since 2009. After losing her niece Jadeyn due to a drowning accident Marie learned the best way to deal with her grief was by giving back to others.
Marie has been a licensed real estate agent since 2015 and is currently with Coldwell Banker Realty.
Marie makes a donation to Patches Of Light with every closing. -
Sandy Nowak
BOARD SECRETARY
joky2@icloud.com
Sandy serves as Secretary of the Board and Volunteer Coordinator of Patches of Light. She graduated from Miami University with a BA in Speech Communication and Public Relations. She has been married to her husband Marty for 33 years and has 3 sons- Josh, Kyle and Jake. She has worked 30+ years in retail management, she is now current owner of Hillgarten in downtown Hilliard. and human resources and has written and worked for WMUB radio station, GTR Advertising in Cleveland, and to this day still considers working for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida the best job she ever had!After searching for an organization that helps families and children in need, Sandy learned about Paches of Light and heard Mindy's story and knew immediately that this was where she was supposed to be!
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Rod Atwood
CO-FOUNDER, BOARD MEMBER
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Terri Botsko
BOARD MEMBER (FORMER PRESIDENT)
tntbotsko@gmail.com
Terri serves as the President of the Board of Directors of Patches of Light. An attorney, currently employed at her family's business, Taylor Tire Company, she holds a degree in Political Science and Spanish from Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!) and her law degree from Capital University Law School. Terri has been married to Tom for 32 years and they have 2 sons – Alex who attends Ashland University and Nick who attends the University of Cincinnati. Terri is an avid reader (mostly romance novels and mysteries) and enjoys going on walks and to wine tastings.
Terri learned about Patches of Light when her oldest son was in 6th grade in the Hilliard City School district and they held a “penny war” to benefit Patches of Light. She met Mindy, was inspired by her story and has been sharing the Patches of Light story ever since! -
Pat Casbarro
BOARD MEMBER
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Carla Gilkerson
BOARD MEMBER
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Debbie Steeb
BOARD MEMBER
Debbie Steeb is a recent addition to the Patches of Light Board. Debbie is new to the board, but not new to Patches of Light. Happily retired she now spends countless hours working to provide crafts, beautiful edible goodies, decorations and more to multiple pediatric cancer organizations across Ohio.
Debbie recognizes what a family needs due to the fact that she has personally experienced what Patches of Light stands for first hand. Her grandson, Aiden, is in remission from leukemia. Aiden is a childhood cancer warrior and an inspiration to all he meets, as is his grandmother. Debbie currently divides her time between her home in Palestine, Ohio and Indian Lake. Although, she swears that her favorite time and place is with her son and his family in Hilliard, OH.
Debbie is passing on her creative talents to her grandson and together they work diligently to make a difference in the lives of families struggling with a childhood cancer diagnosis. Debbie is always saying she is blessed to work with Patches of Light, however it is Patches of Light who is blessed.
