The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: This is a very powerful presentation, representing the lives of smokers and their families who have been affected by tobacco use.

Methods: This presentation is available in a power point presentation, which shares several images of the hands that have been contributed to the project or as a traveling art exhibit.

Results: Currently this project has collected artwork of 8000+ hands from across the country and continues to grow on a daily basis.

A project that people from all over the world can come together to create a massive piece of art, which can have a tremendous voice. Each person working separately throughout the world, then bringing them all together to create a “masterpiece”.

Similar to the AIDs quilt, “real people lives, and real stories” were told on panels - a cemetery of peoples lives destroyed by the Aids Virus. That project grew, a strong statement was made, and impacted the government to spend dollars to support Aids research!

The “Hands of Hope” project continues to collect hands from across the nation, young and old, making clear statements as to the continued need for tobacco prevention, education and treatment.

This is done without lobbying, but through the voice of the people telling stories in honor of their loved ones whose lives have been impacted by tobacco use. Each hand representing the heartfelt devastation tobacco dependence caused to the individual and/or their families.