ARTS FOR LIFE is a nonprofit organization at 4 NC Children's Hospitals that provides art and music experiences to pediatric cancer and chronically ill patients. We have been privileged to be blessed by these amazing people. Colin Allured is 'the music man' at Brenners' who conducts music classes in the clinic as well as individual classes in each patient's room. We have had class with him twice and he is an amazing man, very talented, with a unique gift for working with kids. Betsy McLawhorn has become our smiling greeter every morning at the clinic. She is there daily with 3 new art projects every week, as well as a wealth of supplies to inspire the kids' creativity. She knows each one by name and knows all their likes and preferences. When Julia walks in and asks to paint, Betsy makes it happen in minutes. She works seamlessly with all the doctors and nurses so that the kids can complete their projects and be treated all at the same time. For some it is a distraction, for others a new opportunity, and for some children they are working on year long masterpieces.
If you feel led to donate, they have a link on their website. They also have a list of supplies on the site if you would like to give specifically. If you are an artistic, creative person who works well with kids, consider volunteering. The volunteers who brought art right to Julia's room after her surgery were such a blessing to all of us.
If you would like to do something specifically for the Brenners' oncology clinic, here are several ideas. Chemotherapy goes on, no matter the day- even on your birthday sometimes. Many of these kids celebrate several birthdays at Brenners'. On the week of their birthday, the kids are treated to a special visit to the birthday closet where they can choose any gift they would like. They make a really big deal of making the kids feel special. If you would like to buy a gift for the closet, we would be happy to deliver it for you. There are boys and girls from infant-18yrs, so pretty much anything goes.
There is also a toy box the kids get to choose from after they finish their daily chemo. It is stocked with kids' meal toys and dollar store items, but gets depleted pretty quickly. They also have a tub of hats, scarves, and headbands available. It is often empty because no one has donated anything. If you want to give any of these or for you crafty folks at there, make some, they would be much appreciated. Here's just one example...
Thank you so much Janelle for the sweet scarves for Julia. They are adorable!
Julia's bow was a donated item from the hospital...
So many of these families have to carry the financial weight of cancer in addition to the emotional and physical. Having to buy these extras is really tough for many. We are one of the very few who have insurance that covers the majority of our expenses.
Just to give you an idea of what cancer costs...
- one day of chemo $2600
- one day of sedation $1200
- one week of radiation $26,000
- one surgery $52,000
Another great cause is the Pedatric Cancer Research Foundation. They have been working since 1982 (and raised $22 million!) to increase the survival rates and help push research advances and protocols into the hands of patients that need it. They are making things happen and tangibly helping families in the midst of these battles. Childhood cancer in the early half of the 20th century was almost always fatal. Survival rates today are close to 80%. That is good news to the more than 12,000 children each year diagnosed with cancer.
Thank you all for your love and support for us and for others on this same road. May God bless you and use you in simple, yet amazing ways to do His work!
1 comment:
i have been reading your blog for awhile now and didn't realize you were from the same place as me. thanks so much for the ideas of things we can do to help!
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