Tracy’s Kids: The Art of Healing

Compelling International Exhibition highlighting Art Therapy is a Huge Success

The Tracy's Kids International Art Exhibition, “The Art of Healing”, a collection of drawings by children with cancer, which opened in St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland  by Ms Mary Upton, TD, Member of the Irish Parliament and  Labour Party Spokesperson on the Arts, Sports and Tourism, received significant attention in the media in Ireland and abroad.

Ms Mary Upton, TD, Member of the  Irish Parliament opening  “Tracy’s Kids, The Art Of Healing” International Art  Exhibition at St James’s Hospital	Ms Tracy Council, Founder  Tracy’s Kids with Ms Mary Upton, TD

Created during 2007 and 2008, in response to the theme “The day I will never forget…” the exhibition is visiting Ireland as part of CANCER 2009 (www.cancerconference.ie).  The 207 revealing, thought provoking and informative drawings were produced while the children were patients in Cancer Centres in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and the United States.

Professor Mark Lawler, whose idea it was to bring the exhibition to Ireland said, “This is the first time that this Exhibition has travelled outside the United States and I think you will agree that we are privileged to have it visit here in Ireland”.  The Exhibition is linked to an Art Therapy programme, which has been in operation in the Lombardi Cancer Centre in Georgetown, Maryland since 1992.  It is a truly informative experience as it allows the children to communicate critically important messages on their feelings through a medium with which they are comfortable - and these messages inform us many different ways. “It will bring out all your emotions, he added

Prof Mark Lawler, St James’s Hospital, Ireland; Dr Maureen O Sullivan, OLCHC, Ireland; Ms Tracy Councill, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre, USA; Mr John McCormack, Irish Cancer Society.

Professor Aziza Shad, Director, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, who was a keynote speaker at the Conference, emphasized the importance of Art Therapy in the care of children with cancer. “It is the vehicle through which children undergoing treatment express their fears, thoughts, dreams and wishes. It was very interesting to see the differences and similarities in the paintings from the diverse countries participating in this unique initiative.'

Commenting on the exhibition, Ms Sheila Grace, Arts Director at St James’s Hospital  said “The work is   poignant, celebratory and also full of hope. It provides insight into the issues we face, whether as children or adults, when coping with illness. Art has a significant role to play in healthcare, providing access to a part of us unreachable by any other means. Tapping into our own creativity enables the development of a host of skills such as self-awareness and enhanced self-esteem which are often at their weakest during illness.”

Prof Mark Lawler, St James’s Hospital, Ms Sheila Grace, St James’s Hospital, Ms Tracy Councill, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Georgetown, USA.

The Artworks were exhibited along one of the main hospital streets(corridors) where they have been  seen by many hundreds of staff, patients, visitors  etc and even whilst they were being hung, it was clear that there was an unprecedented interest in this unique project. People were struck most forcibly by the fact that the works were by children endeavouring to live life, although coping with cancer. They spent time reading the accompanying text expressing the individual children’s thoughts and feelings. When a particular image or even a detail of an image, had a special resonance for them, they were quick to point it out. The paintings also engaged Hospital staff who, whilst empathising with the plight of the participants, commented on the often upbeat and emotionally mature commentaries by the children. Tracy’s Kids International Art Exhibition was quite different from any exhibition previously shown in the Hospital and this was apparent in the reflective responses elicited from a broad spectrum of viewers. A number of staff members expressed regret at the finishing of the Exhibition and said how moved they had been by the paintings; each time they viewed them, often only in passing in the course of their work, they saw something new.

The   Exhibition then moved to Our Lady’s  Childrens’ Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC), Dublin, Ireland where it also received an extremely positive response. Referring to the exhibition and the effect it had on patients, parents and staff at the OLCHC, Dr Maureen O Sullivan, Consultant Pathologist at the Hospital said “ This exhibition really opened people’s minds and hearts to the children with cancer who participated in this unique exhibition and has stimulated us to look at doing something similar here in Ireland”. 

Mr Lorcan Birthistle, CEO OLCHC, Ireland speaking at the Opening of the Exhibition

This Exhibition was a collaborative initiative between St James’s Hospital and OLCHC, Dublin, Ireland. The visit of Tracy’s Kids International Art Exhibition to Ireland was made possible through the support of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Georgetown, USA, the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda USA, The St James’s Hospital Arts Committee and the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation, Crumlin, Ireland.

The Exhibition will shortly move to Tel Aviv where it will be exhibited as part of the Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC) activities in October 2009.

For further details on this initiative, contact Prof Mark Lawler (mplawler@tcd.ie) or Ms Tracy Councill (tracy@tracyskids.org) or go to www.cancerconference.ie or www.tracyskids.com. For the itinerary of the exhibition in the Middle East, please contact Prof Michael Silberman (cancer@mecc-research.com) or go to www.mecc.cancer.gov