30 days + 3 paintings + your support of Diabetes Hands Foundation = ART as a catalyst for healing and raising awareness!
You might not know about this about me, but for the past years an important part of my life has revolved around Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF), a great non-profit I co-founded with my husband in 2008, and that has deeply changed me, my family and the way we look at life. Our lives were touched by diabetes almost 14 years ago, when my husband was diagnosed with LADA (Type 1 Diabetes in adults). The first years after his diagnosis were an entanglement of information and fear: it was a lonely journey for him even though he was surrounded people that loved him, friends and family and me. Still, he felt alone.
We started the foundation because we saw a problem: too many people were living their life feeling isolated instead of benefitting from the shared experience they could have by connecting to other people with diabetes. Diabetes affects nearly 30 million people in the US and over 400 million people worldwide, and most people when faced with the diagnosis feel just as Manuel did. Diabetes Hand Foundation brings together people touched by diabetes for positive change so that nobody living with this condition ever feels alone.
Between 2008 and 2012, I worked as the foundation’s Creative Director: it was a period during which we developed welcoming communities where members could express themselves creatively as part of their journey with diabetes. For 6 years I have served on DHF’s Board of Directors, and as I coming end to the end of my second term, I want to celebrate November (diabetes awareness month) while helping raise funds for Diabetes Hands Foundation, in support of the millions of people touched by diabetes we serve.
Through collaborations with 3 beloved advocates of the diabetes community and in the context of my [I Am] series, I am launching a very special fundraising campaign that combines two dear passions of mine: diabetes awareness and art. I will paint one collaborative portrait every ten days during the month of November, sharing the progress via social media. At the end of the campaign, the three pieces will be donated to the Diabetes Hands Foundation to be auctioned during the summer of 2015 at DHF’s annual reception to raise even more funds for the organization.
PORTRAITS and PERKS
Nov. 1 – Nov. 10: [I Am] an Advocate, portrait of my husband, Manny Hernandez
Nov. 11 – Nov. 20: [I Am] Grateful, portrait of Kerri Sparling
Nov. 21 – Nov. 30: [I Am] Listening, portrait of Scott Johnson
I need your help to raise at least $400 in connection with each of the pieces, for a total of $1,200 by the end of the month (or course, if we raise more it would be awesome!)
Check out the perks associated with different donation levels! The more you give the more perks you get.
CHEERS!!
