Advocating for Tracy's Kids Art Therapy at NCI

Tracy's Kids is an Art Therapy program started by Tracy Councill over 20 years ago with "just a bucket of crayons and paper". It has grown by leaps and bounds and her program is now is several Baltimore and Washington, DC Metro area hospitals helping hundreds of childhood cancer patients, siblings and parents deal with and cope through very traumatic treatments, blood transfusions and chemotherapies. It has been a life-saver for Ryan and our family through many years, and we are indebted to Tracy and all her art therapists who make going to the hospital for treatment a little less "scary" for many patients and their families, and the willingness for each patient to fight on for another day...through art and creativity that Tracy and her staff initiates each day. 

Thankfully, research has shown that anxiety and stress levels are significantly decreased with these type of programs instituted in medical centers that cater to the pediatric cancer kids, and I've seen first hand, it works splendidly!!

So when Tracy asked if we could represent Tracy's Kids at a CFC (combined federal campaign) event today at NCI (National Cancer Institute) in Rockville, Maryland, we could not resist! Ryan and I spoke to several NCI employees about the great work Tracy's Kids provides children and families of all ages, and at no cost to any individual or family. It's great care through art (every kid checks in with Tracy or an art therapist, then they check in the the medical staff for treatment...in that order!) I hope we persuaded some new CFC donors over to Tracy's Kids...

BSoleille! The bright side of art therapy in many settings (but especially, pediatric cancer).

Terri

Ryan manning the booth

An employee learning about Tracy's Kids

Ryan and Terri

Employees of NCI at the event