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>> THE ARTS AND RESIDENCE
PROGRAM IS A OPPORTUNITY
FOR PATIENTS TO KIND OF
LEAVE BEHIND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
YOU HAVE TO COME INTO
THE HOSPITAL AND YOU'RE
GETTING THE CHEMO
AND THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY.
PAINTING TAKES
AWAY THE EXTERIOR.
IT BRINGS YOU INTO YOUR
PAINTING AND PEOPLE PAINT
THINGS THAT MAKE THEM HAPPY.
YOU JUST BECOME SO ABSORBED
IN THE CANVAS AND IN THE
PAINTING PROCESS
THAT YOU REALLY LEAVE ALL
OF THIS BEHIND.
THE BEEPING.
THE PEOPLE WALKING
AND THE ANXIETY
IS LEFT BEHIND.
I THINK THAT IS THE
BIGGEST BENEFIT.
>>THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT
OF RESEARCH THAT SAYS
CONNECTING A PATIENT WITH
PART OF THEMSELVES THROUGH
THE ARTS CAN TAKE THEM TO
A DIFFERENT PLACE SO WE
HAVE OUR OWN MUSIC.
SO IN OTHER WORDS,
THEY'RE NOT FOCUSING ANYMORE
ON THE ILLNESS,
THEY'RE FOCUSING ON THIS
CREATIVE PROCESS.
>>I LOVE TO TEACH
AND I LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO
SEE HOW ARTISTIC THEY CAN BE.
BUT I LOVE PAINTING
AND I GET TO SHARE THAT
LOVE OF PAINTING WITH PATIENTS.
THEY GET SO EXCITED
AND VERY TICKLED WHEN THEY
WALK OUT WITH A PAINTING OR SEE
AN ACCOMPLISHMENT
THEY HAD NO IDEA
THAT COULD DO.
AND IT'S JUST KEEPING THINGS
REAL SIMPLE. AND A LITTLE
BIT OF INSTRUCTION AND
THEY'RE JUST BLOWN AWAY
WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO AND
THAT'S A NEAT FEELING.
>>I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD
HAVE THIS KIND OF OUTLET.
I DON'T SEE MYSELF AS AN
ARTISTIC PERSON AT ALL.
AND WHEN I DID THE FIRST ONE,
I LEFT GOING OH MY GOSH,
I DID SOMETHING PRETTY COOL.
AND IT JUST OPENS UP SOME
OTHER AREAS THAT YOU
CAN EXPLORE THAT.
THERE IS SOME ART IN US
EVERYWHERE. EVERYBODY HAS
SOME ART IN THEM.
>>IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY AND NOT
LOOKING AT SOMEONE AS A PATIENT.
WHEN THEY COME HERE,
THEY'RE A PERSON.
SO IN ADDITION TO SUPERB MEDICAL
CARE THAT WE HAVE HERE,
WE LOOK AT ALL THE
OTHER NEEDS THAT SOMEONE
HAS AND WE TRY TO ADDRESS
THAT AS WELL.
>>THE BENEFITS ARE THAT YOUR
MIND IS NOT ON WHAT
YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND IT JUST AGAIN RELIEVES
STRESS AND IN EVERYTHING
THAT YOU DO, IT TAKES JUST
SOME OF THE EDGE OFF OF
THE DRUGS THAT YOU'RE
GETTING AND MAYBE YOU'RE
NOT GONNA FEEL AS NAUSEAOUS.
IT JUST DISTRACTS YOU.
MD ANDERSON
REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB OF
TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT
WAYS OF HELPING US COPE
WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
>>EACH TIME A PATIENT
COMPLETES AN ARTWORK,
THEY HAVE A CHOICE.
THEY CAN EITHER TAKE IT HOME
AND OFTEN THEY DO
AND THEY SHARE IT.
OR THEY CAN LEAVE IT WITH
US TEMPORARILY.
IF THEY LEAVE THE ARTWORK WITH
ME, I CAN PUT IT UP IN THE
HALLWAY TO SHARE AND THEY
MIGHT COME BACK AND BRING
THEIR FAMILY OR THEIR
CHILDREN SOME DAY IF
THEY'RE COMING BY.
AND SHARE THAT LITTLE PIECE OF
THE HOSPITAL THAT'S THEIRS.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
ABOUT COMING AND WORKING IN
THE HOSPITAL IS THE JOY
I GET IN CREATING ARTISTS.
BEING AN ARTIST IS SOMETHING
THAT THEY ARE NOW.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING
THAT'S JUST FOR OTHER
PEOPLE AND I THINK THAT AS
MANY PEOPLE SEE THAT THEY
HAVE IT INSIDE THEM,
IT'S NOT A SPECIAL GIFT
THAT'S ONLY GIVEN TO A