PVCC Puma Press: December 2006

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	Matthew Cigan stands next to the Christmas card he designed. Proceeds from the sale of his card will benefit Phoenix Children's Hospital.
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As you walk into the Phoenix Children’s hospital, you will notice the children’s artwork hanging on colorful walls, the metal sculptures of a western stagecoach and horses. You might even stare in awe at the horse statue made of toys. All this is only the beginning of all that Phoenix Children’s Hospital has done to create a fun place for sick children. There are also play -rooms, a teen room, a playground and even a school for children with long-term illnesses.

Testing Center office coordinator, Laurie Cigan, is excited that her son Matthew is one of the patient artists for the 2006 Art Project, in support of the Hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Cigan feels that this is a way for her family to have the chance to give back to the hospital that has done so much for their son Matthew.

Cigan says that her 16-year-old son Matthew has had brain tumors since he was 3-years-old. At first, she says that she felt really sorry for herself and her son. However, joining a support group helped her to realize that she was not the only one with a sick child and it also helped her to realize how blessed she was to have so much medical knowledge available to doctors to help them treat Matthew.

Matthew has gone through two brain surgeries to remove the tumors and also radiation. A junior at Desert Pointe Academy, he is currently finished with treatment, and if everything continues well, he will be in remission as of February 2007.

Matthew is very excited that the holiday card he designed has been chosen. Cigan says that last spring they went to the children’s hospital to register Matthew for Camp Rainbow in the summer. Camp Rainbow is a special camp for children with cancer. While Cigan was in line to register her son for camp, Matthew joined his friends in the annual holiday Art Project.

The children design cards and then companies come in and choose which art project they would like to sponsor for a holiday card. Cards are then sold in local stores and proceeds support the Center. Cigan says that Matthew has done art projects for years but he his design has never been picked—until this year.

“We are so excited that he finally got picked,” she says. “Its really a special honor.”

Zoës Kitchen feels that it is important to give back to the community and because of that they chose Matthew’s artwork to sponsor for a $5,000 donation to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, which turned Matthew's artwork into a holiday card.

Matthew’s holiday design is a very colorful and sparkly Christmas stocking. Of how he came up with the design, Cigan says, “He said, ‘Well I was gonna make it gold and silver, but they didn’t have those colors so I thought; what the heck!’ and he used whatever he had,” says Cigan.

Cigan says she plans to send one of Matthew’s cards to everyone she knows, and she is going to make a whole scrapbook of this event for Matthew.

Cigan laughs, “Matthew thinks he is really hot stuff now because he is a famous artist.”

“I feel pretty good,” says Matthew. “My card is going to be sent out to millions and millions of people.”

Cigan is so proud of her son. She says that through Matthew’s whole life, he has just taken all of his sickness in stride. He just takes his pills or shots and goes to his doctor’s appointments and he never complains.

This Christmas Cigan isn’t thinking about all that she and her family have been through. She is focusing on how they can give back through the holiday card project. One hundred percent of the proceeds from these holiday cards goes to the hospitals Center for Cancer and also blood disorders, diagnostic equipment, lab services, Camp Rainbow and also for families in financial hardship.

If you are interested in purchasing these special cards, you can do so at the Phoenix Children’s hospital gift shop or at participating Bashas’ and AJ’s grocery stores. You can also order them online at www.phoenixchildrensartproject.com. You can purchase a variety pack of cards for $10 or specifically order one particular child’s design.

“I want to give them to all of my family,” Matthew says of his cards.

Matthew is very upbeat about life. He is very grateful to have a hospital like Phoenix Children’s. He enjoys the library and teen room. “I am still alive,” he says, “and God has been good to us.”