A Pediatric Art Therapy Program
From a Tracy’s Kids Participant
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/
“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.”
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.
To everyone who came to the event and donated to support Tracy’s Kids, we hope thank you. It is only with your continued support that we are able to continue to do this important work.
We would also like to thank the following individuals and organizations for helping make our ninth annual event such a great success:
At the event we presented Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) with the Courage Award for the perseverance and bravery she has shown during her personal battle with cancer. She spoke briefly about her own experiences, and we were honored with all that she shared. You can watch her speech by clicking here.
Senator Heidi Heitkamp at the 2014 And the Winner Is Event.
David Cohen, Marcelle Leahy and Matt Gerson present the Courage Award
We were honored to have the company of many Members of Congress again this year. Our guests included Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), the 2013 Courage Award Winner Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI), Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Congressman Tom Marino (R-PA), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR), Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly was also in attendance.
Tracy’s Kids participants and supporters Devan Tatlow and his mother joined us on the red carpet again this year!
Here’s a quick roundup of the event, for those of you who were unable to join us. After Matt Gerson welcomed everyone and spoke briefly about his own fight with cancer and his continued dedication to the Tracy’s Kids cause, Tracy Councill introduced Dr. Aziza Shad of Georgetown’s Lombardi Cancer Center. Dr. Shad spoke of the positive impact that Tracy’s Kids has had at the clinic and personally thanked Tracy’s Kids supporters for enabling us to do this important work. Marcelle Leahy introduced David Cohen from Comcast/NBCUniversal to present Senator Heidi Heitkamp with the Courage Award. Melissa Maxfield of Comcast/NBCUniversal then drew the raffle winner for tickets to see Katy Perry at the Verizon Center, and announced the movie theaters where each of the six movies would be screened. Our guests then made their way upstairs to the theaters to enjoy popcorn and the movie of their choice.
As a reminder, the 2014 movies that our guests chose from were:
This year we auctioned artwork done by Tracy’s Kids as well as a piece by Tracy’s Kids Program Director, Tracy Councill. Tracy’s Kids friends and fellow artists, Kari Kant and Sabra Rogers, were also generous enough to donate pieces to our event. The artwork was extremely popular, and gave our guests a chance to see some of the pieces done at each of our program locations.
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??
Ta-daa!
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.
Ready to Peep!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/2014-peeps-diorama-contest-official-rules/2014/02/24/1fc26b12-9d5f-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html
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!
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!
That night we will recognize North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp with our Courage Award. Her determined advocacy for breast cancer detection and prevention made her an easy choice. Each year we present a Courage Award to a public person who exemplifies the strength, dignity and perseverance necessary to face the daily challenges imposed by cancer and its treatment. Past recipients of the award are the late Arlen Specter, Marcelle Leahy, Barbara and Tim Johnson, John McCain, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sue Myrick, Barbara Grassley and Dave Camp.
If you would like to purchase tickets to the event you may do so online or by contacting Susan O’Neill and Associates at tracyskids@oneillevent.com.
We hope to see you there!
An eleven year old girl whose father had been battling cancer for quite some time participated actively in art therapy sessions provided by Tracy's Kids in Northern Virginia. It is easy to imagine the fear and tension, maybe confusion, that would be in the mind of a child in that situation. One afternoon in early 2009, as the little girl left the art room, she discreetly left behind a Post-it note. Her brief message—a mere nine words—says all that needs to be said about Tracy's Kids.Tracy’s Kids is a 501.c.3 charitable organization helping young cancer patients and their families cope with the emotional stress and trauma of cancer and its treatment. Our federal tax ID number is 26-3835257.
Our mission is to ensure that the children and families we serve are emotionally equipped to fight cancer as actively as possible—and prepared for the time when they are cancer free.
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Every day, our Master’s-trained art therapists help young cancer patients and their families navigate an exceedingly difficult chapter in their lives. Our work is only possible because of supporters like you. This giving season, there are many ways you can give children with the cancer the gift of art therapy. This #GivingTuesday, we raised […]
Our Tracy’s Kids 2016 Annual Report and Audit are here! Read the stories of our bright, brave patients and the work that Tracy’s Kids has done in 2016 — including new sites in Virginia and Maryland! “Society has a real obligation to deal with cancer, and especially among kids – and to have emotional support for […]
