Welcome to the Georgetown Lombardi Arts & Humanities Program (AHP) newsletter. In this issue, we introduce our special session workshops for the summer, interview Director of Nursing and Clinical Operations, Mikerlyne Castor, about the Annual Flower Buffet, and recap the Community+Collage+Care workshop led by our artists-in-residence Jennifer Wilkin Penick and Anjelika Deogirikar Grossman.

Special AHP Summer Workshops

The Georgetown Lombardi Arts and Humanities program will be taking a summer break from regular virtual classes. The normal virtual class schedule will resume in September.

The following free virtual classes will be offered as special sessions during the summer:

• In The Studio- Creative Mindfulness- June 13th at 12:00 pm

• Creativity Jumpstart: De-Stress with Art- June 26th at 2:00 pm

• Creativity Jumpstart: De-Stress with Art- July 15th at 2:00 pm

• In the Studio- Creative Mindfulness- July 18th at 12:00 pm

• Movement for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Class- June 18th- July 23rd at 1:00 pm.

*Email Deborah Riley at deborahrileydanceprojects@gmail.com to register.

Monday Morning Yoga (Mondays at 10 am) and Accessible Yoga (Mondays at 12 pm) classes will continue their regular schedule during the summer.

To learn more about workshops and classes at the Georgetown Lombardi Arts and Humanities Program, visit our Eventbrite page.

Celebrating Oncology Nurses with a Flower Buffet

Photo of MedStar Georgetown Oncology Staff at MultiFlor's Flower Buffet

The AHP, in collaboration with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital's Nursing and Clinical Operations department, and MultiFlor Flowers, hosted the Annual Flower Buffet for the nurses and administrative staff of the Oncology department. The Flower Buffet provides an afternoon for staff to make their own beautiful flower bouquets and connect with each other. AHP Program Manager, Noni Ford interviewed Director of Nursing and Clinical Operations, Mikerlyne "Mikkey" Castor, about the Flower Buffet.

Read below to learn more about the Flower Buffet:

What are the origins of the Flower Buffet?

Mikerlyne: Three years ago, we were planning our Oncology Nurses Month celebrations, and we really wanted it to be a special month since we were beginning to come out of the pandemic. Our previous Director of Nursing and Clinical Operations, Lisa Cusaac, (now VP of Inpatient Services at MGUH) initiated the event with Julia Langley. It was remarkable to see the responses from the nurses at the Flower Buffet. It was very well received and a highly anticipated event- we knew we had to keep up with this tradition.

What flowers did the staff love this year?

Mikerlyne: Roses and hydrangeas were crowd favorites this year.

Did you hear any feedback from the participants? 

Mikerlyne: Everyone is very positive about the Flower Buffet. Many associates stated they were happy they were working that day and did not miss out because they look forward to it every year. The flowers were gorgeous and it's a nice break for associates to come and do self-care for themselves. Selecting the flowers, being in the presence of others, and having great conversations with everyone was very therapeutic.

What do you like most about the Flower Buffet? 

Mikerlyne: I love that it brings everyone together. We work out of six difference clinical spaces, and it is impressive how associates are able to meet new people within departments and see familiar faces. Most of all, I appreciate the smiles and joy it brings to everyone participating.

Do you plan to have the Buffet next year? 

Yes, absolutely. I don't think this is a tradition we can stop. Many associates look forward to it. We have opened it up to include not just our nurses but all associates who are active in the care of our patients. This includes clinical administrative assistants, patient registration associates, medical assistants, leadership, etc.

Community+Collage+Care Workshop

Photo of Artworks Created During Community+Collage+Care Day

In honor of World Collage Day on May 11th, artists-in-residence Jennifer Wilkin Penick and Anjelika Deogirikar Grossman hosted Community+Collage+Care Day, a special pop-up virtual workshop. Jennifer and Anjelika brought their own approach to collage making, and encouraged participants to use materials they already had. These participants made embellished collage paper and created playful collage houses. The event connected individuals from around the world tuning in from the United States, Canada, Europe, and more!

World Collage Day started in 2018 and was created by Kolaj Magazine. Artists and arts organizations were invited to hold events that celebrate the joy of collage. World Collage Day seeks to connect artists globally by crossing over borders. It's also a day to appreciate collage, a fun and accessible art medium suited for all levels of artists. Through collage, communities embrace creativity, innovation, and connection.

Last year, the Lombardi Arts and Humanities Program hosted a call to artists called “Art for a Cause”, a worldwide collaborative project led by artist-in-residence Jennifer Wilkin Penick. This project brought in more than 4,000 pieces of original collage art contributions sent to the AHP from participants around the world. Those collages have been used to create greeting cards for patients and caregivers of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center clinic.

During the Collage+Care+Community Workshop, participants filled out brief welcome and exit polls with the following questions: “How creatively inspired are you feeling right now?” and “How connected to community do you feel right now?”. A shift in participants’ perception of their creativity was notable from the beginning to the end of the workshop. Participants feeling “very creatively inspired” increased by nearly 80% in exit polls. A similar percentage felt an increase in their connection to community at the end of the session. These results continue to affirm the importance of arts and community even in a virtual setting.

The Georgetown Lombardi Arts & Humanities Program (AHP) promotes a holistic approach to healthcare for patients, caregivers, physicians, nurses, staff members, and students through the use of music, dance, expressive writing, and visual arts. These therapeutic modalities are normally provided throughout the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., and online through Eventbrite courses. The AHP is a program of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Please consider making a gift of any size to support the AHP so we may continue to grow and provide arts and humanities programming for our wonderful communities.