CanBead was establishedby an inspiration woman Sarah Clifford. When she was diagnosed with melanoma in October 2008 at the age of 28, while undergoing treatment in Christchurch in February 2010, she was given an assortment of beads, wire and the tools for making jewellery.
During her 28 days of radiation treatment, she created and wore a different necklace each day. This process provided not only distraction and recreation but also a sense of purpose and accomplishment. These necklaces were later auctioned off at the Ashburton Cancer Society rooms and raised over $3,000 for the Cancer Society and the start-up cost of CanBead. Our intention at CanBead is to give others affected by illness, trauma or loss the same help that Sarah was given. We hold free workshops showing others how to create jewellery. Each workshop member is given a bead kit.
Our lovely volunteers help break up donated necklaces, assemble the kits and assist at the workshops. CanBead Kits are funded from donations, grants and the thousands of donated beads.
"I am grateful to have this charity to build and focus on so that many people in the future can benefit and be bought together by the wonderful kits and CanInspire services that we can offer." Sarah Clifford.
Above Sarah Clifford at a workshop in Invercargill
CanBead is able to serve our communities with the help of funding from generous organisations, donations from the public and fundraisers. We would like to thank each and every one for the help they have given though supporting our charity, without your help we wouldn't be able to do what we do.
Art therapy is the use of creative activities in a safe way to express emotion, engage in creative processes, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase self-awareness. Activities included in art therapy (also known as "expressive arts therapy" or "creative arts therapy") include a wide range of creative processes, such as painting, photography, drawing, sculpture, mosaic, writing, dance and craft etc.
Creative expression has been used informally as a way tofacilitate recovery from emotional or psychological distress for centuries, with many artists throughout history using art as a medium for expressing emotion, coping with difficult personal circumstances, and as a tool in recovery from illness or injury (including artists such as Francisco de Goya, EdvardMunch and Frieda Kahlo).
Today, art therapy is used in a number of different clinical and community settings, including in work with children, adolescents, adults and the elderly who may be experiencing any of the following: acute or chronic illness, anxiety, depression, family violence, grief and loss, substance abuse or addictions, mental illness, social and emotional difficulties related to abuse, eating disorders and many more.
We are thankful to offer the service of Art Therapy to our participants through our varying beading workshops.