My friend Sara really captured how pretty the cranes are in this picture! So happy I drove down to Tucson with her and her adorable daughter on April 19th to see the Beads of Courage 1,000 Origami Crane Art Installation debut.

The 1,000 Origami Cranes community art project was conceived by Tucson resident Coppelia Tarantal, whose niece, Kelsey Luria received Beads of Courage during her treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Although Kelsey left her battle with cancer, her spirit, legacy and desire to positively impact the lives of children and teens with cancer lives on. The 1,000 Origami Cranes project celebrates Kelsey’s life and the lives of all children and teens coping with cancer and other serious illnesses.

Japanese folklore suggests people with patience and commitment for such a project will be granted a wish.

Support for the project was proudly provided by Soft Flex Company with their generous donation of beading wire and tools to create the display of origami cranes.

Beads of Courage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Tucson in 2005. Its mission is to provide innovative arts-in-medicine programs that improve the quality of life for children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, their families and the clinicians who care for them. The organization serves 60,000 children in 250 children’s hospitals annually. For more information, visit beadsofcourage.org.

About Kelsey Taylor Luria: Kelsey was 17 when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). “I am more than cancer” – she wrote, and indeed, Kelsey was far more than cancer. She was the queen of her own life and she lived it with courage, strength and grace. She lost the battle against AML after 5+ months. Shortly after her death, Kelsey’s family brought her vision of the Bald Beauties Project to fruition. Bald Beauties Project provides funding for AML research, and provides professional photo shoots, and Teen Comfort Kits for pediatric oncology patients in Southern Arizona. For more information, visit http://baldbeautiesproject.org.