Alicia’s Art Cart is designed to give teens at Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital an opportunity for artistic creativity and expression during their hospital stay.
Representatives from Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation, A.C. Moore, and Weisman Children's attended the Alicia's Art Cart reveal on Wednesday, May 2, 2018. Pictured (left to right) are Bridget Murray, Gisele & Mario DiNatale, Linnea Fargo, Elena Piperno, Kathy Federici, Kathy Hall-Olsen.
Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Marlton, New Jersey, was presented with a mobile Art Cart on Wednesday from The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation and A.C. Moore. Alicia’s Art Cart is stocked with age-appropriate arts and crafts activities to allow teenage patients an opportunity to artistically create and express themselves during their hospital stays.
Alicia’s Art Cart was created by the founders of The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation, the DiNatales, in memory of their daughter Alicia Rose DiNatale, who passed away from cancer at age 16 after a 13-month battle with cancer. Alicia had a love for arts and crafts and during her treatment with cancer, she found comfort with being able to create artwork during hospital stays.
“During our daughter’s treatments for cancer, both as an in-patient and out-patient 16-year-old, there were not a lot of more ‘grown-up’ things to do to occupy her time with. Now, with activity kits and projects, the time passes more quickly, and there’s a sense of accomplishment and purpose just by being creative,” said Gisele DiNatale.
Kathy Hall-Olsen, hospital administrator and Linnea Fargo, lead recreation therapist, at Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, were joined by representatives of The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation and A.C. Moore in unveiling Alicia’s Art Cart on Wednesday at the hospital in Marlton.
“Partnering with the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation help us add another layer of support to our teenage population,” said Kathy Hall-Olsen, administrator of Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital. “Our patients work hard every day to regain strength and skills. The art cart provides a recreational and therapeutic opportunity to have fun and express themselves.”
“We are thrilled to expand our art cart program to Weisman Children's Rehabilitation Hospital. At A.C. Moore, we know that art is therapeutic and provides an outlet for self-expression,” said Pepe Piperno owner and CEO of A.C. Moore. “We hope that the activities on the Art Cart will inspire children and teens battling illness in our communities – making the tough days a little bit brighter.”
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About Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation
Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation (ARVF, Corp.) is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization located in Voorhees, NJ. ARVF provides adolescent programs, and activities to enhance the quality of life for hospitalized teens battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Since 2002, “Victorious 4 Teens” programs have helped more than 75,000 critically ill teens and their families during hospitalization. The Foundation has raised over $2 million funding 63 Teen Lounges, special rooms in hospitals where young teen patients can hang out, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, and/or use computers. ARVF has also distributed over 14,000 “Teen Kits & Bandana Pillows” to hospitalized teens, and hosted Proms in children’s hospitals. For more information about ARVF and to find out how you can help hospitalized teens, visit www.victoriousfoundation.org
About A.C. Moore
A.C. Moore is a specialty retailer offering a vast selection of arts, crafts and floral merchandise to a broad demographic of customers. The first A.C. Moore store opened in Moorestown, New Jersey in 1985, and has expanded to more than 135 stores. Stores are located in the Eastern United States from Maine to Florida. A.C. Moore is devoted to being the first choice for product selection, value and service that inspires and fulfills unlimited creative possibilities. The assortment, convenience, service and pricing differentiate them from their competitors. The assortment of merchandise consists of more than 60,000 stock keeping units, or SKUs, with approximately 40,000 SKUs offered at each store at any one time. They also offer custom framing in the majority of their stores. In-store events and programs for children and adults provide hands-on arts and crafts experience and encourage the creativity of customers. For more information about A.C. Moore, visit http://www.acmoore.com/about
About Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital
Weisman Children's is a highly-acclaimed community-based pediatric specialty organization consisting of an acute rehabilitation hospital, outpatient rehabilitation centers and medical day care centers; focused solely on the needs of infants, children, teens and young adults in South Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area. Weisman Children's is known for delivering an individualized and unique family-centered approach to patient care. With a holistic approach to treatment, we give our patients every opportunity to reach their fullest potential. By including family and caregivers, our extraordinary team of pediatric specialists form a community of support and care around each patient which is essential to their success. This approach reinforces our belief that anything is possible.
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