Children with cancer and blood disorders create holiday greeting cards to benefit University Hospital

Holiday greeting cards created by Central New York children afflicted with cancer and blood disorders will be sold to benefit the Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders at University Hospital. This is the sixth consecutive year that patients from the center have designed greeting cards for the fundraiser. Since 1996 more than $27,000 has been raised by the card sale.

Offered this year are a dozen colorful greeting cards, featuring holiday snowmen, angels, candy canes and a Christmas bear. The cards were created by patients ages 9 to 21 from all across Central New York, including Ithaca and Watertown. All cards are imprinted with the greeting "Wishing you Peace, Hope, and Happiness this Holiday Season." The back of each card lists information about the artist, including name, age and diagnosis. Cards are available in three different packages ranging in price from $15 to $20.

"The Cards for Kids fundraiser has received enormous support from all across Central New York and for that we are extremely grateful," said Mandy Trudell of the Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders.

The Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders provides diagnostic testing and treatment for children with various malignancies and for children with hematologic abnormalities. Presently, 700 children, from the Canadian border to northern Pennsylvania are served by the center and 50 to 60 new patients are referred for evaluation and treatment each year.

Among the patients who designed cards for this year's collection are:

Tyler Lawless, 8, of Fayetteville, daughter of Daniel and Jean Lawless; Brianna Kline, 8, of Syracuse, daughter of Heather Kline; Emily Davis, 15, of Ithaca.

To place an order or receive an order form, please contact Mandy Trudell at 315 464-6133, or via email at trudella@upstate.edu. Orders must be received by Nov. 13.