Pictures drawn of butterflies, shining suns and princesses by children with cancer symbolize freedom from needles, and optimistic dreams for the future. This week, Rambam opened an exhibit of more than 200 drawings by children in hemo-oncological units around the world: a rare view into the world of the pediatric cancer patient.
Karam Ahmad from Kalkilya, in the Palestinian authority, has been intimately acquainted with illness since his birth, 15 years ago. Throughout his short life, he has battled Thalassemia Major, a genetic hematological disease from which his 13 year old sister, Hanad, also suffers. In 2006, the two children underwent bone marrow transplants in Italy. Shortly after the operation, Karam’s situation worsened, and he arrived at the Hemotological-Oncological Unit at Meir Children’s Hospital at Rambam to receive treatment that would save his life. The two siblings, who had lost their oldest brother, Fuad, to the same disease when he was 12, are now permanent patients at Rambam – the largest medical center in northern Israel.
Children from different places, cultures and religions lie side by side at Meir Hospital’s Hemotological-Oncological Unit. There, they find a common language based on their struggle with illness. This language is expressed through pictures drawn as part of the hospital’s art therapy program. Each piece tells a story, revealing their hopes, dreams and fears.
Today, Thursday February 4, International Cancer Prevention Day, marks the opening at Rambam of a unique art show. Entitled The Day I Will Never Forget, this exhibit comprises drawings by children in hemo-oncological units in the Middle East and the USA.
More than 200 drawings by youngsters from Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan, Turkey, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the USA will be on display, including works by many children treated at Rambam.
“About two youngsters come to our unit every week from different countries. They range in age from between a few days to teenagers,” says Prof Myriam Ben-Arush, Director of the Hemotological-Oncological Unit at Meir Children’s Hospital. “In Israel, some 500 new cases of pediatric cancer are diagnosed annually. Coping with cancer may be the most significant physical and mental experience of their lives. The art therapy program offers these children and adolescents a way to express themselves and gain some sense of control during their illness.”
According to Grace Yaakov, a social worker in the unit, the art show stresses the junction between health and illness. “The drawings describe the inner souls of the youngsters and portray their thoughts and feelings with color and line.”
The Day I Will Never Forget was initiated in 2007 by The Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC), an organization that brings together young cancer patients in the Middle East and the USA. The exhibit is based on the premise that art therapy enables communication among sick children, and helps fulfill their emotional and psychological needs during and after their illness.