Hospital Artists Bring Joy And Comfort To Sick Kids

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — When you think of a hospital room, Chances are you imagine something sterile and drab.

But for 1-year old Anna Hakobyan her room at Cedars Sinai Hospital is anything but.  When the toddler looks up, she sees a whimsical design with elephants and a rainbow of colors.

Rx Art has completed projects in children's hospitals across the nation, but Cedars is the first hospital in the Southland to debut their therapeutic artwork.  They focus on the ceilings, rather than just the walls, because the children spend so much time in their hospital beds.  The nurses report the colors have also helped to camouflage medical equipment.

"They don't focus on the equipment, they don't focus on the iv pumps, or things they know that will hurt them." Jennifer Underhil said.

In one room, the artist used real leaves and foliage from back east to design a room that feels like a walk through New York's Central Park.

"It's something to let your mind wander and think about the outdoors especially when you're in the hospital," Sam Falls said. "Especially in an urban hospital where you look out the window and you see streets and cars to really get away from it all."

By the end of January, Rx Art will have 16 rooms completed on the pediatric floor. The nurses say they usually have about 15 kids on the floor at any given time, so that means that each one of them should be able to look up and smile.

"Our goal is really to help the patients and their families to take their mind off their illness, even for a moment," Alexandra Gaty said.