Reflections on Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
We were asked to contribute a guest blog to the site of an organization called the Cancer Knowledge Network. Web: http://www.cancerkn.com/ .
Here’s the link to what Tracy wrote:
https://cancerkn.com/reflections-childhood-cancer-awareness-month/
Tracy’s Kids 2013 Annual Report
The 2013 Annual Report is now available!
During 2013, Tracy’s Kids provided 10,777 art therapy sessions, made 22,357 patient contacts, and spent 841 hours of consultation with medical treatment teams – all designed to help children with cancer address the emotional toll imposed by the disease and its treatment.
Included in the 2013 Annual Report are updates and photos from each of our programs, a review of some of our larger projects from the year, and the financial information from fiscal year 2013.
You can access the report by clicking here.
A Profile on our Founder
Children’s National Medical Center profiled Tracy’s Kids Chairman and Founder, Matt Gerson, in its April 2014 Newsletter.
“Admired as a trailblazer for art therapy, Matt Gerson is a Washington, DC-based executive who established Tracy’s Kids as an independent charity. Since 1998, he has raised almost $4 million in philanthropic support to help children with cancer cope with the emotional stress imposed by the disease and its treatment. Of that, $1.6 million has benefitted children and families at Children’s National-where the program is donated at no cost to our patients.”
The complete interview and profile are available here: Matt Gerson – Philanthropist Profile
Incredible Creativity
When a kid is fascinated by something, he may amaze you with his creativity. One of our kids invented a remarkable way of building airplanes out of paper. He captures all the salient details, draws the whole plane on paper, cuts it out and shapes it into a 3-D airplane!
Medical condition or no, this guy is an amazing spatial thinker—and he chooses to display his creations in the art room at his hospital where airplane aficionados of all ages (other kids and doctors too!) can appreciate his talent.
Globetrotter meets Peep!
Today our friends at Hope for Henry brought Harlem Globetrotter player Bull Bullard to visit patients in the hospital and clinic. When he stopped by we were hard at work on our (top secret) entry in the Washington Post magazine Peeps contest. Bull asked if he could try his hand at making a special peep and he joined the kids at the art table. He chose a giant white bunny and made it into the good-looking character below. Maybe a self-portrait? Peep-terature Portraiture??
Ready to Peep!
What inspiration will marshmallow chicks and bunnies bring to Tracy’s Kids this year? Last year our entry in the Washington Post Magazine’s Peeps Diorama Contest depicted some valiant teens saving a Sol Lewitt drawing from falling off the wall at the National Gallery– and though we didn’t win, we made the Kids’ Post. This year, who knows?? We’re stocked up on Peeps and ready to brainstorm.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/2014-peeps-diorama-contest-official-rules/2014/02/24/1fc26b12-9d5f-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html
And the Winner Is . . .
Last night’s ninth annual Tracy’s Kids Red Carpet Fundraiser was a grand success. We had a great turnout, and our guests seemed to really enjoy coming together in support of our cause. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, our Courage Award winner, offered touching and impassioned remarks about what it means to be a cancer patient and the power of human connection.
We are proud and humbled at the same time–proud of the good work we do and grateful for the support so many of you offer the kids we serve–and humbled every day as we work with such brave and resilient young people. Here are a handful of photos from last night, courtesy of our event photographer, Carly Glazier, www.carlyglazier.com. We’ll post a more extensive gallery soon, but we hope you’ll get a feel for the what a great night it was!
Silent Auction Art!
The format for tomorrow night’s Tracy’s Kids Red Carpet Fundraiser will include a silent auction of some very special Washington, DC-themed works of art. Five are by groups of kids working together at the Tracy’s Kids locations, two by artists who are friends of Tracy’s Kids, and the other by Tracy Councill. For a sneak peek at the items, take a look at the photos and descriptions below. Hope to see you there!