The CF Rainbow Tree is back for the 2022 Christmas season! As with many hospitals, the pandemic has changed many protocols and things that need to be done to help our project along. But, as per usual …

I’m in need of your help and your polymer clay Christmas ornament donations.

If you can make polymer clay ornaments, I’d sure appreciate it. I need your help decorating a Christmas tree & making ornaments to give to Cystic Fibrosis patients of all ages & staff once again this year. Please see the information below for details on making your clay Christmas ornament donation.

Why is this is Important to Me? Because I Have Cystic Fibrosis.

Occasionally I take a moment (just a quick one mind you) to write about my life story and living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). I took my longest hiatus [almost four months to be exact] from polymer clay in 2011 when I had half of my lung removed as a direct result of my CF. If you’re sitting here wondering what CF is, your best explanation is to visit our foundation website.

I have about 4 hospitalizations a year. Four years ago I even got to spend Christmas there … well a portion of it, being released the day before Christmas. Being in the hospital is bad enough, being there over Christmas is worse. Every year that we come together as artists, our Christmas trees and ornaments are a huge success! The patients love them and love receiving the small gifts, and the staff that also receive ornaments from the trees are blessed by them as well.

This is our fifth year giving ornaments to CF patients, let’s continue to love!

CF Rainbow Tree – Clay Christmas Ornament Donation

What to Make:

Make as many ornaments as you would like to help me decorate our tree. You can make “cookie cutter” style ornaments, 3D ornaments, fully covered glass bulb ornaments, or whatever your heart desires. They can follow any theme you’d like: snowmen, llamas, sloths, Santas, reindeer, elves, seahorses, be creative! Make whatever your heart desires. We are making ornaments for both children and adults.

Make an ornament that YOU would like to receive.

If you don’t know what to make, choose either Christmas-themed ornaments or purple and red ornaments. Why purple and red? Every disease has a ribbon, ours is purple with a red rose in the middle. Why? Because CF is all about “65 Roses”. Read all about 65 Roses here.

Please Note: Due to the pandemic and hospital restrictions, all ornaments must be received in a plastic baggie. Please send your ornaments in small ziplocks bags.
University Hospitals, Cystic Fibrosis Center Restrictions

When Are They Due: They need to be in the mail to me by November 1st, 2022.

I am coordinating the decorating of the tree with the hospital staff and need to have the ornaments when they are ready to decorate. This ship date will allow me to receive all the ornaments from across the US and abroad.

Mail ornaments to: KatersAcres, PO Box 296, Newton Falls, OH 44444

Other Information & FAQs:

I’ve been wearing masks long before the pandemic.

What Will Be Done with the Ornaments? The ornaments will be used to decorate a tree in the outpatient CF center. For every patient (child or adult) that comes through the doors for their check-ups during the season, they will be given an ornament via the staff at their appointments. Your heartfelt ornament will be a token of love they can treasure. After Christmas, nurses, doctors, respiratory & physical therapists, researchers, and other staff who treat patients with Cystic Fibrosis and have dedicated their lives to their care, will also be allowed to choose an ornament to take home from the remaining ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Overflow ornaments will be used the following year to decorate the food pantry tree at the church I work for and given to the people who come there for their food needs.

May I Send a Card with My Ornament? You may absolutely send a card with your ornament. If you send a card with your ornament, be sure to attach your ornament to your card in some way so the two remain together.

Will I Get to See the Finished Tree? Unfortunately, no. Due to hospital regulations, I no longer decorate the tree(s) myself. I will be dropping off all of the ornaments and the nursing staff will be decorating for us.

From the bottom of my heart, from all of us in the CF community who battle CF on a daily basis, we thank you for your time, energy, & thought you have put into making an ornament to give to someone who will spend their Christmas holiday away from family and in the confines of a hospital. Bless you.

Please SHARE this CF Rainbow Tree post with your groups, pages, and social media to help spread the word to the polymer community about this endeavor. Thank you in advance.