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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Art has the power to help people through tough times. That idea prompted a nurse practitioner who was formerly a dancer to study how creative arts therapy might help young cancer patients.
Dr. Jennifer Raybin and her team at the University of Colorado Medical Center designed activities meant to help the pediatric patients express and process emotions. The children participated in making cloth mini-me dolls, turning radiation masks into art, doing yoga and using props such as balls and scarves for playful movement.
The study shows that creative arts therapy results in a better quality of life for young cancer patients.
“Curing cancer isn’t enough,” says Raybin. “Creative arts therapy helps patients negotiate the physical and psychological issues surrounding serious illness, while providing an enjoyable aspect to otherwise difficult treatment.”
The study is published in the Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing.
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