The Story Behind the Photo

CHILDREN OF CANCER PATIENTS FIND STRENGTH THROUGH ART
Eighteen year old Jason Rappoport is helping to launch a new art therapy support program at CINJ for children whose parent has been diagnosed with cancer. Making a $1,000 contribution in memory of his mother who died of breast cancer, he wants to help ease this emotionally difficult experience for other children. The program helps the child to normalize feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear and anger; increases the child’s knowledge about cancer in an age-appropriate way; and facilitates communication between parent and child.

The approach is through art. For example, the children may build a paper “strong box.” On the outside of the box they draw pictures of things that make them feel better, like music, sports, friends, etc. Then they write their worries down on paper slips, and put them inside the box, literally placing their fear in a box of their own strength.

The program CLIMB (Children’s Lives Include Moments in Bravery), created by the Children’s Treehouse Foundation, is adapted and coordinated by Linda Mathew of the CINJ Social Work Department. Children ages 5-11 from five CINJ patient families, all breast cancer survivors, participated in a pilot of CLIMB last fall, with concurrent sessions for parents. Here are some comments the kids shared about the experience:

     Fun.
     Excited and would like to come back and meet new people.
     Everything we did made it better to talk.
     Laughed.
     We shared feelings and it was okay.

Our goal is to have this program available to children of all ages, 5 years old to 18 years old in the spring. If you would like to join Jason with a donation to help build this program, please call the CINJ Foundation office at 732-235-8614.

Featured in the photo: Deborah Toppmeyer, MD; Jason Rappaport; Linda Mathew, MSW, LSW, OSW-C; Jacquelyn Laura; RN; MSN, APN-C, AOCNP; Scott Rappaport (Jason's father and husband of Beth Rappaport).