Cancer sucks. Art heals.

This is the motto of the Kids and Art foundation. Started by a mom who lost her kid to cancer, they focus on improving the quality of life of patients and siblings by “healing cancer through the arts”. Check out their monthly art workshops at various studios. If your kid is in Lucille Packard (Stanford) or UCSF, they even have weekly art workshops at the hospital.

We came to know about this organization a year ago, and since then have attended every single monthly art workshop. Our kid LOVES them! Not only is it a safe space to take children in treatment, but it’s a happy space where kids can just be kids and have fun, without worrying about their treatments and scars. The joy on their faces says it all!

Tonight, they had an exhibition of artwork by kids, and a special event to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Several artists (incl. some child artists), volunteers and generous donors gathered to celebrate their milestone. The foundation has helped 1800 kids so far, and has ambitious plans to expand their reach to more hospitals / locations, including bringing art programs directly to the hospital room (e.g., for kids in the stem cell units, ICU).

Way to go Kids and Art foundation! Inspiring to see how the pain from one mom who lost her kid to cancer, was converted to giving hope and joy to several hundreds of children…