A guild member works on a bottle.

You can't buy Bottles of Hope. You only can make them for others or be given one by someone who cares. Bottles of Hope are works of art created by members of the Las Vegas Polymer Clay Guild to encourage and support people who are battling or have triumphed over cancer.

"I heard that a few clay guilds in other parts of the country were transforming bottles that were used during chemotherapy treatments into works of art," says Melody Stein, who organized the Bottles of Hope project. "I talked with members of the guild and with Summerlin Hospital, and everyone was enthusiastic about the project."

Guild members and others interested in making Bottles of Hope have been meeting once a month at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center. They take the old bottles, mold polymer clay around them, and create colorful and unique designs. The artists include a personal and positive note with each bottle to inspire the bottle's future owner.

Melody Stein prepares her supplies.

"Members of the hospital staff even came to clay days to learn how to make bottles, and they found themselves quite involved with their own bottles," says Stein.

Summerlin Hospital's oncology program, The Cancer Institute of Nevada, has given Bottles of Hope to patients fighting cancer. The response has been overwhelming.

"The bottles really do give patients hope," says Jack McHale, RN, Oncology Program Manager for Summerlin Hospital. "Patients are very moved that people they don't know care enough to create something beautiful that will help them as they fight their disease."

Stein, about 30 guild members and other volunteers have been hard at work making as many Bottles of Hope as they can. Earlier in June, Bottles of Hope were given to cancer survivors at Summerlin Hospital's Annual Cancer Survivors' Day event.

Six Bottles of Hope are displayed.

"We hope cancer patients will experience the positive energy we put into the bottles and that it will help them heal or remind them that they triumphed over cancer," says Stein.

If you'd like to help create Bottles of Hope, call Stein at 255-4500.

To learn more about services available at The Cancer Institute of Nevada at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, call 233-7605 or visit us online.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106