The Periwinkle Foundation presents
Texas Children's Cancer Center's
Making A MarkŪ
About Making A MarkŪ
Making A MarkŪ provides artistic and creative writing opportunities for children undergoing treatment at Texas Children's Cancer Center. Each year, professional artists and writers, with the help of volunteers, work with the patients and their siblings. Additionally, The Periwinkle Foundation provides various types of cultural entertainment throughout the year. More than
380 children participate each month, free of charge.
Emotional Healing
The program takes place in the waiting room and the infusion area of the clinic and provides patients and siblings something to look forward to when coming in for treatment. More importantly, it is an important outlet for expressing feelings and fears about the cancer treatment process. As a result, the children develop coping skills and in a situation where they feel that everything is out of their control, they are totally in control of their art and writing.
Each year a professional artist is invited to work with the children on a specific project that is in their area of expertise. Painted canvases, a thousand origami butterflies, an art car, and mosaics that became columns and tables are just some of the pieces that have been created in the past. The goal is to provide the children with a project that is artistically unique from any other art experiences they have had in the past. The children learn new ways to be creative and how to work as a team towards one beautiful end piece.
The highlight of the Making A Mark art program is the month long exhibit in the fall of each year at Texas Children's Hospital. Most of the submissions to this judged show come from Texas Children's Cancer Center, but clinics all over the world are invited to participate. The art that the children created with the professional artist is the centerpiece of the event. Many of the young artists attend the opening and take pride in discussing their art with guests from the Houston community.
At the end of the month, the blue ribbon pieces travel to other venues throughout the city and the country. These exhibits have included the Houston Children's Museum, the Family Courthouse, the McAllen Texas Museum of Arts and Sciences, the Texas State Capitol, and the Norfolk Virginia Children's Hospital.
Postcards From the Road
A display called "Postcards From the Road" accompanies the traveling exhibit and invites people viewing the art to send postcards to the artists. These postcards are mailed through The Periwinkle Foundation and the children are delighted to see how their art has touched others and to get mail from many different cities.
Creative Writing and The Splendid Review (cover, writing)
The Periwinkle Foundation underwrites a professional writer from Writers in the Schools to work with the children throughout the year on the creative writing portion of Making A Mark. Through poetry and writing, patients and siblings express how they feel and are provided with another opportunity for emotional healing. Their work is published three times a year in The Splendid Review, which is mailed to each of the writers and distributed throughout the hospital.
Entertainment Diversion
Since 2006, the foundation provided cultural entertainment in the clinic waiting room and infusion areas. These have included guitarists, storytellers, folk dancing, plays, and more. Distracted from needle pricks and hours of treatment, long days become seemingly shorter when the children are provided with supportive diversions.
