Times Union Record - October 2001
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Arming Cancer Victims With Hope
By KATYA ROYTBURD, Staff writer
First published: October 31, 2001
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 golf
tournament 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.'