Help kids with burn injuries heal faster

Dear Donor,

Summertime is when many patients travel great distances to the Galveston hospital for inpatient and outpatient care. Lives are forever impacted by the expert care received by both new and returning patients during this time. As children and families fill our hospital corridors, we take great pride in helping them learn, grow and thrive through therapeutic art activities.

Since our last report, more than 20 inpatients and 20 outpatients and their families have engaged in therapeutic art activities in group and individual sessions. Child Life Specialists report that many small group and individual sessions are especially heartfelt. It is during this time that Child Life staff are better able to personally connect, develop relationships and forge bonds with patients and their families to ultimately help heal the physiological aftermath that often accompanies a burn injury. In these small group and individual sessions, patients and their families have window painted, created patient “ID” badges similar to those worn by staff and crafted hand-made shrinky-dinks (a small plastic emblem) to decorate patient splints.

Recently in a small group therapeutic art session, two patients and their primary caregivers used magazines, newspaper and scrap paper to make collages of items that appealed to them with accompanying inspirational phrases or words. One participating caregiver created a collage with the name of every member of her family and then surrounded their names with items that reminded her of them. Creating a way to keep her family close was important to this caregiver since her stay was scheduled for several months while her child healed. During the activity, the caregiver was able to discuss each family member with other participants. The discussion about her family with others and her child resulted in her feeling more connected to them. Therapeutic art activities like the one described help patients and their caregivers connect with others, apply creativity and self-expression to release emotion and create personal items to mentally keep family close.

Your donation has helped children with burn injuries and their families participate in therapeutic art activities that are critical to their ability to cope while visiting the Galveston hospital. Self-expression and connection to others are crucial to the mental recovery for patients with burn injuries. Thank you for helping patients and their families learn, grow and thrive through therapeutic art activities.

Links:

• SHC-Galveston