Holiday Cards Benefit Kids at Children’s Hospital Colorado

Oncology patients at Children's Hospital Colorado have designed holiday cards to benefit the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Each year, patients from the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders craft holiday designs, and the winning designs are transformed into holiday cards and sold during the holiday season through January.

This year, the winners include: Anthony Etchamendy, 11, Ryan Kelepolo, 10, Liberty Tyus, 10, Tamara Dawkins, 9, and Dante Brewton,12. In addition to winning the holiday card design contest, the artists received a cash award and a special plaque from the Holiday Card Project.

Proceeds from the sale of greeting cards help fund a range of services at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders including wigs and medical bracelets which improve the quality of services in Oncology and Hematology patient care.

Cards may be purchased on-line at the Holiday Card Project website, by calling 720-777-6286 or 800-624-6553, ext 6286, or by visiting the hospital gift shop at 13123 East 16th Avenue. 

Dante Brewton of Brighton, 12 years old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in April 2010. He is still being seen at Children's Colorado for monthly outpatient treatment. Dante goes to school at Stewart Middle School where his favorite subject is math. He likes football and his favorite football team is the New York Jets. He loves chicken tenders, especially the kind his mom makes. On the sweet side, Dante also enjoys eating vanilla ice cream. Dante wants everyone to know that he continues to receive great care from the wonderful nurses on the seventh floor of the hospital.

Ryan Kelepolo of Colorado Springs is 10 years old and was diagnosed with Leukemia in November 2012. His biological mother died of breast cancer when he was just 7 years old so getting sick was a pretty scary event for his family. Happily, Ryan is now is remission and doing very well. He attends Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy in Colorado Springs where he is a straight-A student! Ryan is a fantastic kid who has a passionate love for art and animals. Ryan lives with his parents along with seven brothers and sisters. He also stays pretty busy helping to care for the many family pets that include dogs, cats, turtles, lizards, fish, and hamsters. 

Tamara (Mara) Dawkins of Byers, was born with a rare form of dwarfism. In 2009, Mara was diagnosed with a severe combined immune deficiency disorder called Scid. In December 2011, Mara underwent a bone marrow transplant. She currently lives at Brent's Place in Aurora with her mother while she receives outpatient treatment at Children's Colorado. Mara loves the color pink and is full of sunshine and smiles. Despite her medical challenges, Mara is full of spunk and always has a positive attitude! Mara looks forward to going home, so she can spend time with her three older sisters and the family horses. Mara also wants you to know that her favorite food is barbeque ribs.

Liberty Tyus of Littleton, 10 years old, is in the 5th Grade at Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic of Littleton, 10 years old, is in the 5th Grade at Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in 2010 and has happily completed all her treatments. Liberty competes on the Platt Canyon Piranha's Swim Team and runs track for the South Suburban Recreation Center. Her favorite leisure activities are reading and drawing. Liberty lives at home with her parents and little sister, Ava.

Poster Child (winner of brochure front cover photo):

Esther Alvarado of Ft. Collins, three years old, was diagnosed in June 2012 with stage 4 neuroblastoma. Esther has four siblings, a 7 year old brother, Rourke,  6 year old twin sisters, Lydia and Francesca, and she is two hours younger than her twin sister, Zinnia. Her brother and sisters tell her she is the most beautiful, bald little girl in the whole universe. She has a chicken named, Carla, loves the color pink, and her favorite princess is Belle, even though she watches Cinderella every day she is in the hospital. Esther is a sweet, brave, and courageous girl who loves to ride her bike, sing, and dance.

 

Anthony Etchamendy of Greeley was diagnosed with Emeryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma which is cancer of the soft tissue in March 2012. He is receiving chemotherapy at this time and it is going well. A sixth-grader at Harold S.Winograd K-8 School, Anthony plays the trumpet in beginning band class and his favorite subject in school is Spanish. Anthony says he loves sports, especially baseball and going to Rockies games. After completing his radiation treatment this summer, Anthony was lucky enough to attend a Rockies game where he went on the field met many of the players. His favorite food is spaghetti in close competition with Mexican food. Anthony lives at home with my parents, two sisters and his large dog Cassidy. "I am grateful for the wonderful care I received at Children's Hospital Colorado," said Anthony.