Children’s Holiday Art Project Bigger Than Ever
Gift Items Fund 29 Years of Patient Support

The Children’s Art Project at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center began in 1973 with only one greeting card. This year, the project’s holiday collection features almost 60 new items designed by more than 60 children.

“The project just gets bigger and better every year,” says Shannan Murray, project director.

With cards and gift items for every season, the Children’s Art Project has generated more than $15 million to fund education and child life programs, college scholarships, summer camps, “pedi-parties,” and other programs at M.D. Anderson.

This year’s artists all are current and former M.D. Anderson patients from Houston and other Texas cities, Nebraska, Florida, Mississippi, Utah, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

“By participating in the project, children are able to focus on something positive. Their attention is diverted from the negative aspects of dealing with cancer,” Murray says.

All Children’s Art Project proceeds are returned to the cancer center, which has pledged $1.5 million to fund even more patient-focused programs next year.

This year the art project offers a first – a specially produced ornament by Christopher Radko, an artist known for glass ornaments, garlands and figures depicting everything from the very traditional to the very whimsical. Based on the “Gift Heart” design first introduced in 2001, this collector’s item is painted inside with sterling silver to enhance its vibrant colors. A special Radko signature tag is attached and the ornament is packaged in a signature box for safekeeping after the season, although the “Gift Heart” ornament is suitable for year-round display.

This year’s collection also features painted wooden ornaments for use on holiday trees, packages or as napkin rings. These wooden creations come in “House,” “Halo Angel” and “Manger” designs.

Each year, the project features a collector’s ornament. This year’s ornament features the “Ozzie’s Dove” design on a porcelain stone, inlaid in a brass frame and packaged in a navy gift box. A limited number of the collector’s ornaments from 2000 (“Melissa’s Angel”) and 2001 (Ozzie’s Reindeer) are also still available.

Many of the Children’s Art Project holiday designs are featured on products other than greeting cards, including calendars, note cubes, jewelry, toys and apparel. Sterling charms are dressed up this year as necklaces with pearls and beads. A 2003 month-to-month calendar is back, and a new baby calendar complete with stickers to mark special milestones has been added, as well as a rhyming “Christmas Book” for young readers. This year, T-shirts come in red for children and white for adults. A red baby romper is also available.

The Holiday 2002 Collection features other extras such adhesive gift labels, correspondence cards, holiday stationery, note pads, note cubes and more, in addition to the traditional holiday greeting cards for which the project is known.

Children’s Art Project products are available at retail outlets throughout the country, online and through direct mail. For a free catalog or to place an order, call 1-800-231-1580 or visit www.childrensart.org.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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