How art helps recovery for patients at Nottingham Children's Hospital

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 09:00

How art helps recovery for patients at Nottingham Children's Hospital

SPENDING hours hooked up to a kidney dialysis machine is not a fun way for a teenager to spend an afternoon.

But Asif Ali, who visits Nottingham Children's Hospital three times a week for five-hour dialysis sessions, passes the time by indulging his creative side.

The 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of seven, works on his art while being treated at the Queen's Medical Centre.

Dialysis is needed to maintain the body's internal balance of water and minerals when a person's kidney's fail.

For Asif, over the past ten years, it has meant regular journeys from his home in Leicester to Nottingham for the time-consuming dialysis.

But while he is here, he enjoys working with teaching assistant Jonathan Gray.

"I have to spend five hours sitting down for dialysis, but when something like this comes along it distracts you," said Asif.

"I have my art work for school and college.

"It is a really good facility and the help Jonathan has given me has been really good. He is a really good art teacher."

There is talk of Asif meeting Nottingham fashion maestro Sir Paul Smith, but, for now, the teenager is concentrating on his art work for school.

A recent piece of his work, a fine line drawing of singer Cheryl Cole adorned with black flowers, is now destined for the walls of the hospital.

It was bought by an England cricketer and handed back to the NHS at a recent auction of work by patients at the children's hospital.

The sale, organised by Yorkshire Bank, is part of a strategy by bosses at Nottingham Children's Hospital to make good use of art.

The base at the Queen's Medical Centre brings together under one roof the majority of children's services, many of which used to be at the City Hospital.

In recent months Nottingham's hospital trust has been working to create a distinct environment on floors D and E of the QMC.

A major part of this is decorating the floors in corridors with the children's hospital's rainbow motif so visitors know where they are.

But there are also display boards and artwork relevant for children and young people.

Officials are working with schools and getting children to fill the walls with colour.

Angela Horsley, lead nurse at Nottingham Children's Hospital, said: "By using artwork that will be geared to children and young people, we start to create an environment that is suitable for children and start to become child-friendly.

"We know that if the environment is what it should be the recovery time for children will be quicker.

"Historically, when it comes to children's hospitals, if you stick some Walt Disney pictures on the wall that is OK, but it has to be age-appropriate.

"Young people don't necessarily want Walt Disney, they want bright colours and something they can relate to, something that will not go out of fashion."

Mr Gray has his own art company called Fat Canvas and has been working at the hospital for two years, helping out with extra artwork.

He guides young patients in graphic design, fine art or even graffiti, as well as English, science and maths in the hospital's school on ward D34.

The 29-year-old from Ruddington said: "We try to make it as fun as we can because they are here to get better.

"They love it, especially when they do something they have not tried before.

"The work they did on the auction is something they can be proud of and can show to people when they are here."

He added: "I can't believe some of the stuff they come out with, and they are so passionate as well."

A centrepiece of the art strategy is a large mural for younger children near the lift on D Floor, with another for older children in the pipeline.

The outline was created by Mr Gray so the children can colour it in, with each youngster having their own object.

Lewis Perry, four, from Carlton, helped paint the mural during a spell at the hospital when he was treated for a bone condition in his wrist.

Mum Kareena, 32, said: "He has enjoyed it. When Jonathan asked him to do it, it was like all his Christmases had come at once.

"He said he was very excited to help cheer up the children's hospital."

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/art-helps-recovery-patients-Nottingham-Children-s-Hospital/article-2330051-detail/article.html