Instrumentalists, vocalists, and dancers will take center stage at the fifth Rising Stars Talent Show and Art Exhibit, which features pediatric cancer patients, their family members, and Stony Brook University Medical Center staff as the performers. The event takes place in the Student Activities Center on Sunday, December 6, at 2:00 pm.
Patients, families, and the community have supported Rising Stars since the first performance in 2003. The show gives patients a chance to showcase their talents and express themselves through theater and art. The forum provides an opportunity to promote a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and self-confidence among these children. An art exhibit, featuring many of the children’s paintings and drawings, will follow the main program during the reception.
“When children have cancer, they often see themselves as different and may choose to isolate themselves from their peers,” said Rosemary A. Mahan, a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology nurse and Director of Rising Stars. “Self esteem and feelings of accomplishment may diminish, yet through it all there remains a spirit of determination and resolution that allows them to press forward.”
Previous talent shows have featured children performing many types of acts, including instrumental and vocal solos, instrumental ensembles, various dance routines, and karate demonstrations.
Rising Stars is sponsored by the Sunrise Fund, which raises awareness about childhood cancer and provides programs for pediatric oncology patients and families treated at SBUMC.
Admission to Rising Stars is free, and seating is open. The first act kicks off at 2:00 pm. For more information, please call 444-2899.
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