Four year old Mariah Jean Klein lost her battle with brain cancer in August of 2008. Riah’s Rainbow is her legacy.
One of the things Mariah enjoyed most during her down times was art. Creative art is a wonderful way for each of us to express the emotions we are feeling and to document what is going on around us. One problem for children with cancer, though, is that the art supplies offered to children at the local hospitals often come from a community supply. Parents worry that while their children have compromised immune systems, using art supplies from other hospital patients may put their children even more at risk. Riah’s Rainbow eliminates that fear.
In the Phoenix area, Susi Henry of Buckeye, reports that she takes 100 supplies each month to the pediatric cancer center of Phoenix Children’s Hospital to be given away. Among the donations she delivers are paper, crayons, markers, paints, colored pencils, craft items and much more. On Friday, Susi and 28 volunteers were at the hospital decorating for the holiday season. Their hope is to bring smiles to the faces of children who have to undergo treatment when they would rather be involved in holiday activities.
Susi never met Mariah. She hasn’t met the Klein family. But their story has inspired her to begin the Arizona chapter of Riah’s Rainbow, which started in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Mariah’s home. Her goal is to bring some comfort to as many pediatric cancer patients as she can. Once the donations for Phoenix Children’s Hospital are consistent, she will expand to Cardon Children's Medical Center in Mesa, which also has a pediatric cancer center.
If you would like to support the pediatric cancer patients in the valley through Riah’s Rainbow, you can contact Susi Henry at 623.363.3523, go to rgshenry@q.com, or go to the yard sale they are having this Saturday from 8AM to 12:30PM. You will find them at the Store More Self-Storage, 1596 S. Watson Road, space I-305. They will have books, CDs/DVDs, toys, Christmas and Easter items, and even a 36”TV. Most items are new, donations from other organizations, and most are going for around $1.
Riah’s Rainbow is a 501(c) (3) organization, and the entire staff is made up of volunteers. To learn more about Mariah, her family, the rare form of cancer that took her life, or the wonderful work being done by Riah’s Rainbow go to www.riahsrainbow.org.
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