Kids Together Against Cancer Celebrates Our Journey at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens with Art Exhibit
July 26, 2010
Jacksonville, Fla. - Kids Together Against Cancer (KTAC), a program that helps the children of families facing a cancer diagnosis, is celebrating the end of its first year of programs with Our Journey, an art exhibition at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. This exhibit opens at The Cummer on July 27 and runs through August 22.
The exhibition, on display in Art Connections, features 25 pieces created by participants, including poems, two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects and photographs documenting the program by Ingrid Damiani. Projects for the exhibition were developed by Cummer educators and included designing a keepsake journal, creating a self-portrait and sculpting a clay heart.
“The partnership with St. Vincent’s blends art education led by Cummer staff and therapeutic discussions led by social workers,” said Lori Eisenberg, Cummer Educator and Program Manager. “Working together provides a great outlet for children and families to come together to talk with others who are dealing with cancer in similar ways. Exhibiting the artwork created by the participants is a creative testament to the difficult journey the families are on as they deal with cancer.”
KTAC is a free program that is offered by St. Vincent’s HealthCare through a generous grant from the Rice Family Foundation and St. Vincent’s HealthCare Foundation. These five-week sessions geared for children ages 5 to 17 are currently held at Riverside Presbyterian Day School. This program, developed by clinical social workers with experience in oncology is modeled after the CLIMB program (Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery), and uses art therapy to help children and their parents or caregiver communicate their concerns about the cancer journey. During the sessions, children focus on identifying coping skills to assist with their feelings of fear and anxiety.
“KTAC is the only program of its kind in Jacksonville,” said Cynthia Farah, Director of Cancer Services for St. Vincent’s HealthCare. “There are many support groups for individuals facing a cancer challenge, but until KTAC there was no program for the children of parents, grandparents, or caregivers who were facing cancer.”
The media is invited to attend the private reception for families on Sunday, August 1 from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Cummer to celebrate the opening of the KTAC Art Exhibition and view the artwork created by the families. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Amy Chamberlin at (904) 899-6034 or Amy Rankin at (904) 380-4292.
“Our participants have developed wonderful bonds with each other,” said Farah. “They continue to communicate after the workshops are over. We felt that a celebration of their art and their participation in KTAC was a great way to approach our first year anniversary.”
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The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is committed to engage and inspire through the arts, gardens and education. A permanent collection of nearly 5,000 objects and historic gardens on a riverfront campus offers more than 114,000 annual visitors a truly unique experience on the First Coast. Nationally recognized education programs serve adults and children of all abilities. The Cummer is located at 829 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida (904.356.6857). Museum hours are Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays Noon to 5 p.m. The Cummer offers Free Tuesdays from 4 to 9 p.m., sponsored by THE PLAYERS. For more information, call 904.356.6857 or visit www.cummer.org.
Contact:
Amy Chamberlin
Associate Director of Marketing
Phone: 904-899-6034 achamberlin@cummer.org
Cell: 904-859-8121
