Summer of ART Guest Blog Post - Elisabeth Smith Ross, Member of the American Association of Woodturners

Note from BOC: From June through September, we are shining a spotlight on four amazing communities of volunteer artists and crafters who support our mission year-round with their beautiful donated goods. The handcrafted beads, bags and bowls they donate strengthen our arts-in-medicine mission and bring beauty to the bedside of kids coping with serious illness.

YOU can help with a monetary gift to the Summer of ART fundraising campaign. Be a rock star! Donate $50 or more and receive this awesome TIE DYE T-shirt as our exclusive thank-you gift just for Summer of ART supporters! 

PEACE. LOVE. ART.

Guest blogger Elisabeth Smith Ross shares:

I first heard about the Beads of Courage program after I became a member of the American Association of Woodturners, which I joined in early 2015. I was new to the scene of the woodturning community, and I was not even a woodturner. I was a homeschooling mom of 3 selling woodturning materials out of my garage. 

Guest Blog Post - Heather Stemas, Art Therapist

Art Cards decorated by Heather Stemas and family

Art Therapist Heather Stemas shares ...

Hospitalization and chronic illness can take a toll on a person. In addition to physical pain, invasive procedures and discomfort, separation from educational, recreational and community supports are common and can lead to feelings of depression, and isolation. As an art therapist working with kids with acute and chronic illness, I’ve seen how art and art making can help kids and teens transcend limits, communicate what can’t be said, celebrate what they value and so much more. It provides a way for them to record, reorder, and re-imagine their stories.

Fifty for Phoebe

When Susan Regan and Jessica Boettner met in Tucson in 2008, they felt a bond that quickly grew into a close friendship. At the time, neither of them could have foreseen the life-altering challenges they would face together and the impact one local nonprofit organization would have on both their lives. 

On November 13, 2013, Susan gave birth to her second daughter, Phoebe. She was a beautiful baby with wispy brown hair and deep, sparkling eyes. Friends and family adored her, especially her big sister, 3-year-old Hannah. 

Phoebe was born with a rare chromosomal abnormality which caused life-threatening complications, including congenital heart defects and a lung condition called pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis. Though doctors successfully repaired two holes in Phoebe’s heart, the steroids they gave her to help her lungs suppressed her immune system, leaving her susceptible to serious infections. 

WORLD BEADS OF COURAGE DAY - SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

If you’re familiar with Beads of Courage, you already know about our mission to support the most courageous kids on Earth – children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.  Now, it’s time to tell the whole world about our work and showcase YOU, our honored members, families, clinicians, supporters, donors and friends.

World Beads of Courage Day (WBOCD) takes place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is also our Bead Challenge month!  We have many activities planned for September and invite you to be a part of this Global Celebration of Courage.

Team from Roche Participates in Polymer Bead-Making Class

Many thanks to members of the Roche team in Tucson for taking part in our polymer bead-making classes!

"Recently, I was looking for a volunteer opportunity and became aware of Beads of Courage. After finding out more about the positive impact these handmade beads have on children, I looked into the bead-making class, which my husband and I took and enjoyed. 

Support Beads of Courage on Arizona Gives Day, Tuesday, April 2!

Arizona Gives Day is Tuesday, April 2. This 24-hour day of online giving helps Arizona-based nonprofit organizations like Beads of Courage raise funds to support our critical mission.

Team Beads of Courage Member Karts Huseonica Announces Plans for 2020 Expedition

We're excited to announce that Team Beads of Courage member Karts Huseonica will be carrying Beads of Courage again on a record-setting expedition next year, along with his teammate, Lauren Sherwood.

The Yukon 2020 expedition requires Karts and Lauren to canoe the length of the Yukon River, an eight-week journey involving challenging currents, late-season ice flows, inclement weather, and dangerous wildlife.