About Us
Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (CHYP) is an online 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth aged 1324 and their caregivers as they navigate the challenges of chronic pain By bridging gaps in chronic pain care due to barriers like cost, geographic location, and long wait times for doctor's appointments, CHYP programs are designed to improve the quality of life and decrease pain for youth across the USA, Canada, and the world
CHYP began in 2005 as a local initiative in Southern California, founded by Dr. Lonnie Zeltzer, M.D., a pioneer in pediatric pain and palliative care. Grounded in the biopsychosocial model, CHYP introduced science-backed, creative approaches to chronic pain, offering non-clinical interventions to complement traditional medical treatments. After expanding nationally in 2019, CHYP extended its reach globally in 2024, delivering accessible, life-changing resources to youth and families around the world.
Our Vision
Our vision is to provide free, quality, ondemand, and live resources to youth in chronic pain and their caregivers, increasing their quality of life and decreasing their pain. We continue to build a supportive community of youth and their caregivers navigating the difficulties of living with chronic pain across the USA, Canada, and beyond.
Our Mission
Our mission at Creative Healing for Youth in Pain is to cultivate a supportive online community for youth ages 13-24 and their caregivers while they navigate the challenges of chronic pain CHYP strives to inspire and empower participants and guide them toward a journey of healing and hope by giving them the tools needed to overcome the obstacles of chronic pain, including creative non-clinical interventions, education, and peer support CHYP aims to provide its participants with community and resources without the limitations imposed by geographic location or socioeconomic status
Our Impact
We provide free educational resources, peer connections, and creative healing experiences to bridge the gap for common healthcare barriers such as cost, geographic location, and long wait times for doctor appointments.
In 2024, our online platform made over 394,000 impressions from nearly 17,000 users—a 1,700% year-overyear surge. Simultaneously, our hightouch programs grew by 400%, all while remaining under budget, reflecting strong fiscal discipline.
Through creative expression and social support, CHYP empowers youth to manage pain while fostering resilience, enhancing self-worth, and promoting emotional well-being within an underserved population that represents roughly ⅓ of all teens and young adults
Our Team
Our team includes a dedicated staff of employees and volunteers, guided by a professionally diverse Board of Directors, Parent and Youth Advisory boards, Clinical and Professional Advisors, and Creative Artists.
Lonnie Zeltzer Maya Iwanaga Pinkner
Jonci Cukier President & Founder Secretary Michael Thompson Treasurer
Kim Miller Madeline Nave Interim Executive Director
Vice President
A Year in Review
In 2024, CHYP not only experienced significant program growth and expanded its library of educational resources and research but also deepened its network of partnerships
We established relationships with more than 120 new allies, including mission-aligned nonprofits, children’s hospitals, and corporate partners. Additionally, all goals related to social media growth, engagement, and key performance indicators outlined in our 2year strategic plan were met with success.
In 2024, CHYP made a bold commitment to accessibility by offering all programs free of charge. To better meet participants’ needs, CHYP also transitioned lowtouch programs to the current online, on-demand format, allowing youth to engage with content on their own time, without the pressure of a live or social component. As a result, both high-touch (social) and low-touch (independent) programs saw a significant increase in participation compared to 2023.
Virtual Summer Camp 2024 was a powerful reflection of CHYP’s mission in action Participation quadrupled from 2023, with youth joining from all over the US and Canada and as far away as England and Ireland. Artists and Mind-Body practitioners led live, interactive workshops, while CHYP young adults served as mentors and counselors, gaining just as much from the experience as the campers Thanks to a generous partnership with CoachArt, each camper also received an art supply kit for ceramics to use during the camp workshop led by the CoachArt “coach”
From 2023 to 2024, our marketing efforts included a full website audit for content and SEO, participation in the Google Ad Grants program, and targeted outreach These actions led to a substantial increase in the number of youth and parents engaging with our services and accessing our educational materials.
In 2024, active users on our website grew from 2,600 to nearly 17,000 while site impressions increased dramatically, rising to 394,000, an overall growth of 1,700 percent.
Our program offerings were consistent from prior years, however, registrations and participant numbers surged, growing 400% over those in 2023 .
Additionally, a new, independent self-paced “Navigating Pain” email and video series was developed and launched for youth unable to attend live programming.
A Global Review
From humble beginnings and a focus exclusively on Los Angeles County in 2005, 2024 proved to be a year of exponential national and global growth, reaching individuals on every inhabited continent on the globe.
Summary
2024 was a year of remarkable growth and deepened impact for Creative Healing for Youth in Pain. By offering all programs free of charge and shifting to more flexible, ondemand formats, CHYP expanded its reach and accessibility like never before Participation surged and engagement grew exponentially The numbers reflect more than just scale; they represent thousands of youth and caregivers finding support, connection, and tools to navigate the complexities of chronic pain in ways that fit their lives.
At its core, CHYP remains a lifeline, offering hope, healing, and a sense of belonging to young people who need it most, along with the families and caregivers who walk beside them Through creative expression, community support, and accessible resources, CHYP helps ensure that no one navigating chronic pain has to do it alone
What’s Next?
This year, CHYP’s mission came to life in powerful and tangible ways, from peer-led mentorship and global participation in our Virtual Summer Camp to creative healing workshops, webinars, and self-paced educational resources. Through new partnerships and a growing international presence, we ’ ve continued to build a diverse, supportive, and inclusive community across the US, Canada, and beyond
CHYP will continue to build on the momentum and growth achieved in 2024. In March 2025, we will launch a fully accessible, ADA-compliant, multilingual website designed to enhance user experience through streamlined registration, improved search functionality, and dedicated sections tailored to each population we serve. With a firm commitment to research, we will also participate in a joint research project with Children’s Hospital of LA.
To mark two decades of impact, CHYP will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a gala dinner in October. As we honor this milestone, we will also expand our fundraising efforts to sustain and support our continued growth, ensuring we can meet the evolving needs of the global adolescent chronic pain community.
2024 was an exceptional year of vision, growth, and execution of our organizational mission. We are firmly committed to keeping this momentum in 2025 with carefully planned strategic goals and initiatives.
We encourage you to join us in fulfilling our mission of serving the thousands of youth with chronic pain, their caregivers, and their families throughout the world
Get in touch with us or visit our website to learn more about volunteering, sponsorship, or donor opportunities Together, we can make a difference.