Caroline
Wofford sought comfort in art during her four-year battle with
leukemia. Watercolors were the little girl's favorite. She'd sit
for hours with her brother, Si, and paint nature scenes as a way
to escape the unpleasantness of chemotherapy and blood tests.
"She felt so
isolated at the hospital," said her mother, Cindy. "Art brought
the world to her."
After
Caroline died in 1997 at the age of 10, Si continued to draw and
paint. Now 15, he is honoring his sister by organizing a
permanent exhibit at VCU Children's Medical Center. "Hope and
Wonder" was unveiled last week on the second floor of the
Gateway Building at the downtown medical campus.
Vibrant
ceramic tiles fill hallway walls leading to the ASK Pediatric
Hematology/Oncology Clinic. More than 30 children being treated
at the clinic have been painting the tiles since November.
"I saw how
important art was in Caroline's life," Si said. "I want other
kids to be able to show off their own talents."
Si
coordinated "Hope and Wonder" as part of his Eagle Scout
project. A ninth-grader at St. Christopher's, he is a member of
Eagle Scout Troop 400, sponsored by St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
"I thought
this would help brighten their day," Si said. "It brings out
their imagination and takes their mind off of what they have to
deal with here at the hospital."
Si's mother,
who owns All Fired Up ceramics studio in Carytown, donated about
100 blank tiles. Each square is a creative leap into a child's
world of hope. Some painted flowers and birds, others cartoon
characters and mosaics.
"When
children produce artwork, they can express themselves and get
their emotions out," said S. Ross Browne, art specialist for the
VCU Health System. "Communicating your feelings is always part
of the healing process."
A few
parents painted tiles, too, but most were done by the children.
"A lot of
people feel helpless when they are in the hospital," Browne
said. "If they can produce something that other people enjoy,
that other people have a reaction to, that can be such a
positive thing."
Art provided
just what Caroline needed when she was undergoing treatment, her
mother said.
"It allowed
her to go to a place where she had control," she said. "Using
your imagination can soften a lot."
Si was 2
when his sister was diagnosed, so he didn't understand what was
happening. He just remembers being at the hospital a lot. He
would sit with his sister and play, but mostly they drew
pictures and painted.
When he
began to think about an Eagle Scout project, it didn't take long
for him to come up with "Hope and Wonder." He contacted ASK (The
Association for the Support of Children with Cancer) for help.
The group assisted in coordination of the project.
"It's been a
great thing for the children," said Anne Cuomo, ASK executive
director. "I have a feeling our wall will get bigger because all
the children who have seen it want to participate."
Eight
frames, each containing 30 tiles, hang in the hallway. They add
color to a sterile environment while conveying hope to patients
and their families.
"Caroline
would have liked this," Si said. "She would have liked it a lot.
She had to go through what these kids are going through now. She
knows how much art can help."
