Marston’s art featured in Holiday Card Project

MONTROSE — With the holiday season just around the corner, 8-year-old Kelly Marston is celebrating in a different way — with the launch of her own greeting card.

Kelly, a second-grade student at Johnson Elementary and cancer patient at The Children’s Hospital in Denver, was selected this year as one of six artists in the 2007 Holiday Card Project. Kelly submitted a picture of a snowman standing next to an igloo with snow falling all around. She embellished her design with the phrase “Let it Snow!!!”

“I did my drawing two days before they were due,” Kelly said. “I never thought they would pick me. I like my drawing because it has a snowman and it also shows the people in the igloo who made him. There is a light on in the igloo.”

As part of the annual project, each year a panel of judges selects designs from past and current patients to be featured for that season. Cards featuring the designs are sold for $12 a pack. Businesses may also purchase custom printed versions of the cards in large quantities. The Holiday Card Project art contest was created in 1991 and since its inception, more than $400,000 has been raised.

Kelly was diagnosed with Leukemia this May and during one of her numerous chemotherapy sessions in Grand Junction, (the nearest location for pediatric oncology treatments), learned about the card project. The family also travels to Denver for check-ups and other specialized cancer treatments.

“I have always liked to draw,” Kelly said. “And I like to draw to snowmen because they are fun and pretty easy to do.”

Kelly said she is looking forward to the holiday season. Her plans include a Christmas play at church, making ornaments and visiting extended family. When her blood counts are up and she is feeling well, she is able to go to school and she loves her classes.

“I really like the specials,” Kelly said. Specials are additional enrichment courses like library, music, art and physical education. “I think art and music are my favorite.”

In her spare time she enjoys reading and taking piano lessons.

“I like to play the piano. My favorite songs to play are “Ode to Joy” and “Chopsticks,’” she said. Her favorite books include the “Boxcar Children” and the “Junie B. Jones” series. In fact, she likes the “Junie” characters so much, the family named the dogs after them. Kelly said although her older sister Rachel, 11, doesn’t like to play with her so much, her sister is very helpful when it comes to reading.

Kelly is the daughter of Beth and Mark Marston. Beth is a nurse at Mountain View Cardiology and Mark is the lead minister at United Methodist Church. Although the last few months have been very hard on the family, they remain in good spirits with the enormous help of supportive friends and co-workers.

“The school has been just great,” Beth said. “Her teacher is Tess Martinez. She is truly amazing and understands what we are going through. She sends homework. ... Everyone in this community has just been wonderful and so supportive from my co-workers at the office to the members of the church. It’s been pretty good. We have our moments but we take turns freaking out.”

Despite a bout of bronchitis and low white-blood cell counts, which landed her in the Intensive Care Unit at Montrose Memorial Hospital for most of last week, Kelly’s sprits are high. She spent Friday afternoon with her family. She read, did some homework and took naps. Later in the day, she went with Beth to help set up for the church bazaar which was held this weekend.  

Mark stayed at the house and worked on his Sunday sermon.

“The one thing we have learned from all this is you are never alone,” Mark said. “We are never alone in tragedy.” He said the family is simply amazed at all the help they have received over the past few months.

“We have people who have lent us their car to drive to an appointment in Denver while ours was in the shop,” he said. “People come in and take care of our dogs, others have come in and completely cleaned our house and put food in the freezer. Some of them we don’t even know who they are. But the generosity of people is simply beyond anything you could imagine.”

Beth said an integral part of Kelly’s healing process is her daughter’s strength. Despite several gross tasting drugs and numerous needle sticks, Kelly just keeps smiling.

“It hasn’t been perfect,” Beth said. “But Kelly understands what is going on and she is very strong. There have been struggles but she is just amazing.”

As part of the recognition of her design being chosen for a greeting card, Kelly received a plaque that she keeps on her bedroom wall amongst her posters.

“It’s the first plaque I have ever gotten,” Kelly said. “It makes me happy. It’s been hard being sick, but I always take my pills and I listen to what they tell me to do.”

To learn more about the Holiday Card Project and order Kelly’s greeting card visit www.holidaycardproject.com.