Baystate Wing Emergency Department Recognizes Pathfinder Tech Students for Mural
PALMER — A new mural greets pediatric patients and their families in the Emergency Department (ED) at Baystate Wing Hospital. It is a creation and gift from eight art students from Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School. The mural, which took the students three days to complete in the ED, was developed in phases over the past few months while working under the creative leadership of Darlene Henshaw, the studio art teacher at Pathfinder Tech.
“The request from the pediatric care team in the ED first came to us in 2023 when our Pathfinder Tech Art Department was asked to create and paint murals on the walls of the treatment room dedicated to the care of pediatric patients,” Henshaw said. “The planning and painting of the mural was finally completed this October, following a lengthy, pandemic-related delay.
“Our students heard directly from the people working in the Emergency Department, which was very valuable for this learning experience,” she added. “Following my meeting with the ED team, our students came together after school every Tuesday and Thursday to develop the concept, ‘Landscape with Hidden Creatures’; sketch the images; then paint canvas panel prototypes to ensure that their visions would work on a much larger scale on the four walls of the room. I wanted their vision to come through, and I had faith in all of them. These eight students took the ball and ran with it.”
Dr. James Munger, associate chief of Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Care coordinator, noted that “visiting the Emergency Department can be scary for children and parents alike. Families bringing a child to the Emergency Department often face a mix of emotions including anxiety and uncertainty, coupled with the stress of navigating an unfamiliar environment. The bright colors and friendly animal characters help to lift the mood of children and parents in a tough situation. We are grateful to the Pathfinder Tech students and teachers for sharing their talents with us.”
In addition to helping with supplies to paint the mural, a gift from the Baystate Health Foundation also allowed the ED team to purchase items for a treasure box for children, so as they leave the ED, they can take home a prize from the hospital care team. The funds have also helped to purchase toys and games for children to use if they must wait for a procedure or test result.
“Life experiences are the best teachers,” Henshaw said. “Those three days painting the mural in the Emergency Department and the creative work, collaboration, and student friendships developed that led up to completing this community project will be a memory cemented in the minds and hearts of these students forever.”
Karli Barrett, president and chief operating officer of Baystate Wing Hospital, added that “we are so incredibly honored and thankful to these special Pathfinder Tech student artists for sharing their talents, imagination, and, most importantly, for bringing comfort to our smallest patients and their families. This healing environment will greatly enhance the care our ED team provides.”