Four years ago Heidi Feyerherm never imagined she and a staff of volunteers would be working a booth in the K-State Student Union to compete for a $25,000 grant to buy stuffed monkeys for children with cancer.

However, in November 2006, Feyerherm's family received heartbreaking news: her 6-year-old daughter Chloe was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. The official diagnosis was diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a tumor that grows in the brainstem. After battling the tumor with radiation and other treatments, Chloe died less than a year after her diagnosis.

After her daughter's death, Feyerherm wanted to find a way to give back but was unsure at first how to go about it.

"I knew that providing some support services as kids go through the treatment was important because there wasn't a whole lot out there," Feyerherm said. "When Chloe was diagnosed she had a bear in her seat at school and we knew that was beneficial to us, so I started playing with that idea."

A few months later the Love Chloe Foundation was born, and "There's a Monkey In My Chair" kits started. Feyerherm decided to use monkeys as stand-in students because they were Chloe's favorite animals.

The foundation has worked tirelessly over the past four years to send backpacks to children who are unable to attend school due to cancer treatments. To date, more than 600 individuals and hospitals have received a monkey kit. The monkey comes with a backpack, a children's book titled "There's a Monkey In My Chair," a journal, photo album, camera, pens, pencils and a duffel bag. There is also a teacher companion for the classroom teacher to use along with the program. 

What began as a relationship with four hospitals has grown to 70, and more approach the nonprofit every week. With the need for kits reaching an all-time high, the foundation has taken its message to the Union this Wednesday and Friday.

Nedra Elbl, foundation member and Chloe's second-grade teacher, said the bulk of fundraising has been in Salina, and while she appreciates those donors, she recognizes there are limits to what people can give.

Each kit cost $75, and the staff entered the Pepsi Refresh Project in hopes of receiving a $25,000 grant to provide 330 kits to children in need, Feyerherm said.

"We've had a successful time here at K-State, with freshmen and their families coming by," Elbl said. "A lot of them start texting right away if they have that on their phones."

Elbl said she hopes everyone that comes by continues to send texts or vote online daily because each e-mail and phone is allowed one vote each day. Voting ends Aug. 31.

Elbl helped write the teacher companion book along with Feyerherm and Emily Petrosky, Cornado Elementary's counselor. Elbl said having the monkey fill Chloe's seat helped the students adjust emotionally to her illness.

"It helped them understand she was becoming different but was still capable of giving love and they could still love her," Elbl said.

When Chloe was unable to speak or show facial emotion because of a feeding tube, the students discussed ways they could help her communicate. One student suggested drawing a smile on paper. Elbl attached it to a Popsicle stick so Chloe could laugh along with the class. Elbl said the students grew more accepting and aware of feelings from the situation.

"Most of the students from that class are going into fifth grade this year and they still do a lot of fundraising for us," Elbl said.

Student reaction to the kits has been very supportive across the country. One group of children in Oregon enjoyed the monkey in their classroom so much they raised money at a lemonade stand and sent the foundation $500 to provide monkeys to other schools. Another group of children who kept the monkey in its seat after the child passed away are having it in the class photo, and it is being promoted to the next grade with the students, Feyerherm said. Families and schools have sent back photos of their monkeys and children posted online at www.monkeyinmychair.org.

Feyerherm said the foundation is overwhelming at times because the demand for kits has grown so much over the years.

"I didn't expect it to take off like it has," Feyerherm said. "I can spend 40 hours a week on the foundation, and it doesn't bother me because I know I'm making a difference for another family."