Discovery Arts
  • On Stage
    • Arts Adventures
    • Our Wish List
  • Make a Donation
    • Become a Monthly Partner
    • Cathy Rigby's Grateful Dollar Campaign
    • A Day in the Playroom
    • Bedside Adventure Kits
    • Pass the Hat
    • Be A Part of the Show
    • Become a Volunteer
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  • Center Stage
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    • Cathy Rigby
    • Cherese Mari Laulhere
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      • Our Beloved Art Director Jeff Marshall
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Stories of Healing & Hope

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 Meet Elia ... Happy, Healthy and Singing! 

2/16/2017

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We are happy to join in the choir to sing praises to Elia, Happy and Healthy Now!

"Elia struggled most of her life with repeated unexplained vomiting episodes that started when she was 3 years old. When she was five she was diagnosed with Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome. Episodes would happen every 8 weeks, give or take a couple of weeks at times, and would always end up with a trip to the ER or hospital admission due to its severity. She would throw up every 1/2 hour to every hour for 48 hours or longer, with intense stomach pains, and dehydration. Other than vomiting and stomach pains during each episode, she had no other symptoms, and her episodes would come without a warning and would stop as suddenly as it started.
 
In July of 2015, she went through what we thought was the worst episode yet. She was admitted to the hospital and by the 5th day test results showed that she was suffering from pancreatitis and complete intestinal blockage caused by an unknown cystic mass next to the her duodenum (first part of the small intestine). It was during surgery one week later that they discovered that she had a duodenal duplication cyst, a very rare congenital anomaly. They were able to partially excise the cyst, avoiding a more complicated surgery. It would take another two weeks for her to heal. The arts and crafts box [Bedside Adventure Kit] that Discovery Arts left for her kept her busy and helped take her mind off any pain or discomfort she was having. She also received a beautiful yellow fairy dress, wand, and wings when Discovery Arts visited the play room. While she could not wear the dress yet, she happily donned her wings every time she took a walk around the hospital floor. I am happy to say that she only had two more vomiting episodes after the surgery and is doing very well despite the unexplained bile duct dilatation she is now being monitored for."

~ Elia's Mom Fides

Read more to learn how the  minimally invasive surgery performed at the Pediatric Surgical Center at Miller Children’s Hospital helped Elia recover. She is now back to being a child and doing the things she loves like singing in her church choir.

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The Reason for the Season ...

12/5/2015

2 Comments

 
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What IV Pole? A necessary companion during cancer treatment, the IV pole never leaves a patient's side. Above, this sweet girl creatively turns her IV pole into a cheerful Art Tree decorated with colorful artwork she has made during a day of activities with Discovery Arts.
Our mission is to bring the healing power of the arts to children who are in the hospital undergoing treatment for cancer or life-threatening illness. These very sick children all share one wish... "to be normal." Through our creative and unique Arts Adventures in music, art, dance and drama, our programs help meet this enormous need by allowing the children to step outside the confines of their illness and into a world of creativity and imagination. On a Discovery Arts program day, children receive personalized Bedside Adventure Kits packed with art materials and fun, creative projects, and their choice of a costume - all of which they keep to better pass the time between treatments.

We currently provide Arts Adventure programs to more than 3,500 critically ill children each year in seven major hospitals, including
Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach, Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center at Millers, CHOC Children’s Hospital, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, CHOC at Mission all in Southern California and at  Mercy Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Missouri!

Please help us continue to deliver the healing gifts of imagination, fun and the important sense of normalcy to these brave children, all year long.
2 Comments

Go Gold and Support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

9/8/2015

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Worldwide, 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

In the U.S., more children die of childhood cancer than any other disease—more than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and diabetes combined.

The average age that a child dies of cancer is 8. The average years of Life Lost is 71.

“When you save a child’s life, you affect families, future generations, and everyone that child will influence over a lifetime. When you support a scientist, you affect not only the current work, but all the trainees, collaborators, and personnel connected to the work, and all their future studies that will follow over a lifetime.“ 

Dr. Benjamin Mizukawa, a St. Baldrick’s Scholar at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Here are a few ways you can help our mission of bringing joy a sigh of relief to children who are in the hospital undergoing treatment for cancer or other life threatening illness.

Join the 30/30 Challenge
Win Prizes! Have Fun! Make a Difference!
September has 30 days and 30 Chances to gather $1 a day.
Take the 30/30 Challenge on your own or become a Team Leader!


The Grateful Dollar Campaign

Our spokesperson, Cathy Rigby, works tirelessly at raising awareness for our mission,
which is an ongoing problem with ongoing needs. We are asking everyone to donate a 'Grateful Dollar’ in honor of every healthy child you know to help a sick child in the hospital.

Become a Monthly Partner

Your generous Monthly Partnership will help a child in need of joy and laughter. Your support of just $15, or more, a month will help bring Arts Adventures to one child with cancer, serious blood disorder or life threatening illness.  This is an ongoing service for an ongoing need. Your monthly support keeps us going, so we can continue to bring much needed relief to these special children who are facing the greatest fear of all.

Community Giving Programs
Give back and help while doing everyday things like shopping and dining.
It's easy! And doesn't cost you extra money.

Spread the Word
Connect with us and share with your friends!
3 Comments

10 Easy Ways You Can Help Children With Cancer

9/25/2014

6 Comments

 
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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor and remember children and families affected by these rare diseases, and help rally support to give kids with cancer better outcomes by supporting research and resources.

Here are 10 easy ways you can help us reach more children and their families in the hospitals we serve. Click on the Purple words to get more info.

1. Join our 2nd annual 30/30 Challenge


2. Join our spokesperson Cathy Rigby's "Grateful Dollar" Campaign


3. Get to know our Ambassador Louis T. Lion and his Courage Campaign


4. Sign up to Goodsearch and every time you search the web earn dollars for Discovery Arts.


5. When you shop Amazon ... sign up to Amazon Smile for a portion of proceeds that go to your favorite charity.


6. Become a Monthly Partner


7. Sign up to eScrip and when you shop and dine, right in your town, a portion goes directly to 3 of your favorite charities.


8. Shop at Ralphs? Sign up to their Community Contribution Program.

9. Volunteer with us

10. Sponsor A Day in the Playroom


6 Comments

The Faces of Pediatric Melanoma

9/18/2014

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This is such an important message for parents and inspiration for children affected with Melanoma! Well worth the 8 minutes to view this video from MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital.

"
Childhood melanoma affects kids of all ages and all races. The impact that this disease can have on the lives of these children and their families is profound. Today, we hear from some of the children who have been diagnosed with melanoma. They describe their experiences and methods used for prevention and detection."
~ MD Anderson Cancer Center

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Meet Cookie ... from the loving eyes of Grandma Cookie

7/2/2014

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We have known these beautiful ladies, Mary Borkett and Marilyn Clements, for the past 5 years. My granddaughter has leukemia and has been a patient at Long Beach Memorial’s Miller’s Children’s Hospital, with stays of up to 21 days.

Costumes, tap shoes, hats, MUSIC, DANCE, CRAFTS! You have no idea how much JOY this brings to children in the hospital fighting cancer! The entire floor lights up with laughter and loud music! The parents, the nurses, the KIDS are dancing in their beds if they can’t actually get out of bed to join the fun!

Mary and Marilyn have a kind and gentle way of bringing a carefree happiness to each child on the floor! The kids can choose a costume and KEEP IT! They can put on all sorts of dress up stuff and just let themselves be free of the sadness and fear for a couple of hours.

Discovery Arts is fantastic idea that, in my opinion, every single hospital should have on their Child Life Roster! The mental welfare of your young cancer patients absolutely deserves to experience Mary and Marilyn’s loving personalities and gifts of joy. You’re doing your hospital a disservice if you don’t have Discovery Arts making these beautiful children happy, even if it’s only once a week!

We know this from experience. My granddaughter is currently a patient at UCLA for a bone marrow transplant and when we found out that our beloved Mary and Marilyn were coming by, none of us could contain our happiness! It made the day for my granddaughter!

You owe YOURSELF the experience! It’s pure heaven to let loose and sing and dance shamelessly surrounded with children dragging their “poles” and smiling from ear to ear!

With love and affection for Mary and Marilyn,
Gloria COOKIE Warren
COOKIE’s Grandma
May 26, 2006


Cookie, we love you!! We have so many wonderful memories with Cookie and Grandma Cookie. It warms our hearts that she has survived and thrived, after all that she went through. 
 
What a blessing it is for us to be able to be there for such a beauty young girl ... We are so proud of her and love her so much!

Marilyn Clements
Executive Director, Discovery Arts
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Meet Alyssa

4/7/2014

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Here is a beautiful story that Alyssa's mom wrote for us. What a special girl she is. Alyssa, is now 8 years old.

Alyssa was just three when she was diagnosed with leukemia. A year into her treatment she developed a virus in her brain. She became very sick and was in a drug induced coma for 5 days. When she finally woke up nobody knew what to expect. Alyssa could not speak, she could not walk and days later it was confirmed that she had permanently lost her sight. Alyssa had to relearn how to talk and walk but her right side remained weak and she has very limited use of her right hand. About three month's after Alyssa was released from the hospital she started to have seizures. On a good day she would have three or four seizure, on a bad day she could have up to thirty in an hour. About a year and a half after Alyssa lost her sight she finished her chemo treatment and was declared in remission. Normally this would be a big celebration but due to her uncontrollable seizures we wondered how long her little body could take it. This is when we sought out a surgical cure to Alyssa's seizures. Doctors at UCLA recommended removing Alyssa's left hemisphere of her brain. While we never had heard of such a thing we knew we had to take a chance to find a cure for her. In November of 2010 Alyssa underwent massive brain surgery, her doctors ended up removing two thirds of her left hemisphere in hopes of keeping her communication skills intact.

Alyssa had another long recovery ahead of her. She had to learn to talk and walk again but this red head was determined to survive. Her last seizure was in May of 2011. The surgery has worked. We are now reducing her seizure meds and everyday I see pieces of the little girl that was taken away from me return. Alyssa can walk and talk, she can do simple math and is learning Braille. Alyssa also knows has a service dog named Flint, he helps her with mobility and various other things that he was trained for. Alyssa has an amazingly funny personality and even though her sight is gone forever she see's more clearly than anyone I know.

During Alyssa's many stays at the hospital her only entertainment was the playroom. She especially looked forward to Thursday's as that was Discovery Arts day. She couldn't wait to go down to pick out a costume or to do a special craft. The days when she was too sick leave her room she would always ask "do I still get my costume?" but the women would already know that she was sick and they would have picked one out for her. We have dozen's of pictures of Alyssa dressed up in different costumes and her smile was never bigger than on the days she was a princess or a fairy. Hospital life is hard on everyone, especially the patient, but Discovery Arts offer a little escape from reality!

~ Alyssa's Mom



11 Comments

LA Lakers vs Utah Jazz Ticket Auction

12/2/2013

9 Comments

 
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Bid here for tickets to see LA Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

Friday, January 3, 2014
The Staples Center,
Los Angeles, CA

See the game in great seats.
(Section 105, Row 8, Seats 8 & 9)


Fair Market Value:  $324.00

Enter your bid below. Auction closes Midnight PST December 15th ... Just in time to have the tickets under your tree, or for a fantastic stocking stuffer!!!!

Starting Bid $300

Lakers Schedule

Jazz Schedule

9 Comments

Cathy Rigby's Grateful Dollar Campaign!

11/4/2013

14 Comments

 
Honor every healthy child you know to help a sick child who is in the hospital.
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November is a great time to count your blessings for all the things you are thankful for. What better way to put your gratitude in to action. For all of the healthy children in your life honor them by donating a "Grateful Dollar" for children who are struggling with a parents worse nightmare ... a child who is very very ill.

Join us in our pledge to give a GRATEFUL DOLLAR FOR EVERY HEALTHY CHILD IN YOUR LIFE, your kids, grand children, nieces and nephews, your children's friends.

Click the donate button below to send in your Grateful Dollar!

Your donation is Tax Deductible!
14 Comments

Be A Super Hero For Halloween

10/13/2013

1 Comment

 
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We are Discovery Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings music, art, dance and drama to children with cancer and life threatening illnesses while they are in the hospital receiving treatment. We currently have ongoing programs at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Miller Children’s Hospital, Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center at Millers, CHOC at Mission, Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center, CA and Mercy Children's Hospital, Springfield, MO.

We are seeking donations of boys and girls costumes and dress up accessories. At every “Arts Adventure” children select a costume to keep, so we are in constant need of replenishment. Princesses, Super-hero's, and Character costumes are always popular, yet anything we can use to create a “Dress-Up” moment is appreciated! Our children range from infants to eighteen years of age, all sizes and styles are needed.

For our children “Dressing-Up” gives them the opportunity to transcend the horrible circumstance of critical illness and for the moment just be a child. For these children, normalcy is their greatest wish. During our time together they have the freedom to be a ballerina, a muscle man, or super star! They are no longer sick, and no longer feel like they are in the hospital.

To donate new costumes; buy one and send it to us, send us a gift card or make a donation and we will make sure they have them!! 

Thank you for helping our sick kids be kids.

With Heartfelt Thanks,
Marilyn Clements
Executive Director

All of our programs and services are offered free of charge to the hospitals, patients and their families. We rely completely on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to fund our programs and allow us to reach more children.
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All of our programs are offered free of charge to hospitals, patients and their families we serve. With support from corporations and private foundations, a committed circle of private donors, art supply manufacturers, and an enthusiastic corps of volunteers, Discovery Arts currently provides programs to more than 3,500 critically ill children each year. 
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©2020 Discovery Arts All Rights Reserved
  • On Stage
    • Arts Adventures
    • Our Wish List
  • Make a Donation
    • Become a Monthly Partner
    • Cathy Rigby's Grateful Dollar Campaign
    • A Day in the Playroom
    • Bedside Adventure Kits
    • Pass the Hat
    • Be A Part of the Show
    • Become a Volunteer
    • How You Can Help
  • Center Stage
    • The Special Children of Discovery Arts
    • Cathy Rigby
    • Cherese Mari Laulhere
  • Back Stage
    • Board of Directors
    • Friends & Partners
    • Cast & Crew >
      • Our Beloved Art Director Jeff Marshall
  • Contact Us
    • PSA's
  • Discovery Arts Blog
  • Childhood Cancer Resources
    • Resources for Families
    • Childhood Cancer Testimonials
    • Childhood Cancer Facts and Figures