Kyle Bryce is brimming with ideas to help children with cancer have a more positive outlook on life. Her goal is to get people to "see them as warriors and not feel sorry for them.''
She established Andrew's Warriors -- The King's Knights in memory of her son, Andrew, who died from brain cancer two years ago just after his 11th birthday.
Andrew's Warriors highlights the bravery of children with life-threatening illnesses and encourages them to continue their battle for life.
"Kids get soccer and baseball awards,'' said Bryce, of Troy. "All of a sudden they're cut off'' when they get sick. Bryce designed bronze medals based on the Purple Heart given to war heroes, to reward the determination and spirit of kids with cancer. One side depicts a knight slaying a dragon, the other side shows the knight's sword piercing the word "Onward.''
Bryce hopes to hand out thousands of these medals to sick children and teenagers in the Capital Region.
Bryce, an artist by training and a real estate agent by profession, has also been designing logos, T-shirts, fliers and business cards for the nonprofit group she founded in July 2000.
This fall she organized the group's inaugural fund-raising golftournament event held on Sept. 28, which took in $15,000. The proceeds from 140 players' entry fees and donations will benefit the National Brain Tumor Association as well as Andrew's Warriors.
She is now seeking entries from children and teenagers for two contests. Nov. 7 is the deadline for submission of drawings and poems for a 2002 calendar. She plans to include all entries from children up through 18 years of age who are fighting their own serious illness or that of someone they love.
The other contest is for inclusion on a music CD. When Andrew was in the hospital, "music was so important'' to his spirit, Bryce said. He listened to music by Ruth Fazal, a vocalist and violinist who will judge music submitted for the CD.
Bryce hopes to have one CD of religious-influenced music from churches and one of secular music from schools. Entries must have words that inspire and encourage peace, happiness and joy in someone battling an illness. Bryce told of one boy who plans to make the beat for his song by bouncing a basketball.
She would like to run the Andrew's Warriors Foundation full-time. "I think of it constantly,'' she said. "I see everything in its completed state, yet it still has to be built.'