MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Young cancer patients, their families and friends will be dreaming of a white Christmas and all things jolly holidays at the 20th Annual Cards of Hope Summer Party on June 5 at Valley Worlds of Fun in Fairmont. The festivities are set to kick off at 10 a.m.

Cards of Hope are holiday greeting cards designed by current and former patients of West Virginia University Children’s Hospital and their siblings. Every summer they come to the party to create a new assortment of designs that are later marketed and sold to benefit the hospital’s Cure Kids Cancer Fund, which ensures that patients and their families receive state-of-the-art medical care and psychological and social support.

“The Cards of Hope Summer Party is an event we eagerly look forward to every year,” Cheryl Jones, R.N., director of WVU Children’s Hospital, said. “It’s so nice to give these kids a chance to have fun and just be kids – not cancer patients, but kids.”

A committee will meet to select nine of 10 designs drawn by the young artists that will be made into cards for the 2011 Cards of Hope collection. The 10th design is chosen by the artists themselves and is called the Kid’s Choice.

The new collection will be produced as a pack of 20 greeting cards in an assorted or single design pack and will be available this fall. 

The Cards of Hope project also includes a Cash Bash and Auction, which is scheduled for Nov. 12 at Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa in Morgantown. All the original card designs including those chosen as part of this year’s collection will be sold to the highest bidders.

Kroger is the title sponsor for this year’s Cards of Hope collection.

For information about Cards of Hope see http://cardsofhope.com or call 304-598-4346 ext. 2.