Interview with Sarah Colby

On Monday, September 27 I met up with Sarah Colby at Siteman Cancer Center to discuss my thesis and get her feedback on art projects and crafts that the patients might enjoy. Sarah is the Arts Program Coordinator at Barnes–Jewish Hospital and started the Arts + Healthcare Program for patients. She showed me her office at Barnes and some of her previous projects, including potholders, mosaics, colorful mandalas, beaded prayers, magnets and collage.

Sarah is an incredibly kind and artistic woman and was very generous with her time. We spoke for so long that I accidentally made her late to a meeting (Sorry Sarah!).

Important points I took from our meeting:
1. Family involvement is important in the healing process
2. A gentle touch of humor goes a long way
3. Patients NEED to have distractions
4. Being able to have a choice is important to patients, since they have so little control otherwise

Sarah in her office

L: my mom during chemo, R: example of a typical chair in the chemo "pod"

Art + Healthcare Cabinet

Examples of art projects: magnets, mosaics, collage

Sarah has a button & magnet maker in the Arts + Healthcare room and patients are invited to create their own message and either keep the button/magnet, or stick it around the hospital (like friendly guerilla art). One visitor repeatedly made buttons that simply stated FML (meaning F**k My Life). It made me think about the limitations on my crafts. Not everyone has the same sense of humor and would want to create a FML button. Sarah suggested that if I use a humorous approach, I should make it lighthearted and appealing to a broad audience. 

Books utilized by the Arts + Healthcare Program

I also need to thank Sarah for giving me the option to test-drive my craft projects within her program. This week I'll be planning out my crafts to include in the kit and will provide samples to her to pass along to patients. Thank you, Sarah, for all of your help!