Healing Art Helping Erase Childhood Cancer

DENVER (CBS4)- One-of-a-kind glass sculptures will be up for auction this weekend. Most are imaginary creatures said to have the power to heal. Each is the vision of a child with cancer.

The sculptures are part of a fundraiser for the Morgan Adams Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting kids' cancer research.

The event, called artma, is all about helping kids like Danjela Belo.

"This was totally unexpected," said 15-year-old Danjela.

She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor.

"It started with a headache on this side, so it kind of grew," Danjela explained to CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

She has had surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. For more than a year, Danjela was in remission. Then the cancer came back.

"Thankfully, it is growing really slowly," she said.

And it is not stopping Danjela.

Last fall, she started "Healing through Reading," collecting and delivering books to the Neuro-Oncology Brain Tumor Program at Children's Hospital Colorado.

And she was asked to draw what her "healing character" would look like. Danjela took it to heart.

"The whole point is love and taking care of those who are fighting to survive," she said.

Her drawing of her "Monster of Love" shows a big red heart with three eyes and two arms. Danjela's creation became Angelo Ambrosia's challenge.

"It made perfect sense to me... the heart, love, and then you know what everybody needs is to be embraced or hugged," said Angelo.

The glassblower from Longmont found a way to make Danjela's monster 3-D and a wonderful, whimsical work of art.

"I was amazed, I was speechless," said a delighted Danjela.

The Monster of Love is one of 25 healing characters created by kids with cancer and brought to life by volunteer glass artists. The sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Neither artist could put a price on the piece, but Angelo called Danjela's love of his work... priceless.

The glass sculptures will be auctioned Saturday, February 8 at an event called artma.

Started in 2001, artma is a biennial auction of art, donated by local, regional, and nationally recognized artists. Artma sells more than 200 pieces of art to benefit the Morgan Adams Foundation.

LINK: artma Tickets