Tu Nidito was created to fill an expressed community need for comprehensive, child-centered, coordinated care for children living with life-threatening medical conditions and their families.

Tu Nidito originated as the result of a focus group comprised of medical professionals, hospital representatives from Carondelet Health Services, University Medical Center and Tucson Medical Center, bereaved parents, business leaders and interested citizens.

Tu Nidito was incorporated and received its 501(c)3 non-profit status in 1994.

Tu Nidito accepted its first client in October of 1996. Since that time, Tu Nidito has expanded its original program from one to seven core programs and a summer camp.

In 1997, Candlelighters of Tucson was merged under the Tu Nidito umbrella and became an operating program of Tu Nidito.  The Tu Nidito Candlelighters program and services are for families who have or have had a child with cancer. At the end of 2004, the Candlelighters name was relinquished to a group of parents who have or have had a child with cancer so they could provide the purely social events of the service. Tu Nidito continues to offer individual and group services for children diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening medical condition.

In 2000, Tu Nidito merged with Children to Children, bringing a new component to Tu Nidito’s services by offering support groups to children who are grieving the death of a loved one. The need was so great that this quickly became Tu Nidito’s largest program, helping hundreds of children each year cope with the sadness, anxiety, anger, and fear they experienced after the death of a loved one.

In 2002, in partnership with Magwitch’s Treehouse (a small 501C-3 organization, conceived of by two University of Arizona students), Tu Nidito piloted a summer camp project for seriously ill children and their siblings. The project included three one-week sessions geared to the special needs and ability levels of our children. The camp was very successful and we have merged the program under the Tu Nidito umbrella to expand our continuum of support services.

In 2003, Tu Nidito entered into a formal partnership with the founders of Ben’s Bells to merge the bell project under Tu Nidito. Ben’s Bells are hand-crafted wind chimes made in honor of Ben Packard who died unexpectedly just before his third birthday. Hundreds of bells are distributed throughout the community each year. After 18 months assisting with the formulation and funding for Ben’s Bells, it was turned back over to its founders to continue to expand its mission of promoting random acts of kindness.

In 2006, Tu Nidito added a new component to the Grief Support program and began providing support groups to young adults, ages 18 – 29.  This program operates from a satellite location near the University of Arizona campus.

Tu Nidito continues to respond to community needs and in 2008 began offering support to children who have a parent with cancer. In 2011, the program expanded to children who have a parent diagnosed with a serious medical condition.