News from the Heart
Winter 2019
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provides personalized fine art experiences that enhance the healing process for patients and their families.
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Thank you for your support in 2019!
We would like to extend our gratitude to those who generously supported our organization last year. With your help in 2019, Art with a Heart in Healthcare (AWAHIH) provided fine art sessions to more than
15,000
patients and families in healthcare settings and distributed more than
900
Art-To-Go bags!
We hope to continue achieving great things together in 2020!
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AWAHIH continues to work with Kids Together Against Cancer (KTAC).
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KTAC hosts monthly Family Night, an evening event that gives families facing cancer a chance to enjoy a meal together, commune with other families sharing similar experiences, and express themselves creatively with a thoughtfully-planned art project.
AWAHIH Artist-in-Residence Brooke works with an Oncology social worker from St. Vincent’s hospital to facilitate an art project that is both beautiful and meaningful with the families. Participants are often very proud of their work and enjoy engaging in the creative process and with one another.
Click below to watch Brooke's presentations on a couple of KTAC family night collaborative art projects:
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Wolfson Children's Hospital
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Wolfson 55
A few of our Artists-in-Residence (AIR) and volunteers had a great time facilitating art with patients and their families at Wolfson Children's Hospital's (WCH) annual fundraising event, The Wolfson 55 Children's Challenge!
These 55 patients were specially selected by WCH to represent the hospital by sharing their stories and medical journeys. AWAHIH provided private fine art sessions throughout the event!
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Wolfson Media Center Shows
In December, our caricature artists Bob and Heidi (and their puppet pals) presented fun, step-by-step tutorials for creating several holiday-themed drawings.
Then, in February, our new AIR John and his colleague Stephen Wagner brought their musical instruments and led an interactive healing sounds performance. Patients got to try out the instruments for themselves!
Some patients had a great time following along in the media center while others participated from their hospital beds by watching the live stream of the shows on their televisions!
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Grand Opening of Baptist South Pediatric Emergency Unit!
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AWAHIH volunteer artists and Artists-in-Residence (AIR) facilitated a fine art project with attendees of Baptist Medical Center's (BMC) Winter Wonderland festival in December! This event celebrated the holiday season and the opening of Wolfson Children's Hospital Pediatric E.D at Baptist South.
AIR Lisa pre-made blank snow globes that participants painted however they wanted. Every seat at the tables was filled throughout the day with kids of all ages and their families eager to create personalized snow globes. It was a huge success!
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Medical Equipment Transformations
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One of the most impactful aspects of art is its ability to transform anything, even medical equipment, into something that is personalized, beautiful, and empowering.
This idea was put into practice by our talented AIR Maddie when she transformed this sweet patient’s back brace into an Iron Man suit. Maddie went out and bought enamel paint to ensure that the paint would be as long-lasting as possible.
The patient and her family were very excited and thankful to receive it.
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Then, when a patient was reluctant to wear his helmet during physical therapy, a Child Life Specialist (CLS) had an idea to transform it into something that would inspire him to wear it.
AIR Jill helped bring the CLS' vision to life by painting the helmet to resemble a Jaguars football team helmet. Our hope is that with the helmet painted like his favorite team, he will be more willing to wear it making his healing process go smoother!
We love all of the creative ways in which we can carry out our mission of enhancing the healing process for patients and their families.
Great work, Maddie and Jill!
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AWAHIH's new Program Director, Maddie Firestone!
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Maddie Firestone graduated with an art degree from Flagler College. She began volunteering for Art With a Heart in Healthcare in 2014, and one and a half years later year she was hired as an Artist-in-Residence. Now, in her new position as Program Director, Maddie will provide the artistic direction and leadership involved in guiding our team to carry out AWAHIH's mission.
Maddie remembers many special moments from the past six years, but it was a young girl who is deaf who really captured Maddie’s heart. The girl and her mom were hesitant at first, but soon the patient was painting and laughing while Maddie learned new American Sign Language signs! Her mom said she had not heard her daughter laugh like that in days. Maddie was delighted that through creativity she was able to help the young girl release her stress and feel more comfortable while in the hospital.
“I believe in what we are doing 100% … making a difference one patient at a time.” Maddie feels that, “in a world of constant pokes and prods from the hospital staff, beeps from monitors, and isolation,” the creative process can be very freeing for patients. She feels fortunate to have an art career, especially one that touches people’s lives in such a meaningful way.
Congratulations on your new position, Maddie!
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New Artist-in-Residence, John Guinta!
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We would like to give a warm welcome to John Guinta, AWAHIH's new AIR! John, a retired air traffic control officer, has begun delivering interactive healing sound sessions with Wolfson Children's Hospital (WCH) inpatient and outpatient behavioral health patients.
Listeners of all ages are captivated by the beautiful, unique tone of the Handpan instrument that John plays. Many patients attest that being apart of the Handpan music sessions makes them feel more peaceful and relaxed. John says evoking this reaction is his favorite part about what he does. In addition to listening, patients are also invited to try out the Handpan for themselves. The instrument is empowering for patients as it requires no musical training or experience to play.
John describes playing the Handpan as a meditative practice, and participants seem to have a similar experience just by listening. When our minds feel calm, our bodies will calm as well, helping it to reach and maintain a state of homeostasis. These sessions can be an invaluable modality for enhancing the well-being and healing process of WCH patients.
Want to hear for yourself? Follow the link below to hear the instrument in action:
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UNF Interns: Spring and Fall 2019
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We are delighted to continue our internship program with University of North Florida!
In 2019, Hannah Keats and Heloisa Nascimento interned during both spring and fall semesters. During this time, they worked alongside AWAHIH Artists-in-Residence and engaged in many meaningful interactions with patients in group and individual bedside art sessions.
Hannah's favorite part about interning with AWAHIH was getting to know patients one-on-one during bedside art sessions. She recalled a particular bedside session that stood out to her. She explained, "I really got to bond with her [the patient]. She was really happy to have someone to talk to and make art with." Heloisa appreciates how AWAHIH gives patients the opportunity to externalize their feelings through art. Moreover, she enjoyed observing the change that occurs within patients as they create art, noting that "they become much more confident, expressive, and comfortable ... demonstrating how art serves as an instrument of interaction and communication." Both of them hope to continue working in the Arts in Health field in the future.
Thank you, Hannah and Heloisa, for dedicating your time and talents with us for two semesters!
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Help us keep making a difference!
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Patsy Moore
Helen Meatte
Janet Massey
Kianna Godoy
Chrissy Granados
Teresa Graham
Illyssa Harrington
If you are an artist who enjoys helping adults, children, and families discover their creativity, we encourage you to join our volunteer team.
We have open opportunities six days a week. Our volunteers represent all ages and sectors of the community. For more detailed information, please see our
Volunteer page
on our website.
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Program Directors:
Christy Ponder
Executive Director and Artist-in-Residence
Maddie Firestone
Program Director and Artist-in-Residence
Lori Presto
Director of Operations
Artists-in-Residence:
Matt Richards
Anne Roberts
Bob Drost
Alexis Audate
Jill Olmo
Brooke McKinney
Lisa Miyares
Dylan Bauer
Heidi Drost
Abagail Santos
John Guinta
Tony Rodriguez
Board of Directors:
Hillary Whitaker -
Board Chair
Judy Powell -
Treasurer
Laird
Casey Andeer
Kerri Carter
Bebe Alexander
Bonnie Hayflick
Board of Advisors:
Lori Guadagno -
Co-founder
Lisa Ullmann -
Co-founder
Robert Monsky
Cynthia Jacoby Greene
Katherine Loeb
Sam Hall
Brooks Cannon
Kathy Soler-Sala
Melissa Roland
Jennifer Guthrie
Honorary Trustees:
Louise Freshman Brown
Professor University of North Florida
Suzanne Taylor
Community Volunteer
Karen Wolfson
Wolfson Children's Hospital
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Be a part of our story!
Foundations, corporations, partners, sponsors, and individual donors who through their generous funding ensure that the children, adults, and families we serve have the best staff, volunteers, and art supplies available.
Donations support our growing programs, and we invite you to join our team by making a tax deductible donation.
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A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State of Florida.
Registration # CH39925
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If you have had a special experience with AWAHIH, fill out our "tell us about your experience" survey by clicking below. We would love to hear your story!
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Art
with a
Heart
in
Healthcare
Sponsors
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The Henri Landwirth Family Endowed Fund
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Art
with a
Heart
in
Healthcare
Partnerships
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