Page 93 - Experience Magazine Summer 2023

CLIMBING

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARITY THROUGH CANCER
THE CHILDREN’S TREEHOUSE FOUNDATION

For more than 20 Banner Health. Patty continues to volunteer as an advisory
years, the Children’s board member, as well as a program concierge to help
Treehouse Foundation hospitals implement the program.
has had one mission The cause is a particularly important one that has resonated
- to ensure that every profoundly with Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of
child and teen whose Barrett-Jackson. Craig lost both his father and brother to
parent is diagnosed cancer just a few short years apart.
with cancer is given the
tools and emotional Through various research studies conducted by the Children’s
support they need to Treehouse Foundation and other personal accounts, the
develop positive coping strategies. Cancer affects the entire program is effective. Gregor shared he had spoken to a
family and has an undeniable impact on the children whose woman who had participated in CLIMB when she was
parent is fighting the disease. 12 years old. “She didn’t really want to be there because
she felt like she could handle it herself; she didn’t want to
Through the foundation’s CLIMB program, which stands share her feelings,” he said, adding that after a couple of
for Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery, support weeks something just clicked for her, and she became very
is given to children to aid in dealing with the emotional connected with the program.
turmoil that accompanies the disease. It’s a 6-week art-
based therapy program that is facilitated by counselors “It had such a profound impact on her that now, at 24 years
at local hospitals and cancer treatment centers that helps old, she works as a nurse at the same hospital where she went
children understand and deal with the emotions they are through CLIMB. She volunteers with the program and helps
facing and helps families manage the emotions that cancer welcome other teens to the group,” Gregor said. The woman
stirs. The program also offers a segment for parents aimed told Gregor that the program helped tremendously with the
to empower them while going through treatment and help emotions she was feeling at that time and that she has been
parents open lines of communication with their children able to apply the skills she learned in CLIMB to other stressful
and address their children’s concerns. situations throughout her life.
The CLIMB program is available across the United States,
The organization was brought to Barrett-Jackson’s attention
by long-time Barrett-Jackson television host Rick DeBruhl Ireland and in Japan. It only costs $4,000 for a hospital to
(below right), whose son Gregor (below left) serves as license and run CLIMB for one year. According to Gregor, it’s a
the Executive Director for the Foundation. Rick’s wife small price for the tremendous emotional support it provides
Patty (below center) also has been an integral part of the for patients and their families. The Children’s Treehouse
Foundation for the past 15 years. Patty, herself the child of Foundation also offers an online version of CLIMB for families
a parent who had cancer, has helped write the manuals for who don’t have a nearby program. Many of the donations
the program and ran the Foundation’s CLIMB program at received by the organization directly benefit the online
program and its abilities to send families everything they need
to participate in the art projects.
To learn more about how you can assist the foundation
through donations, volunteering or to participate in the
CLIMB program, visit ChildrensTreehouseFdn.org

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