6 days ago
Pupils' art bringing cheer to cancer patients through Bags of Hope project
East Otago High School year 7 pupil Adam Brown and Carley Porter, both 12, display the bags they decorated for the Cancer Society. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
Local secondary school students hope their art projects put a smile on cancer patients' faces.
Cancer Society Coastal Otago community manager Suz Russell said the Bags of Hope project was about giving children the opportunity to give messages of hope to cancer patients.
The bags were given to patients at Dunedin Hospital's oncology department to store their clothes while they had scans or chemotherapy.
It helped them remember people were thinking about them, Ms Russell said.
About 1500 bags were made for the hospital each year.
Students at East Otago High School made about 100 bags.
Art teacher Rachel Foster said the project was about sending encouragement and positivity to those with cancer.
She asked the students to use bright colours and inspirational messages.
Ms Foster said the project was powerful because it gave students' work a meaning that they could be proud of.
Her father-in-law had cancer and seeing the decorative bags in the oncology department cheered him up.
"It was lovely to see that kind of connection."
Year 7 pupil Carley Porter said her art was about staying positive and making every day count.
One of the messages on her bags read "Believe in Miracles" because anything was possible.
She wanted to be as inspiring and positive as possible in an effort to make someone battling with cancer smile.
Carley's classmate Adam Brown made a painting with lots of balloons floating away.
He said it was about letting go of your problems and letting them fly away like balloons.
His message was to never give up and to enjoy everything.
