Art sale helps others
Carie Stock is a passionate young woman whose vision, inspiration and caring are the fuel behind Helping Families Handle Cancer, an innovative, local, notfor-profit organization designed to support families who are struggling to make ends meet as their children battle cancer.
Stock founded the organization in 2008 in response to her own experience with childhood cancer. She was diagnosed at the age of one with a tumour near her bladder and given a 10 per cent chance of survival. Two years of chemotherapy and several surgeries later, at the age of six, Stock beat the odds.
Throughout the journey, Carie’s mom, Robyn Carrier, was at her side offering love and support. “At the time my mom was in school and pregnant with my brother. She had to give up her dream to focus on me,” recalls Carie, adding that for most of her cancer journey, her mom was a single mom. “Watching what my mom went through, I just thought there had to be a better way.”
Not only does cancer affect the child, it also affects the entire family, often in monumental ways. It creates emotional and financial strain, often adding additional stress to a marriage. Many families go deeply into debt when their child is ill and never land back on their feet — sometimes treatments can last for years. Often one parent has to quit their job to care for their child.
“We want families to focus on their child, not on making an income. The benefit that the child receives is huge — they have someone there for them, to give them snuggles and cuddles and who is present at the hospital to be his or her advocate and to help direct the treatment plan,” says Stock, who at 29 has had time to reflect on the hardships that her own mother endured to be fully present during her cancer journey. To date, Helping Families Handle Cancer has helped 65 families and has raised close to $100,000 through corporate sponsorships, private donations and through the organization’s annual fundraising event — an art exhibit and sale. The fourth annual art exhibit is scheduled for Oct. 4 at the Marda Loop Community Centre and promises to be a funfilled night of food, drinks and discovering local artists — all in support of the organization’s care program, which offers families financial assistance with things like rent, groceries, utilities, gas, parking and medical supplies.
The exhibit will feature over 100 pieces crafted by a host of talented photographers and painters — all of whom have donated their work.
“One of the most magical parts of the evening is when some of the cancer families that we have helped get up and tell their stories,” says Stock, adding that the idea for the genesis of the fundraiser came from her mother, who is an avid hobbyist painter. “My mom was on holidays and she came up with the idea of the art exhibit — she was so excited she couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t wait to tell me.”
Stock, also a hobbyist painter, loved the idea. She and her mom paint at the Final Touch Art Studio. Several artists from the studio have donated art to the exhibit, including their instructor, Sharon Kulhavy.
“She paints live during the event and at the end of the night, her painting gets auctioned. It’s pretty amazing,” says Stock.
Stock not only paints, but she also works full time, while running Helping Families Handle Cancer in her spare time — in the evenings and on weekends. “We want to give as much money as we can — that is why we are 100 per cent volunteer run,” she says, noting that the organization has roughly 45 volunteers that help out with everything from delivering grocery gift cards to fund raising.