Our Snapshot of Parenting with Purpose is about a whole group of creative bloggers who decided to join together to support and make a difference by forming a team, created by MaryAnne of Mama Smiles, to support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving work in research, education, advocacy, and patient services. There is more HOPE than ever for people facing cancer. Together they created Small Hands Creating Hope, a special book full of Child Created Crafts to help foster Hope in Cancer Patients.
$1180.00
Has been raised so far for the American Cancer Society through Small Hands Creating Hope Book
{It’s not too late you can still donate and purchase your own ebook or hard copy,
click below soon before it goes away}
click below soon before it goes away}
For a $15 donation to the American Cancer Society, you will receive a Project Hope eBook, a book of hope-themed arts and crafts to make for cancer patients.
Week by week I watched as each of the 40+ bloggers shared little stories about why they decided to join this project and also shared how cancer has affected their lives. Here’s my story. I couldn’t help but notice that they were all instilling Hope and Encouragement into their children’s lives just by simply showing them how to care for and encourage HOPE in others. I observed how they taught their child that they too can make a difference in someone’s life, even at such a young age. I am in true admiration of each of these participants and how they created hope, smiles and love into their homes, children’s lives and local cancer treatment centers.
I asked some of the participants to share why they had chosen to participate in Small Hands Creating Hope and here are a few of their responses.
- This project was huge for me – my kids have the joint legacy of a mother who survived cancer and a grandfather they never met because of cancer. I want them to see that there is hope for the future, and that there is always a way to make a difference.
MaryAnne at Mama Smiles created a Hand Sewn Felt Butterfly
- I wanted my child to be a part of this special project as it was a good way to introduce to her the fact that her grandfather has cancer but that we always have hope. Teaching her the importance of giving to others and understanding that we don’t always have to give big to make a difference. Just bringing a smile to someone’s face is sometimes the most important thing. 🙂
Deborah at Learn with Play at Home created Sunny Potted Flowers
- My son and I made our project for my dad, a two time cancer survivor. For me, it was about bringing joy to my dad through something his grandson’s hands created.
Trisha at Inspiration Laboratories created a Handmade Plantable Paper Butterfly Card
- My children are grown now, but the project was still very special to me. I loved creating something other parents could do with their children for young cancer patients. Both my parents are cancer survivors, and I wanted to participate in honor of them and in gratitude to the American Cancer Society. My parents were very moved to receive the gift of the print book I ordered for them. My mom plans to make my project, a butterfly counting book, with her great-grandkids!
- I wanted JDaniel to help create something that would be a gift and a wonderful place to hold cards he would create for others.
Deirdre at JDaniel4’s Mom created a Handmade Ribbon Basket
- I lost a very dear one to cancer. This project gave me an opportunity to remember her and share her little story with my daughter.
Mansi at Experimenting Mom created a Tree of Hope
- I embrace any opportunity to sit and chat with my girls about my mother, who passed away 3 years ago from colon cancer. This project gave us a chance to dive into a creative project that reflected my mom’s and my daughters’ love of books. I also loved switching our perspective and focusing on cancer survivorship.
Jennifer at Kitchen Counter Chronicles created a special Handmade Book
- I lost my Dad to cancer last year so I was on board as soon as MaryAnne announced her idea for the project. Last year was a very stressful and confusing time for my son with lots of visits to the hospital and then losing his “Opa” so this was a chance to do something hopeful and positive together.
Ness at One Perfect Day who created beautiful Straw Painted Butterflies
- I felt drawn to this project because of the way cancer has impacted both mine and my husband’s life (a story I didn’t share). I also am very inspired by MaryAnne’s story and her idea for this project. The name alone is an inspiration.
Adrienne Weeks at The Iowa Farmers Wife who created a Suncatcher Cross
- My grandfather passed away from cancer just a few months before my first child was born. I try to make him as much a part of their lives as possible, each one of them named after him in some way. We talk often of him and at night before bed discuss what good & bad things he may have seen us do that day and what we can do better tomorrow to make sure he’s sees more good than bad. My children are still young and have a difficult time grasping the gravity of something like cancer, but they can easily understand how helping others makes people happy, how gratifying it is to create something that makes others smile. How if someone is sick or hurting, the right thing to do is to help, however you can. It feels good to them to know their guardian angel is up there, smiling down on them when they do good deeds like these.
Stacy at Kids Stuff World created a Butterfly Garland and a Special Stepping Stone
40+ Bloggers joined together for this cause with their children, working side by side teaching them about how to inspire HOPE in cancer patients and survivors. For more inspirational stories you can visit the other participants {Click HERE} . I hope that you will consider purchasing a Small Hands Creating Hope Book.
For me one of the reasons I decided to participate in the project is that I’ve wanted to find something for many of my friends who are going through cancer themselves, their spouses, their parents and a child. As I reach out to them I wanted to find something for their children to give them power and control of their temporary situation. I found that this project can be a part of that support.
If news comes that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer we look for ways of helping, especially when it’s a parent or family member we are concerned about how it will impact the children involved too. I encourage you to think about sending this book with the craft materials needed for a few of the projects to a family going through cancer treatments. The projects in Small Hands Creating Hope have been created from very simple art supplies that fit into a family budget. Imagination Soup even shared how Art Therapy can be a great way to help a child through the emotions they are feeling during this challenging time. So we’re sending a few books as LOVE BOOKS package to our friends to inspire HOPE in their homes. Just a simple way to give a child and family the tools to create HOPE, it just might be special thing the need during this time.
Sending messages of Hope and Love!
Who’s inspiring you to be a better parent? Send us your story! For more info
MaryAnne K says
July 10, 2012 at 5:34 amThis is such a beautiful post, Kim. This project has been an amazing experience, and it's so wonderful to collaborate with such an incredible group of women for a good cause.
Kim @ The Educators Spin On It says
July 10, 2012 at 8:01 amMaryAnne thank you so much for creating this opportunity for all of us to participate for this cause and help spread Hope to many!
KitchenCounterChronicles says
July 10, 2012 at 8:10 amWonderful post! What an incredible project, it was such an honour to be included.
Kim @ The Educators Spin On It says
July 10, 2012 at 9:53 amThanks! I'm so glad you were able to share with us. I'm sure your Mom would be very proud of you and the amazing Mom that you've become!
Debs- Learn with Play @ home says
July 11, 2012 at 3:03 amBeautiful! I just loved reading that. What a great post!! x
Kim @ The Educators Spin On It says
July 11, 2012 at 6:18 amThanks Debs for sharing your story with us and for your kind words.