"Art for Jack", supporting DIPG research at Children's Hospital LA

Art for Jack, “Celebrating Children’s Art” May 11, 2013

 A first event for Jack’s Angels, a charitable organization supporting awareness and research for pediatric brain tumors, was held at the Agua Dulce Women’s Club in Agua Dulce, CA on May 11, 2013 from 1-7pm.  The event included free art workshops for children, magic shows, musical entertainment, silent auction, and art sales from professional, student, and child artists.  Jack’s Angels goal for 2013-14 is to establish a DIPG research fund at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  DIPG, or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, is a pediatric brainstem tumor with virtually no survivors, the median survival time with treatment being 9-12 months.  “DIPG”, says Janet Demeter, President of Jack’s Angels, “is responsible for 80% of pediatric brain tumor deaths.  May is brain tumor awareness month; most do not know that brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children, and remains one of the least funded areas of cancer research.”  The event, and the foundation, was created in honor of James-William “Jack” Demeter, born August 30 2008, and passing away from DIPG July 30, 2012, missing his fourth birthday by one month.

The event was inspired by a gift from art teacher Peggy Marrone and many of her students at the Agua Dulce school in the Spring of 2012, while Jack was still alive.  Jack attended the preschool there for 10 weeks until he succumbed to tumor progression.  Demeter recalls, “He absolutely loved school; loved learning, loved the bus, loved the whole experience.  It was one of the highlights of his life.”  Mrs. Marrone’s gift was some 65 paintings, now the “Under the Sea” collection, viewable at www.artforjack.org.   “I was committed to creating the first event as a foundation to be dedicated to children’s art, because of this beautiful gift,” Demeter explained.

Thanks in part to Jack’s Angels membership with the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, the event received a good amount of attention.  Kindly, Mayor Kellar of Santa Clarita visited Art for Jack.  Kristen Rasmussen of the Foundation at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles paid her respects; and many of the wonderful residents of Acton, Agua Dulce, and Santa Clarita volunteered to help, participated in some way, or donated to the raffle, bake sale, or purchased art.  Notable volunteers included Katrin Glasgow, Michele Brett, Heather Norman, and the students of Vasquez High School, and Paraclete High School, among others.  Art donations from the Agua Dulce Elementary School, Paiz Carnewal and the students of Vasquez High School, Paraclete High School Students, and Roberta Patterson and her students contribution of Angel block prints from Millikan High School, Long Beach, were just some of the highlights of the children’s and student art displays.

An article was written in the Los Angeles Daily News Friday, May 10, 2013, about Jack’s Angels, the event, and the need for pediatric brain tumor research.  Dr. Girish Dhall of the neuro-oncology department at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles contributed to the article, and was instrumental to the idea of Jack’s DIPG research fund.  Although the generosity of those who participated in the event was heartfelt and significant, the needed amount to open the fund was not achieved.  However, because of the Daily News article written and the awareness from the event that was raised, the Mod Hatter’s of Acton donated the proceeds from their golf tournament later in 2013 to help Jack’s Angels open the fund.

Jack’s Angels would like to continue benefiting the fund with events that benefit art for children.  Also, Jack’s Angels gives special packages of encouragement including art materials to those afflicted with DIPG.   Raising awareness for the cause while promoting the arts for children in the local community remains a priority for Jack’s Angels.