When the “Glitter Queens” come for a visit, kids coping with serious illnesses are offered a welcome distraction from their health battles, allowing them, instead, to concentrate on the joy of being a kid.
The “queens”—Gail Erdos and Peggy Tryon—created and co-direct the nonprofit Our Space, which, according to its website, brings “arts programming to hospitals, community residences, camps, and home/hospice settings” for free.
As breast cancer survivors, the two longtime friends know the importance of having engrossing activities – like art projects – to do during difficult times.
“Being in the hospital … there’s nothing fun about it,” said Erdos, who has lived in Belmont for 29 years.
Hospital staff nicknamed them the “Glitter Queens” (or Goddesses) after many kids’ favorite decorating material, which they always bring along.
“It is one of our trademarks,” joked Erdos.
Erdos, diagnosed in 2006, said she was “so happy for the distraction” when friends, including Tryon, would bring over beading or mosaic projects for her to work on.
A year later, when Tryon was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was Erdos who brought projects to distract her friend.
Chance to Be a Child
Soon, the pair learned that a friend’s daughter had been diagnosed with leukemia. They thought it might be helpful if they brought arts-and-crafts activities to her while she was being treated. That way, when her friends visited, they could do an activity.
Erdos was a teacher at the time, and Tryon was a pediatric occupational therapist, so children’s well-being was always a priority for them.
“We saw how much art helped us during our time of illness,” said Erdos. “We [thought we] should create something for kids and teens.”
Doing art “gives [patients] a chance to be a child,” said Tryon, who lived in Belmont until recently.
Soon, Our Space was born, receiving its nonprofit status in 2010.
Light a Candle
Although Our Space doesn’t have an actual space, it began in Belmont.
“Our Space is wherever we are,” said Tryon.
When the nonprofit began its work, the two women brought their materials to one Boston Children’s Hospital unit. Now, they frequent three floors there, many other healthcare facilities, and do home visits in Massachusetts. During the pandemic, they held workshops virtually.
Lately, Our Space has expanded its reach to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut for children with serious illnesses.
While Erdos and Tryon are not art therapists, they are empathetic allies who know how to bring a little happiness to youngsters. They usually offer four art choices at each location and examples of the finished creation. That said, parents and children can do whatever they want.
“It’s more about the process than the final product,” said Tryon. “It’s very open-ended.”
In fact, if a child just wants to play with the materials, that’s fine, too. All that matters is that they have a bit of lightness in their lives.
“I feel so happy when I see kids and their families so happy,” said Erdos.
The Mechanics
Erdos and Tryon run the program with help from Boston University and Leslie University interns and other volunteers. The college students often study to be “child life specialists,” who help families prepare for medical procedures.
Erdos recalled that some young patients would laugh as they creatively used “bling” (aka sticky rhinestones) to decorate their heads after losing their hair, medical halos (worn to help gently stretch a compressed spine), or other medical equipment.
The “Glitter Girls” don’t only ease the anxiety of the children they’re there to help, but also medical professionals charged with their care.
“It’s rewarding to see the joy that it brings,” said Tryon.
All materials are donated, although the duo has found free items from the “Buy Nothing Belmont” Facebook group, and sometimes people run craft drives on their behalf. Materials need to be new as some patients have compromised immune systems.
Whether they plan to expand to other facilities remains a question of funding.
They intend to send out an appeal letter in the fall, hope to hold more fundraisers eventually and encourage those interested in volunteering (or donating) to get in touch via email.
For more information on Our Space, visit https://www.ourspacerocks.org/
