Origami paper cranes of vibrant reds, blues, pinks, and greens draped from the ceiling, adorned the walls, and embellished the floor surrounding Terri Sun (10) and Albert Li (12) at the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center. The siblings were part of a five-month-long effort with the Joey’s Wings organization to create large art displays from origami cranes and string to advocate for childhood cancer research and awareness. The two had been folding the cranes since May alongside nearly 100 students from Florida, Texas, and California.

Their work of making 15,000 cranes was completed to symbolize the 15,000 children in the US who face a cancer diagnosis each year. Their display welcomed more than 130 visitors, as well as the mayor of Chula Vista, to the center to raise awareness for childhood cancer, Sept. 6. 

The founder of Joey’s Wings Kathy Liu  approached Li and Sun’s Chinese youth group, Youth Care Club, which they had been involved with for years, to begin the project. To support Joey’s Wings’ cause of “flying beyond cancer” and fundraise for childhood cancer research, the club folded 3,500 red, white, and blue cranes and took on the task of stringing each  into hanging rows from the ceiling in the shape of the American flag. Sun said that she and her brother were inspired to support Joey’s Wings because of the loss of their grandmother to lung cancer, and because she knew from that experience that cancer’s impact reaches far further than the patient. 

“Cancer has such a big impact on a lot of people’s lives,” Sun said. “People are sick and I want to help them by raising awareness and spreading the message to as many people as possible. The physical cranes not only allow visitors to admire art, but they can intake the depth of it through our displays. Also just in the community around us, you never know when so many people could be going through that. By raising more awareness, we can help people because cancer doesn’t just directly impact the patient, but also their families and communities.”

Li said they were also moved by Liu’s personal story with cancer. After Liu lost her son, Joey, to childhood cancer, she built beauty from grief and started Joey’s Wings in 2014 to celebrate Joey’s life and love of origami, as well as to push for prioritization of childhood cancer research in the US. She said the displays took a large influence from Japanese legend and the book Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes.

“The cranes were inspired by Joey; he loved to fold paper, but he never folded a crane before,” Liu said. “He always folded very complicated things. But I chose the crane because cranes in Asian cultures represent good luck. And there’s a book about 1,000 cranes, which allows one wish to be granted. So for us, we can say that wish is a cure. When I first started [Joey’s Wings], [the first display] was 2,000 cranes to make two wishes, which is two cures. And with 15,000 cranes, 15 wishes is a cure for 15 cancers. The cultural meaning behind it is also good luck, a blessing, so it helps lift up people’s feelings.”

Liu said that spreading the message of Joey’s Wings was surprisingly easy, and that many people, like Sun and Li, quickly caught interest in such a powerful message. Ten years ago, Liu established a permanent crane display in an Eli Lilly & Company pharmaceutical building to emphasize the importance of drug development for childhood cancer, since there was far less research in comparison to that for adults. Liu also plans to visit Washington, D.C.in a week to continue her advocacy for child cancer research with the federal government. She said her efforts to honor Joey have not gone to waste. 

“It’s amazing, for a mom like me, that I don’t have to convince people to donate or do marketing,” Liu said. “It’s just plain out of love and also my anger because children didn’t have their own [cancer drugs]. The first event, 5,000 people came, and then I felt like ‘Wow, we can do this for sure,’ and then it just kept me going, and now we have more and more research. When Joey was 12 years old, even the doctor hadn’t ever heard of the name of his cancer. It’s called translocation renal cell carcinoma, and nobody knew of that. Now I work with nearly 20 institutes in America to study this cancer.”

Sun said that she continued to fold the hundreds of cranes because she believes each kid deserves to survive cancer and live through adulthood. 

“In Japanese culture, cranes represent longevity,” Sun said. “When we hold so many and display them in different spaces, it does not just raise awareness but tells people that children with cancer deserve to live longer lives. A lot of those who contract childhood cancer die from it, so by doing this, we’re raising funds and also bringing more people to know about this and speak up about it.”

This immersive display will only remain in the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center for this month, but Liu said she hopes another museum, library, or company will allow the art of Joey’s Wings to stay permanently. Reflecting on how far the impact of Joey’s story has grown, she advises students to never underestimate themselves when they feel passionate about making a change.

“They trust me, the Chinese community and others,” Liu said. “It’s just amazing. I learned a lot, and I always tell high-schoolers, ‘Never doubt your potential.’ When I first came to this country 18 years ago, I never ever thought of this thing I’m doing now. Everywhere, you guys can do a lot of good things. Never doubt your potential.”