SuMMeR

newSletteR

2014

kids kicking cancer

27600 northwestern Highway

suite 220

southfield, Mi 48034

Phone: (248) 864-8238

fax: (248) 864- 8245

info@kidskickingcancer.org

www.kidskickingcancer.org

To visit a class at The Larry &

Jackie Kraft Healing Arts Studio

please call (248) 864-8238

hospitals & program locations

Michigan

• children’s Hospital of Michigan

• Beaumont children’s Hospital

• karmanos cancer center

• university of Michigan c.s. Mott children’s Hospital

• st. Joseph Mercy oakland

• st. John Hospital and Medical center

• Ted B. Wahby cancer center at McLaren Macomb

Medical center

• gilda’s club of Metro detroit

• cancer support community - greater ann arbor

new York

• Maimonides Medical center

• Maria fareri children’s Hospital - Westchester

• Montefiore Hospital and Medical center

• st. Mary’s rehabilitation center for children, ossining

California

• children’s Hospital of Los angeles

• dawn Barnes’ karate kids

Florida

• shands Hospital - university of florida, gainesville

Canada

• Hospice of Windsor and Essex county

• children’s Hospital at London Health sciences centre

israel

• alyn rehabilitation Hospital

• Hadassah Hospital - Ein kerem

• shaare Zedek Medical center - Jerusalem

italy

• Bambino gesu Hospital, rome

• Policinico umberto i, rome

• ospedele santa chiara, Pisa

• ospedale Pediarico Meyer, florence

• onco Ematologia Pediatrica-Policlinico san Matteo, Pavia

as we look back on kids kicking cancer’s first 15 years, beginning with the first class in June of

1999 at children’s Hospital of Michigan, we are honored that the children’s Hospital of Michigan

auxiliary has stepped forward to support kids kicking cancer at our inaugural hospital. families

and visitors will recognize members of the auxiliary from the Something Special Gift Shop at

children’s Hospital.

I was ten years old when I enrolled in the very first Kids

Kicking Cancer cancer class which was held in Children's

Hospital of Michigan in the summer of 1999. I joined at

a time when I had already completed a full year of

chemotherapy and radiation. This also involved having

four ribs and a tumor removed from my side. It was

very hard for me to return to school while I was dealing

with the side effects of my treatments. I knew I needed

something to help me.

And Kids Kicking Cancer did! Being part of Kids Kicking

Cancer was a way for me to focus my mind away from

the challenges. After being in remission for three years,

I required back surgery to place two stainless steel rods

on both sides of my spine to straighten my back in place

of my missing ribs. Despite the pain, I was able to

significantly cut down on the medication by using Kids Kicking Cancer’s breathing techniques

I had learned.

Today, I am an instructor for Kids Kicking Cancer. I lead classes and visit students in pain,

teaching them the techniques that I still use in my life. There is no better feeling for me, then

when I walk into the room of a child in pain and can help them learn how to use their power

to create an inner peace. Sharing my story also gives the children hope. I am helping them,

but they are also, very much, helping me. I have come full circle. We call it the “Heroes Circle”.

Together, we are teaching the world. –Michael Hunt

Members of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Auxiliary at the 2013 Kids Kicking Cancer Belting Ceremony.

Standing left to right: Pat Cardellio, Avis Beuther, Carol Kaczorowski, Jane Iacobelli, Joan Emery, Karen Hailer

and Fred Hailer

Michael Hunt with Kirra, one of Kids

Kicking Cancer’s amazing heroes.

My kids kicking cancEr JournEy –from cancer patient to martial arts instructor

one of the highlights on every kids kicking cancer child’s calendar is our

annual end-of-the-year holiday party. for the fifth consecutive year, our

friends at the Macomb area optimists clubs have hosted this extravaganza.

Each kids kicking cancert child and family member received an array of gifts

donated by various departments of Mclaren Macomb Medical center, Turn

of the Tides Martial arts, and Mejishi Martial arts.

over 300 children and families enjoyed the music of star Trax, face painting, arts

and crafts, photo booth and more. a taste of Macomb buffet lunch donated by area

restaurants was enjoyed by all. special thanks to Loving Touch Transportation for

donating its services for the day, and chippewa Valley High school for once again

opening its doors to our children.

kids kicking cancEr - cranBrook insTiTuTE of sciEncE PrograM

annuaL End-of-THE-yEar HoLiday ParTy

Thanks to a grant from The carls foundation,

kids kicking cancer partnered with cranbrook

institute of science to offer a day at the

museum for children with cancer and their

families. The museum provided two great

events, Halloween Science in october and

Spring into Science in March. Both programs

were open to the pediatric oncology community

at large.

for each event, the facility was closed to the

public and scrubbed from top to bottom. The

museum offered a full complement of science

activities, exhibits, and experiments for this

special group. The cafeteria was stocked with

food choices appropriate for children undergoing

treatment for cancer. The careful preparation

and facilitation of this program allowed

children who cannot usually be around large

crowds, or in public places, to be able to enjoy

this fun and educational day. as a further

treat, each family received a complementary

one-year museum membership.

children who participated in the March

program also helped create a piece of art,

to be revealed and displayed later this

summer.

Thank you to cranbrook institute of science’s

Executive director Michael stafford and his

staff for providing a safe day of fun for the

children and their families!

ask any kids kicking cancer parent and they will tell you

about the positive differences they see in their child, both

physically and emotionally. one of the challenges kids

kicking cancer faces is quantifying those changes.

To that end, dr. Martin Bluth, M.d., Phd has accepted the

position of kids kicking cancer national Medical director.

kids kicking cancer has always tracked the children’s pain

scores, both before and after interventions, on a 0-10 scale

to help the children recognize their power. Beginning in

2009, with the help of some very dedicated statisticians,

kids kicking cancer began compiling those numbers.

assisted by kids kicking cancer’s rabbi

Elimelech goldberg and cindy cohen,

together with children’s Hospital of

Michigan’s dr. Jocelyn Mccrae, Phd and

dr. Barbara o’Malley, dr. Bluth was recently

able to publish the findings in Blood, The

Journal of the American Society of Hematology.

another significant contribution was dr. Bluth’s featured article

on the work of kids kicking cancer in the fall 2013 edition of

Michigan Bio magazine. Both of these important publications can

be read on the kids kicking cancer website.

kids kicking cancEr WELcoMEs dr. MarTin BLuTH, M.d., PH d

as nEW naTionaL MEdicaL dirEcTor

in great gratitude of all the partners, donors, volunteers,

friends and family of Kids Kicking Cancer! Thank You!Thank You!with much gratitude to all the partners, donors, volunteers,

friends and family of Kids Kicking Cancer! Thank You!Thank You!n special thanks to Jeff selik, Bruce selik, and the staff of

Hillside furniture for their Holiday Toy drive, stressless

chair Promotion and other ongoing support of the heroes

of kids kicking cancer.

n Thank you to Tapper’s diamonds and fine Jewelry for

making this brutal winter a little more manageable

through their annual Winter coat drive.

n committee member Mike Burda, co-chair Josh kaplan,

kids kicking cancer instructors Peter davenport &

Michael Hunt, and co-chair Michael clemmon at the

april Spirits for a Cause event to benefit kids kicking

cancer.

n Lexi and her parents enjoying the 2013 kids kicking cancer

gala. Thank you to Lisa cavallino, stacy deMaster, and nikki

Jackson, of salon Lux for once again hosting this wonderful

evening to support kids kicking cancer.

n “i love seeing these smiling faces together! it’s what is so

wonderful about kids kicking cancer - a “family” for cancer

kids, siblings, and parents to support each other! it’s a group

where cecylia says they know she’s a girl even though she

has short hair and ainsley has other kids that know what

it’s like to have a sick sibling!” (cecylia & ainsley’s mom)

n kids kicking cancer mothers and friends preparing to run at

the 2014 5k and sports-a-Thon. Thank you to presenting

sponsors Jaffe raitt Heuer & Weiss and feldman automotive

group. special thanks to debbie rubin of Jaffe for chairing

the event.

nonProfiT orgu.s. PosTagE Paid

dETroiT MiPErMiT no. 878

as word spreads regarding the

impact and benefits of kids

kicking cancer, we have been

asked to expand our services

beyond hematology/oncology.

To date, we work with children

facing illnesses such as

respiratory, cardio-vascular,

and gastro-intestinal diseases.

This expansion is highlighted in kids kicking cancer’s

new brochure. if you know a child who could benefit

from kids kicking cancer’s services, please contact

cindy cohen, Program director, at 248-864-8238 or

cindy@kidskickingcancer.org.

dojo is a Japanese term which literally means “place of the way”. in the martial arts,

the dojo is the special place to train both mind and body. This is especially true of

the dojo at kids kicking cancer, which each year helps thousands of children in pain,

through its martial arts therapy. it is for this reason that our friends Larry and Jackie

kraft approached us about sponsoring this special place. for more information, or to

visit the larry and Jackie Kraft healing arts Studio, please contact the kids kicking

cancer office (248) 864-8238 or info@kidskickingcancer.org.

THE Larry and JackiE krafT HEaLing arTs sTudio

KidS KiCKing CanCeR

iS now open to all

ChildRen in pain

Scan the QR code

to see the children

of Kids Kicking

Cancer learning,

teaching, and

having fun!