The Healing Art

from KNH NEWSLINE EDITION 25 2021

Our story in pictures

Creating a calming, healing environment for patients and caregivers.

By Edel Quinn Mwende

It is not unusual, of course, to come across art in a hospital, where lovely images can provide a modest but much-needed lift.

Public hospitals have however generally slacked on this matter, but KNH is an exception!

The façade of KNH Tower Block at the ground floor is warm and vibrant, thanks to the often unnoticeable range of mosaics that utter a quiet ‘halo’ as you walk right through the entrance at number 19.

**A mosaic at number 19 entrance donated by pupils from Mountain View Academy in 2006- a happy girl in the midst of smiling flowers and healthy butterflies**
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA

One mosaic stands out- a happy girl in the midst of smiling flowers and healthy butterflies; probably to depict hope to the unkeen passersby who receive intangible benefits of comfort from this piece of art.

As one heads to the paediatric emergency, a series of artwork that comprise of familiar cartoons such as Walt Disney’s Goofy, A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh among other artwork that elicit positive feelings and reduce stressful thoughts present themselves along the walkway.

**A series of mosaics along the walkway towards the paediatric emergency unit**
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA

A ‘wish you well’ mosaic perpetuates the atmosphere of calm, energy and positivity as one gets through gate A of the Tower Block. This is accompanied by other outstanding mosaics of a smiling family, dancing bear and monkey and a pianist dancing to his harmonic set of pitches.

It is unimaginable that a child’s visual appetite would only be satiated by medical equipment in a ward and KNH general pediatric ward has taken care of this. “Ward 3C was adopted by Magnate ventures in 2018 and the refurbishment’s interior look and feel reflect comments the partners directly solicited from the children, parents and nurses in the wards,” highlighted Ms. Josephine Okumu, ACN 3C.

Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Walking into ward 3C presents a colorful aura presented in orange, blue and yellow colored lines on the non-slip floors that also swallow the sounds of footsteps. “The lines lead to the admission rooms that also have similar colors to the colorful lines-a helpful design to the parents, since they guide the children to find their way back to their wards,” said Ms. Okumu. This was such an eyeopener to the Newsline team, since it is honestly not an obvious benefit for anyone to consciously notice.

**Orange, blue and yellow colored lines in ward 3C**
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA

**A themed artwork of encouraging words ‘hold on’ in one of the rooms at ward 3C**
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA

Newsline took a stroll with two children; Irene and David- both nephrology cases. David is newly diagnosed but Irene has been on follow up since age 5. This walk revealed the unimaginable impact of art to them. At the entrance of ward 3C is a picture of a squirrel, owl, antelope, bird, mouse and giraffe in a forest and the children say that this brings the feeling of nature from the outside world to them since they cannot leave the ward.

Not far away, another picture of a squirrel, antelope and bird during autumn is pasted on the corridor towards the children’s bathroom (whose signage, like all the signage in the ward, has a teddy bear on it). “The antelope is secretly watching a series of mosaics along the walkway towards the paediatric emergency unit the squirrel for an opportunity to hunt him down and the bird is watching from afar as he laughs at the squirrel since he is about to be eaten,” said an elated 8-year-old David. What a pleasant distraction for the children who want to plumb the specifics of this piece of art!

“Inside the rooms, there is the Lord’s prayer whose color matches the interior theme, and the children’s favorite cartoon (muscular bee with six-pack abs) alongside it written ‘be brave.’ I have never seen that that’s what it reads, until 10-year-old Irene mentioned it during our stroll. Baby Irene said that the encouraging words and cartoon gives her energy to fight the disease. It soothes her pain. Children admitted to this ward tend to be scared and lonely, but the majestic pieces of art on the walls gives them comfort and hope,” said an impressed Ms. Okumu.

One picture is pasted twice and it stands out for the children in ward 3C. To the Newsline team and any other passer-by, it is just a bridge. The children luxuriate in the joy of color and meaning of the bridge artwork. “This bridge is built over a river and it means recovering from sickness to wellness,” said an intelligent baby Irene. The interconnecting door to ward 3B closes with a picture of a giraffe with a stethoscope (which the children said that is their doctor) and a happy monkey that delights them.

We merely appreciate the subconscious power of art but children value its presence. Gone are the days when children just got wowed by stars, moon and the sun. Speaking to the children, they would love to see stimulating, charming and familiar cartoon figures smiling down at them such as Sofia the first, tom and jerry. In addition, bright colored numbers and alphabet letters could also occupy the mind of sick kids and offer some level of relaxation,” said Ms. Okumu.

“Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.” —John Lubbock (1834-1913), The Pleasures of Life.