Funding of the "Hope" Foundation (Art Therapy for Children with Cancer at UKSH Kiel)

The "Hoffnung" Foundation provides continuous grant funding to support an art therapy program in the pediatric oncology ward M1 at UKSH Kiel. Public institutions in Schleswig-Holstein benefit from this initiative, which focuses on the areas of health, children and youth, as well as labor & social affairs. The emphasis is on the psychosocial support of children and adolescents with cancer: through creative interventions, a protected space is created where fears and worries can be expressed, and young patients can discover their resources. The funding enables the deployment of qualified art therapists who accompany individual support processes using a variety of materials such as watercolor paints, acrylics, oil and pastel crayons, as well as modeling clay.

Art therapy promotes the patients’ self-initiative and strengthens their confidence in their own creative abilities. Whether in a specially equipped studio room or mobile directly at the bedside – playful and focused work opens access to inner experiential worlds and simultaneously facilitates entry into supportive conversations. Step by step, participants develop their own visual forms of expression, which provide them with new perspectives on their illness and give them courage. In this way, the funding makes a valuable contribution to coping with the disease, psychological stabilization, and strengthening of joy in life during the often stressful course of treatment.