Today's Helping Hero: AT&T
It started with the sight of a little boy wearing a tuxedo. At the 2014 Connor’s Heroes Heroes Art Ball, Vince Apruzzese and his family were the highest bidders on a sweet painting presented by a childhood cancer hero. The boy was only four years old and in the middle of a difficult treatment against neuroblastoma. The Heroes Art Ball was a night where they felt like a family — before cancer.
When Vince and his wife, Mary, brought the painting home, she didn’t feel right about hanging it up. She set it aside. One day, Mary saw on Facebook that the boy’s family moved to Texas. A few months later, the mother shared the devastating news: Her son lost his battle to cancer.
“Our hearts went out to the family. We knew the painting really belonged to his family, not ours,” said Vince.
Mary contacted the boy’s mom and offered to mail the painting to them. “We hoped his painting brought some peace to the family when they were grieving. He painted it with so much love and joy.”
Vince thought of the boy’s family when his employer, AT&T, gave him the opportunity to make a contribution to a nonprofit. “I am lucky to work for a company who believes in supporting nonprofits. We seek out organizations who are making a difference in small, but powerful ways. Obviously, I had a soft spot for the children Connor’s Heroes helped.”
Thanks to Vince, Connor’s Heroes received a $20,000 contribution from AT&T for our Heroes Bag and Backpack. Inside a Heroes Backpack, a child will find an iPad, crafts, toys, and games. No backpack is the same. Each is lovingly personalized for a child’s age and interests. In a Heroes Bag, a parent will receive the first (of many) gift cards for unexpected expenses that usually follow a cancer diagnosis. Our program team gives out, on average, six Heroes Bags and Backpacks a month. We are constantly restocking our shelves because more families are registering with Connor’s Heroes.
“I know this grant will do more than fill a backpack. A Heroes Backpack is a lifeline for a family. When the next child begins treatment, their Heroes Backpack will carry them through every step of their cancer journey. “
If you work for a corporation who gives back to your community, you can partner with Connor’s Heroes. Contact Celia Martin, Executive Director, at celia@connorsheroes.org or (804) 897-1272.
July Heroes Art Session
An isolated thunderstorm didn’t dampen the creativity at the July Heroes Art Session. The session felt like a summer day. Childhood cancer families breezed in. The kids were free to explore. Crafting, painting, drawing. The atmosphere was relaxed and chill (Thanks to Kona ice rolling in!).
We welcomed Tecumseh and Shyann to their first Heroes Art Session. Tecumseh is 13-years-old. He started treatment for ALL in February 2023. 10-year-old Shyann was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in March. We loved seeing our pals: Caleb, Charlotte, Alvion, Tay, Sydney, and Kennedy. (They may need a second refrigerator to post all the art they are making at our Heroes Art Sessions!)
Childhood Cancer Heroes: Alvion • Caleb • Charlotte • Kennedy • Shyann • Sydney • Tecumseh • Tay
Volunteers: Mary • Patricia • Monica • Gurbani
VOLUNTEERS
HERO FAMILIES
CREATIVITY
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with their materials.
June Heroes Art Session
We kicked off summer break at our June Heroes Art Session. Childhood cancer. hero families and talented volunteers had a silly time creating art in the most unusual ways. Like painting not with a brush, but by blowing bubbles. The kids made holiday ornaments for a fun fundraiser we will announce later this year. We welcomed Augie and Kaia’s families to their very first Heroes Art Session. Also Mary and Gurbani who volunteered for the first time.
Cancer doesn’t take a break over the summer. Neither does Connor’s Heroes. We look forward to hosting chill summer events for hero families. No matter where they are in the child’s cancer journey.
Childhood Cancer Heroes: Caleb • Kaia • Augie • Tay
Volunteers: Mary • Patricia • Anna • Lauren • Gurbani
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with their materials.
Today's Helping Hero: McKesson Finance Department
Today’s Helping Hero is the medical supply company, McKesson. Staff in the Finance Department of McKesson Medical Surgical in the Richmond office took a break from work to tackle a big volunteer project. They stuffed and packed 100 Family Fun Packs. A Family Fun Pack is a fun night in a box. We ship them out when a child needs a pick-me-up or isolated at home.
Anne-Randolph, our Program Coordinator, created an Amazon Wish List of the items kids of all ages want in their Family Fun Pack. McKesson ordered the games, crafts, candy, toys, and gift cards off their Amazon Wish List. All in all, they donated $5,000 worth of items.
Board member and hero mom, Katie Tyson, spoke to the team about how Connor’s Heroes helped her family when her son Callen was diagnosed. Hearing Katie’s story reinforced why families love receiving a Family Fun Pack from Connor’s Heroes. Thank you to Will Station (CFO), Keysha, Dakota and the 200 employees who dedicated an afternoon to packing and stuffing Family Fun Packs.
When the team was done, they thanked Anne-Randolph and Katie for telling them about Connor’s Heroes. They said Family Fun Packs was a rewarding and fulfilling volunteer project.
If you work for a company who likes to give back to the community like McKesson, Connor’s Heroes makes it easy. Start by emailing Anne-Randolph at anne-randolph@connorsheroes.org. She will walk you through how you can give back to children with cancer.
7.4k on July 4 in Brandermill
Brandermill 7.4k presented by the Brandermill Community Association
DATE: Tuesday July 4, 2023
Start Time: 7:30am EDT
End Time: 10:00am EDT
PRICE: $30.00 Race Fee + $2.74 SignUp Fee
REGISTRATION: runsignup.com/Race/VA/Midlothian/Brandermill74k
LOCATION: Clover Hill High School, 13301 Kelly Green Ln, Midlothian VA 23112
EVENT DETAILS: Brandermill 7.4k or Facebook
Race open to runners of all ages.
The Brandermill 7.4k is a walk or run through the neighborhoods of the Brandermill Community in the Swift Creek area of Chesterfield. You can run at the event on Monday, July 4, or participate virtually. Proceeds from the race will benefit Connor’s Heroes Foundation.
For sponsorship information, visit: https://runsignup.com/Race/Sponsors/VA/Midlothian/Brandermill74k
If you are interested in being a sponsor, email the Race Director at greg.epps@gmail.com
12th Annual Heroes Art Ball Photos
The Heroes Art Ball was a magical night!
You raised $456,000 for local children with cancer. Your generosity will pay for gas for appointments, hotel rooms when a family travels out of town for treatment, a utility bill, groceries for the day, presents for the holidays, and so much more.
On behalf of the families of the nine childhood cancer heroes — James, Kylie, Levi, Ava, Grayson, Olivia, Isaiah, Micah, and Lindsey — and Connor’s Heroes board and staff, thank you!
See photos posted on our Flickr site:
Save The Date:
13th Annual Heroes Art Ball
Friday, May 3, 2024
April Heroes Art Session
This Was It!
The last Heroes Art Session before the big day: The 12th Annual Heroes Art Ball on Friday May 5, 2023.
Each artist came to the Visual Arts Center of Richmond determined to create a masterpiece. The artist wouldn’t do it alone. (What fun is that, right?) Childhood cancer heroes and their siblings took the lead.
Collaborating with others on artwork to express their childhood cancer journeys. We will put the art up for auction at the Heroes Art Ball. If you were one of the lucky ones to get a ticket before it sold out, you have two chances to take home a piece of heroes art. You can bid on pieces in the online auction or wait for the main event at the gala: The live auction presented by the childhood cancer hero who created it.
If you did not get a ticket, you can still bid on items in the online auction (and raise your paddle) using your smartphone or tablet. Register by phone by texting heroesartball23 to 243725.
We thank Patience and Kristin from Lens Of Hope for sharing their photos from the April Heroes Art Session.
Follow them on social media:
@lensofhope_rva
@kindnessgirl
@kristinseward_lensofhope
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with the materials they need.
Childhood Cancer Heroes: James • Kylie • Levi • Ava • Sydney • Everett • Lucy • Tay
Hero Artist Mentors: Jennike, Monica, Frankie, Susan, Bruce, Sarah, Kathleen and Theodora
Thank you to the many volunteers who assisted the artists and heroes.
March Heroes Art Session
Creative Chaos
Word is getting around the Richmond artist community (and beyond). Our Heroes Art Sessions are THE PLACE to expand your creativity and foster the creative talents of kids and teens. A baker’s dozen showed up at the Visual Arts Center for our March Heroes Art Session. The artists pulled carts overflowing with art supplies like clay, large canvases, small canvases, textured paper, paints, paints, and MORE paints! With this many artists and hero families, we needed two studios. Everyone spread out and got to work!
The artists came to the Heroes Art Session with a concept for an art piece that children of all ages and abilities can create together. Their only “rule” is to have the piece ready for us to put it up for auction at the Heroes Art Ball. After the art session, the artist will add a few finishing touches, but, pretty much, the childhood cancer heroes created the art.
Artist Mentors Travelled From As Far As Nashville To Create With The Kids
For the March Heroes Art Session, we were excited to have back several of your favorite Richmond artists. Nico Cathcart is known for her murals painted all over Richmond. Frankie Slaughter showed up ready to get the kids stamping another, what we expect to be, show-stopping piece. Alex Georghiou Frankart traded her pastels for watercolors. We first worked with Dylan Lynch at an event last summer. Dylan drove all the way from Nashville. Emilia Texler loves circles so much she brought large canvases in the shape of circles! The kids got messy with Dale Knight growing a garden of paper mache flowers. Maddie Koerber and Jennike Duignam returned. Mel Hause and Sarah Cross tried something new this year — clay!
New Artist Mentors Enjoyed Their First Session
KK Harris, Taddy Mikelaites, Kyle Epps, and Oxana Blake are new artists to the Heroes Art Ball. They jumped right in! KK Harris, in an Instagram post, described the day
“It was so wonderful to facilitate something physical for kids who need to get out of their heads.”
And there are more artists coming to the session in April! The 12th Annual Heroes Art Ball is on Friday, May 5. We are close to selling out! Don’t delay. Grab your ticket so you can fill your house with art created from the heart. https://one.bidpal.net/heroesartball23/welcome
Once again, Patience and Kristin from Lens Of Hope captured the creative chaos of the March Heroes Art Session. They are featuring the childhood cancer heroes honored at the 12th Annual Heroes Art Ball in a photo series. In moving words and beautiful pictures, they share each family’s cancer journey. Each portrait will leave you inspired and hopeful.
Follow them on social media:
@lensofhope_rva
@kindnessgirl
@kristinseward_lensofhope
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families and to supply the artists with the materials they need.
Childhood Cancer Heroes (and/or their siblings): Ben • John • Micah • Charlotte • Grayson • James • Jillian • Levi • Autumn • Kennedy • Adam • Meya • Nate • Addie • Lindsey • Alvion • Ahmod • Willow • Olivia • Valentin • Florian
Hero Artist Mentors: Alex Georghiou Frankart • Frankie Slaughter • Dylan Lynch • Nico Cathcart • Emilia Texler • KK Harris • Dale Knight • Taddy Mikelaites • Kyle Epps • Maddie Koerber • Jennike Duignam • Oxana Blake • Mel Hause • Sarah Cross
Thank you to the many volunteers who assisted the artists and heroes.
First Year In The Hospital: Interview with Meredith, CCLS
To describe her first year as a Certified Child Life Specialist for hematology/oncology children in Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Meredith Burns needed no time to think. Immediately she said: Learning and Growth.
Learning because she took a deep dive into the medical world of pediatric cancer. It seemed like an alphabet soup of letters… ALL… CML… AML. “I learned about pediatric cancer diagnoses. Their treatments and medical procedures. I broke down scary words like “biopsy,” “catheter,” and “port” so a child could understand what will happen to their body.”
Growth because she understands the challenges a family faced when their child was admitted to the hospital after a setback or for treatment. “The outpatient world is scheduled, like the clinic visits. Inpatient admissions at the hospital are unpredictable. I started to think on my feet and go with the flow to meet patients’ and families’ needs.”
Childhood cancer hero families benefit from having a CCLS dedicated to hematology/oncology patients. “Nurses and doctors change daily. But me? I am a familiar face to a hero family. I am with a family when their child is admitted. I check-in while they are in the hospital. If the child is admitted again, I am there.”
Over the past year Meredith got into a rhythm working with Erin Gardner, our Program Director. Their partnership is making a difference in how Connor’s Heroes helps a family in the hospital. Meredith will text Erin when a childhood cancer hero family needs assistance. Erin will reply back, ready to bring to the hospital the exact toy, craft, supply or gift card the family needed.
“Meredith’s daily presence on the inpatient floor allows Connor’s Heroes to support our families in personalized ways as specific needs arise during hospital admissions. I value how we can work together to be there for our families,” said Erin.
Meredith remembers when she and Erin helped a family at a very difficult moment: “A child was admitted overnight. The family suddenly faced the end of their child’s cancer journey. Soon after I texted Erin with the sad news, she was at the hospital. She sat with the family in their room and offered them comfort.”
For Meredith, time after time, she has the privilege of telling a family about Connor’s Heroes. She hands a child and parent a Heroes Bag and Backpack. The child opens it and pulls out toy after toy, crafts, games, and an iPad! “Families become emotional — with tears of joy — when they open the Bag and Backpack. The Backpack reassures them that Connor’s Heroes cares and will give them support. At a time when they are overwhelmed, scared, and unsure of what is ahead.”
Connor’s Heroes thanks you — our community of heroes and an anonymous donor — for funding a CCLS position at Children’s Hospital of Richmond.
Meredith and Erin are a powerful duo who have the superhero strength of showing up at the right time to help a family in the hospital.
Stay tuned to see what more Connor’s Heroes can do when the expanded children’s hospital opens in April 2023.
In honor of Child Life Specialist Month, we celebrate Meredith and all the CCLS who care for pediatric patients in Central Virginia.
February Heroes Art Session
Connor’s Heroes Super (Bowl) Heroes Art Session
Sunday, February 12, kicked off with a blitz of art. Our February Heroes Art Session happened on Super Bowl Sunday. Rain dumped down hard, but it didn’t keep our hero families and artists from creating together at the Visual Arts Center.
Turned Destruction Into A Creation
Kyle Epps is a new artist mentor to the Heroes Art Sessions. His studio recently caught on fire. Sadly damaging his art pieces and supplies. So, Kyle turned the destruction into a creation. He carried in a large canvas he pulled from the studio fire. He told the kids to add whatever they felt or wanted. Before our eyes, the heroes transformed the burnt canvas with lots of color and designs.
Kyle’s piece with the kids will be a powerful piece of art. It is one of many art pieces you can bid on at the Heroes Art Ball on Friday, May 5. (Mark your calendar: Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 1.)
About Heroes Art Session With Childhood Cancer Heroes And Their Families
Our Heroes Art Sessions provide a supportive environment in which childhood cancer heroes and their siblings can make art and build community with other hero families. At the sessions, you feel a collective sense of healing by creating and being together. We are grateful to Visual Arts Center for giving us the space for an open studio. And to our donors who allow the Heroes Art Sessions to happen at no cost to our families.
Childhood Cancer Heroes (and/or their siblings): Grayson • TayNeise • Isaiah • Everett • Sydney • Kylie • Ava • Charlie • Callen • Eva • Alvion
Hero Artist Mentors: Kyle Epps • Joshua Barber • Kiki Slaughter • Monica Wilmore • Katya Herndon • Betsy Quicke • Jennike Duignam • Nancy Jacey • Dale Knight and thank you to the many volunteers who assisted the artists and heroes.
You can see the complete gallery of photos taken at the Heroes Art Session on our Flickr site.
About Lens Of Hope
The photos posted here were taken for the photo series, Lens Of Hope by photographers Kristin Seward and Patience Salgado.
Kristin Seward is a portrait artist, photojournalist, and founder of Lens of Hope™. While her focus has primarily been families and children, her passion for storytelling has been a guiding force for various collaborations and projects with local non-profits, including the “Heroes of RVA” and “RVA Cures” campaigns with Connor’s Heroes in 2016/2017. She is currently developing Compassion Photography with her dear friend and fellow Richmond photographer, Patience Salgado.
Patience Salgado is a Compassion Photographer who has had the honor of serving and photographing families in the passages of both birth and pediatric hospice for the last 13 years. The Salgado family found themselves on their own unexpected cancer path when their son James was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the summer of 2019. Walking this road together has solidified her heart’s belief that there is beauty in the dark and power in the light. Her hope is to see and honor each part of your story and reflect all the beautiful humanity it holds.
You can see their first portrait series for Connor’s Heroes, Heart Of The Family.
Follow them on social media:
@lensofhope_rva
@kindnessgirl
@kristinseward_lensofhope
