About

What is Gems of Hope?

Gems of Hope Inc.is a nonprofit organization that offers gifts of jewelry mounted on inspirational cards to cancer patients. The patients are invited, along with family and friends, to attend workshops to create these works of art for others.

Our Mission

We are bringing hope to cancer patients and their families. To learn more, watch theGems of Hope video.

Our Vision

To provide cancer patients and their families support and resources to inspire hope, creating the outlook that hope is always presentin a cancer diagnosis.

Our Story

Gems of Hope was inspired by Tory, a 9-year-old living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While her mother was in treatment for cancer, Tory wrote daily notes of encouragement, leaving them where her mother would see them. The pair also attended art therapy classes together. Torys mother recognized that the love behind the notes and the opportunity to create art, as well as the information she found in her reading, were valuable components in her recovery. She joined two friends also affected by cancer in founding a non-profit organization that would extend these components to others.Gems of Hope promotes what medical research now supports: developing ones spirituality can encourage feelings of optimism and hope and, thus, healing. Gems of Hope was founded to share hope with others.Gems of Hope, Inc. was founded in July of 2005 to share hope with others.

Mission Statement

Gems of Hope exists to offer hope and inspiration to cancer patients and their families. Gems of Hope is most known for the gifts of hope program. Volunteers handcraft cards and gifts of beaded earrings and bookmarks. The cards, which can also include serenity circles and stones, are given to cancer patients as they receive chemo. Over 750 gifts are given out in the Corridor each month. Gems of Hope provides unique opportunities for cancer patients to connect with others by participating in the gift making experience, although the workshops, offered several times each month, are open to all who want to help inspire cancer patients. Gems also reaches the youth through it's What About Us? kids camp for kids learning to deal with a cancer diagnosis in their family. Gems supports continuing education for high school seniors through the "Gifts of Education" scholarship opportunity awarded annually. The Pages for Hope Library program supports local schools by supplying cancer related resources for a districts various libraries. Additionally, a web portal for teens called cancerreallysucks.org is a forum to find ways to share feelings and to find ways to related and share in the feelings that cancer patients and families go through. To volunteer to help with workshops or special events, contact [email protected] or 319-393-9681. Learn more about Gems by visiting www.gemsofhope.com.

Gems of Hope