Graphic Designers Help Kids with Brain Tumors

Every year, 4,300 children are diagnosed with brain cancer; and two-thirds
will suffer life-long effects from treatment. Despite medical advances to treat other forms of cancer, brain tumors are still an extremely serious condition for children, and the second-leading cause of cancer mortality in kids after leukemia.

Thea’s Star of Hope (TSOH) was founded by Trisha Danze in 2011 after her daughter, Thea, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at just 4-months-old. The mission is to improve the treatment experience for kids with brain tumors.

Thea continues to fight the cancer as she approaches her eighth birthday this month. “Star of Hope” is the embodiment of Thea’s positive outlook and a testament to the indelible spirit so many diagnosed children maintain despite terrifying diagnosis, painful treatment and uncertain future.

According to Danze, while many of the treatments allow these children to live into adulthood, most of them experience long-lasting impacts to their body and minds.

“Our goal in starting TSOH is to try and find better treatments for kids, so they don’t have all of these long-term side-effects associated with the treatments,” Danze said. “We raise funds and awareness through volunteer-led activities and education projects to support research for improved therapies with fewer side effects and efforts to make treatments more tolerable.”

Danze is passionate about fundraising for the cause. She also wants other parents know that there is a place for resources and to more information. And, as part of that mission, recently revamped the organization’s branding and launched the website www.theasstarofhope.org.

To help fulfill that undertaking, TSOH enlisted Rizco - a creative campaign agency based at the Jersey Shore–to develop and design the logo and website for the organization. This month, in honor of Brain Cancer Awareness, Rizco donated back the monies spent on the endeavor and presented TSOH with a check for $5,000 to support kids undergoing brain tumor treatment.

“As a creative agency, it is part of our core to give back to the community in the best way that we know how,” said Debra Rizzi, Rizco’s founding partner. “Thea’s Star of Hope touched our hearts, especially as many of us in the agency have young children around Thea’s age. Thea is our inspiration.”

The new TSOH logo is made up of five interlocking gumdrops that make up a star with a heart in its center. Its varying colors–yellow, purple, grey and blue - represent various cancer awareness colors. And, pink, of course, is for Thea’s favorite color. The center heart symbolizes Thea’s strength, spirit and her need to inspire other children fighting brain tumors.

The main goals of the website are to give users a place to learn more about TSOH and their fundraisers. There is
a resource page for families to find out more about their child’s diagnosis, as well as a place to learn about current projects that the organization is funding. There are also pages with information about volunteer opportunities, as well as a place to make a donation.

“It is our hope that parents and caregivers will be able to follow our journey easily,” said Danze, “and help us to become amongst the largest pediatric brain tumor research supporters.”

For more information on TSOH, visit www.theasstarofhope.org.