Talking to kids about cancer is scary.

We were surprised when Dr. Knight, a first grade teacher at Kyrene Traditional Academy in Arizona used The Tutu Project to talk to kids about how individuals can make a difference using art as therapy for others. She asked them to imagine where they could take Bob next, and we just loved the effect their drawings had on our team. What a brilliant way to transform our project into something applicable for children! They inspired us to push this idea out to the breast cancer community.

Our team has seen many examples of how The Tutu Project can be used to inspire conversation, but we are most touched when kids get involved in helping us cheer up patients.  Kids love fundraising in tutus, we even had a Lego involved in our #Dare2Tutu fundraiser last year!

Introducing Notes of Hope for Breast Cancer Patients

The Kyrene Academy first graders got us thinking… what if we had pictures like this year-round, with ‘get well’ messages from kids for patients and even other kids whose parents are going through chemotherapy?

We invite parents, teachers and educators to get involved in our Notes of Hope program.  A way children can give back to the breast cancer community through art.

Our plan is to collect drawings from kids around the world, and send them with our notes to breast cancer patients alongside our Tutu Care Packages throughout the year. Parents just have to take a picture of the drawing and post it to our Facebook page! We’ll take it from there.

Our Notes of Hope Program is a part of our entire #Dare2Tutu campaign this year, and getting kids involved is easy!

Using Art to Give Back to Others

1. Talk to your kids about the importance of giving to others. Explain that some kids have parents that are sick, and that together as family you would like to help the feel better by sending them a “note of hope”.
2. Show them some of Bob’s funnier pictures, and tell them about how Bob uses creativity and humor to help others feel better.
3. Prompt them to create a funny or inspiring picture of where Bob might go next.
4. Download the Ballerina Bob stencil or order stickers (100% of the net proceeds go to our Foundation!).
5. Have fun and promote family “giving time” by creating an image yourself! Lead by example!

Not a Gifted Cartoonist? Use Google!

If your kid is anything like mine, they will want the drawing to be “perfect”. I used Google to search for “Coloring Pages for Kids, Italy” and used the printed coloring pages as his canvas.  He absolutely loved it and immediately wanted to do more! Without a prompt, he asked if he could do one every day in October. I am going to dare my nieces and nephews to do the same and make it an entire family event – and a great way to get parents to donate to my personal fundraiser for the project.

Create a fundraiser

Marcela Shine

Marcela Shine is Founder of Avanzar Ventures, Business Manager of The Tutu Project and an advisor to the Carey Foundation. Her company, Avanzar Ventures, has been supporting the project by providing operational, social media and technical implementation strategy since the inception of the project.