During a visit to a hospital, Anna and I had an opportunity to meet with a senior nurse and her team of colleagues, who are involved in a form of 'outreach' to patients. They are involved in helping some patients to discover the resident artistic skills, hitherto unknown to them.
We saw a display of ideas on paper craft, Chinese painting, cloth painting, and designing articles from waste materials.
When we listened to the story of design and creation of some of the materials on display, we realised how patients on treatment for different clinical conditions during the hospital stay were enabled to express themselves and discover the hidden skills of originality.
Anna and I felt inspired by this story. Three cheers to the team of professionals in the hospital who attend to the clinical needs of patients but also see in them resources that remain unknown to them. This effort of the team of the professionals to befriend patients to lead them discover their artistic skills, is a unique function bringing a new culture in patient care. What a fascinating experience it was to discover the scope of 'patient education' beyond treatment education or health education to 'life skill formative education' !
What touched us was the philosophy behind it. Many patients can find a new experience of inner healing or delightful awareness about themselves towards recapturing their own selfhood! From the body related preoccupation because of illness, patients are led to see the 'abundance' that resides them. The patients become pathfinders for their wellness!
I realised how a hospital becomes a temple of healing through this provision offered to some patients. In that sense for some patients a visit to this hospital became a pilgrimage in reviving their self knowledge and awakening an aspiration to pursue after!
Listening to the director of the hospital we realised that this department was intentionally created to offer healing, health and wholeness to give people a future beyond just existing or treating an illness! This is the transformational mission of the hospital!
What an enlarged outlook of life well beyond medical care!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment