ARTS AND HEALING
Inova Schar Cancer Institute
2022 IMPACT REPORT
Hope. It epitomizes the mission of Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s Arts and Healing Program: to minimize suffering and restore well-being through patient-centered care by inspiring and encouraging all those who come through our doors through an environment that promotes healing and wellness. These programs span across all Inova Schar Cancer locations
Much like the sculpture shown here located just steps into the Schar Cancer flagship facility, hope is made possible by so many people coming together – artists, patients, caregivers and Inova team members – to support critical art programs.
Most of all, hope is made possible by our generous philanthropic partners like you who recognize the incredible role that arts inspire in soothing our spirits and healing our minds and bodies.
Cancer is a difficult journey. Being able to find a way to express emotions and bask in the beauty of art is a welcome refuge at a time of great uncertainty. As you read your impact report, you will hear from several patients, families and Inova Team Members who’ve found hope through this program at a time when they needed it most.
Working with locally renowned sculptor Jeff Hall, this sculpture was created using the 140 pieces of original art by patients, caregivers, staff and artists working with the Artist-inResidence Program at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. The project was funded by local artist and philanthropist, Diane Canney.
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Thanks to you, we're reaching more patients and team members than ever before:
2022 ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE HIGHLIGHTS
In 2022, our Artist-inResidence program reached nearly 40,000 patients and 13,400 Inova team members
4,320 art kits were delivered to patients, team members and caregivers – that’s over a 400% increase from 2021.
12,117 musical Interactions were performed for patients, team members and caregivers
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Meet Our New Artist-in-Residence Program Manager, Brandi!
In March 2023, we welcomed Brandi Rose as the new Artist-in-Residence Program Manager for Inova. In partnership with the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Brandi will be deploying this collaborative team of artists throughout Inova for patients, families, clinicians and team members.
Arts and Healing Program Wins Arts Award!
Our Arts and Healing Program has earned the prestigious Arts Fairfax Impact Award for its outstanding contribution to the Fairfax community. A big thank you to our philanthropic partner Ms Christina Co Mather for nominating us! The award will be presented at a ceremony in October. The Arts and Healing Program has also been recognized with a Hamilton International Arts in Health Award in the “Arts Transforming Environments” category by the National Organization for Arts in Health.
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“I am going to go home and make some more collages. This is really fun and interesting work, and I need this sort of thing to keep me going.”
Inova team member
“Cancer may not be of our choosing, or last or be terminal, but art can be as forever as we want to make it. Thank you Inova for these healing offerings.”
“I was really feeling sick but the art helped me focus on something else. I truly appreciate that attention.”
patient
Inova patient
Inova
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MEET SCOTT STONER: Artist-in-Residence
Scott Stoner has seen firsthand the power of art in healing “When I met “N” and her spouse “M” at the beginning of four months of chemotherapy treatment, she was hesitant to engage in creative activity, ” he explains.
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As is often the case, patients may experience fatigue, pain and general discomfort at various stages of chemotherapy. N was experiencing this at our session and I suggested she and M create a collage around an environmentallyconscious theme to celebrate Earth Day They
went to work and created what I think is a beautiful and powerful piece. Both collages are represented on the HOPE Sculpture installation.
“Four months later, on N’s last day of chemotherapy, she brought in all of the collages and other work she had created during the sessions (she had laminated every piece at home) and lined them up across the window. I suggested she and M create one more collage, which they did, and decided it should reflect their plans to travel to various places around the world in the future.
“I continue to remain in touch with N, who has bounded back to a full life that included a recent cruise with M. I regularly draw upon her generosity to share how and why creative engagement has been critically important to her healing and well-being She has written:
“By introducing me to Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s Arts and Healing program, I feel that you gave me air (during chemo of all places where I could have felt stuck, not just by needles but with the situation and circumstances). As an adult getting to do art, I realize that pieces of art have life Each artist as a creator instills themselves into their pieces - such that the HOPE sculpture is not an inanimate object, but it brims with life. The energies that went into the making of the pieces remain, collectively representing, presenting, and reflecting life. The sculpture
is not a still life. It is instilled with life. '”
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“One of the most gratifying aspects of my work as an Artist-in-Residence is to observe the way in which some patients embrace the opportunity to explore and discover the transformative power of creative work as core to the healing process.”
Scott Stoner, Artist-in-Residence, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts at Inova Schar Cancer Institute
2022 Arts and Healing Giving Snapshot: $68,000
RAISED $1,172,288 DEPLOYED
We are so grateful for the donors who enable us to activate and sustain these programs and projects that extend over multiple years - and great need remains!
Thank you for your support!
Your generosity makes the Arts and Healing Program possible, offering inspiration to patients, caregivers and Inova team members while creating an environment that promotes healing and wellness. We are so grateful for your support in helping grow this vital programming.
FOUNDATION.INOVA.ORG/ARTSANDHEALING
Samir P Kanani, MD (left) and Kevin S Choe, MD, PhD Radiation Oncologists at Inova Schar Cancer Institute
