Several years ago, Denise Hurley of Glass Addicts Stained Glass Creations published a book entitled "Flowers of Hope," dedicated to increasing breast cancer awareness. She was hoping that stained glass crafters across America would get together and make the designs in the book to support local breast cancer awareness efforts. The designs could be made individually or put together into larger "quilt" panels ~ with the results either given to survivors or auctioned off or whatever. As she put it in our phone conversations, she couldn't run the relays and didn't have a lot of money to donate, but she could make a panel. And if all the glass people in America made a panel, we could affect a LOT of people.

2007 Flowers of Hope Update

Well, we've got good news and semi-interesting news:

Good news first:

We still plan to open the exhibit of completed panels on October 1, and panels will remain on view at the Library through October 12.

Plans for the artists' and survivors' reception, to be held at the Library of Hattiesburg (329 Hardy Street) on Thursday, October 11 from 4-6 PM are going well: Genentech BioOncology is once again sponsoring the food for the reception, BCAT & Seraphim are putting together a few happies for our participating artists, ATATU & Southland Florists are donating floral arrangements, and the Library is donating the gallery space, as well as the postage for the invitations (to go out in the next week), coffee, and pink lemonade!

Now for the interesting news:

Just before the BCAT meeting on Thursday, Hattiesburg Clinic reported that there were 9 patients from their office who would be celebrating their 1st anniversary of survivorship this October. Added to the patient load from Forrest General, that took us to a total of 36 panels needed ~ which would be exactly the number of panels we will have if everyone who has said they were going to make a panel actually makes one!

And then, about 3 hours after the BCAT meeting, we received word that another clinic wants to participate in our project, and they have 3 patients who will be celebrating their first anniversary this October.

We have one panel left over from last year, so we are still in pretty good shape, since a couple of people are planning on making extra panels.

BUT, I need to know now if you are not going to be able to make your panel, so that I can arrange to make a replacement in the next couple of weeks!!!

So, if you have not already turned in your panels (or otherwise let me know that they are completed), please respond to this email and let me know if we can count on your panel for this year's project!

Thanks so much for participating in this event . . . I spoke with one of the nurses who distributed last year's panels, and she couldn't stop talking about how excited the patients were to receive the panels. I know this is last minute, but I still think we can do it . . . and won't it make for a great display???

Looking forward to hearing from you soon

2007 Flowers of Hope

As you know, we have coordinated the Flowers of Hope project since 2003 to provide stained glass panels for breast cancer patients in our area.  To date, this project has distributed 60 panels to patients in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In past years, we have needed about 20 panels to supply patients celebrating survivorship in October.  This year, we have been told that the numbers will be significantly higher:  In fact, Forrest General Hospital alone has identified 26 potential recipients and we are waiting on the number of patients from Wesley Medical Center and various individual clinics.  Our best guess is that we may need as many as 45 panels to be available for distribution in October.

If you can help for this year's project by making an 8" square panel from the Flowers of Hope pattern book (I have copies of all the designs available at the studio for your use – or if you would like to design your own panel, that will be fine as long as the panel is 8" square and a flower of some kind), please contact me.  All panels should be delivered ready to hang, accompanied by your name and the reason you are making the panel ("just because" or "in memory/honor of someone").

Completed panels will be displaced at the Library of Hattriesburg, Petal and Forrest County from October 1-12, 2007 and we will hold an artists' reception for the Exhibit on Thursday, october 11, 2007 from 4 pm to 6 pm.

My thanks to all who make this project a success.

And special thanks to my wonderful niece, Robin.  Please click here to see her contribution to our effort  this year.  I love you Robin!  Thank you so much!

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2006 Flowers of Hope

Once again, we are asking for help in providing panels to breast cancer patients from the Greater Pine Belt area (Hattiesburg and its surrounding communities), who will be celebrating their first year of survivorship in October 2006. We need area craftspersons to make the panels to be given away. If you haven't participated in this project before, please think about doing so this year; if you have joined us in this project for the past couple of years, please consider doing so again. We have received 2 panels already, and it looks like we will need about 18 more . . . so please let me know ASAP if you plan to participate with us! We are planning our reception for October this year, so we have a little more time to get panels ready, but I would like to know how many panels to count on! Keep in mind that the Paul Wismach company provided some glass to be used in this project ~ you can select your glass when you come to the studio to pick out your pattern. And Canfield has provided solder for your use, as well.

Thanks again for helping to make this project a success again this year ~ hope to see you in the studio soon!

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2005 Flowers of Hope December Update

Despite Katrina’s visit, the artists’ reception was held at the Library on September 29, and everyone seemed to have a great time. We were able to obtain gifts for each artist* from the various glass and tool manufacturers, and Forrest General Hospital’s Spirit of Women hosted a lovely event for us. The panels then were displayed at the Library through October 7. Panels were distributed to patients celebrating their first year of survivorship during October 2005. Panels that were not picked up during October and November were provided to breast cancer patients completing radiation therapy during select months.

So, Let’s do it again, everyone! The Breast Cancer Awareness Team (BCAT) estimates that 20-25 panels will be needed for distribution if we want to continue October anniversary presentations, and completed panels would be needed by mid-September. Or, we can see about providing the panels as “door prizes” to survivors attending the Breast Cancer Survivors Luncheon in October 2006. A program in Nebraska (that started as a result of ours) makes distributions throughout the year to patients as they complete radiation therapy, which seems to work really well for them. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

*If you didn’t pick your goody bag at the reception, please come by the studio and get it after the New Year.

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2005 Flowers of Hope September Update

On September 29, 2005, the Hattiesburg area Breast Cancer Awareness Team (BCAT), Forrest General Hospital’s Spirit of Women, Seraphim Studios, and the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County will host an opening reception at the Hattiesburg Library Galleries, 329 Hardy Street, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, for the 2005 Flowers of Hope Exhibition in honor of breast cancer survivors. The twenty-four stained glass panels that make up the exhibition were created by Pine Belt area stained glass artists, plus friends and relatives from other areas, to be given away to breast cancer patients who will be celebrating their 1st anniversary of survivorship in October 2005. The panels will remain on display at the Library through October 7, when they will be removed for distribution.

We are still hoping that Denise and Virgil Hurley, the authors of the Flowers of Hope stained glass pattern book that initiated our project, will be able to join us at this year’s reception. We all had such a great time visiting with them last year! However, weather related problems may prevent their attendance at this year’s event.

This is the second year that this project has been conducted by Pine Belt area stained glass artisans, and some of the panels in this year’s exhibit may look familiar, as they actually were created for distribution last year. Due to the overwhelming outpouring of talent for this project in its initial year, there were more panels than could be distributed, which allowed for a more relaxed panel drive in 2005. However, we have stepped up our public relations efforts, posting signs in area mammography centers and hospitals, and have modified our distribution procedure, and we expect response from the affected patients to increase as a result.

We have asked several stained glass product manufacturers for assistance in making this project even more rewarding to the artisans who participate, and donations of materials and products have begun arriving at the studio (despite a short delay due to Katrina!!). This year’s artisans can expect to receive goodies from Bullseye Glass Company, Spectrum Stained Glass, and Diamond Tech International, while next year’s artisans will be able to select glass for their project from a supply provided by the Paul Wissmach Glass Company. Canfield Technologies also has expressed an interest in supporting this project, and we are still hearing from other manufacturers. It really does keep getting better and better, doesn’t it??? Thank you to all these companies for their support of our efforts!

And a very hearty “THANK YOU ” to each and every one of the artisans who donate their time, talent, and energy to create panels for the Flowers of Hope project ~ your efforts truly touch the lives of those who need hope on a daily basis! We’re looking forward to seeing you at YOUR exhibition on September 29!

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Flowers of Hope 2005 Update

We received wonderful feedback from the recipients of last year’s panels. Now it’s time to begin making panels for this year’s distribution. Once again, The Breast Cancer Awareness Team (BCAT) estimates that 20-25 panels will be needed for distribution. Thirty-two (32) area glass artisans signed up for this project last year, and we had a great turnout, and garnered some fantastic national publicity on this project. Let’s do it again, everyone! If you would like to participate, but haven’t signed up yet ~ please do so as soon as possible. We will need the completed panels by September 30th for distribution to those patients celebrating their first anniversary of survivorship in October 2005

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