Hearts for the Hospital
March 23, 2021
Visitors to the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre can enjoy two new murals, thanks to the caring hearts of Red Deerians
The murals are the result of a collaborative community art project hosted in September 2020 by the Red Deer Arts Council and The City of Red Deer. The project was part of the city’s annual Alberta Culture Days celebrations, and invited Red Deerians to show and share their hearts to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were asked to paint a heart on a small canvas that would be incorporated into a larger piece to be gifted to the local hospital. The City provided art supplies and two events were held where people of all ages could participate.
In total, 181 hearts were created – so many that a decision was made to create two separate murals. The murals have been installed at two locations in the hospital, on the main floor and in the walkway to the Intensive Care Unit.
Annette Scheper, Community Facilitator – The City of Red Deer
“We wanted to create a way for our community to honour front line workers. We put out an invitation to get involved and so many people wanted to share their hearts, we had enough to build two murals. These art works reflect the community’s heartfelt connection to front line medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with our collective gratitude for this important group. When we think about our vast interconnectedness, we know our hearts don’t beat alone. It takes all our hearts, reaching out past the maze of our individual lives, to support each other in our community. For this art project, many hearts harmonized to express their gratitude to our health care workers; creating a labyrinth of love that extends beyond the hospital walls. When you cannot personally thank a hero, you hold them in your heart. In this case, we put our hearts on canvases and sent them to our heroes.”
Kim Storey, Senior Operating Officer, RDRHC
“The Hearts for the Hospital project is a very touching gift from the community to our hard-working healthcare team at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. For over a year now our bedside staff have been caring for Central Zone residents impacted by the pandemic. Having this art created by Red Deerians is a beautiful reminder of the support from our community. Thank you to everyone who contributed their talents to this work.”
Michael Mulholland, Facility Medical Director, RDRDHC
“The Hearts for the Hospital art project is a physical example for our staff and physicians of the care that our Red Deer Community have for our hospital. During the COVID 19 pandemic the love we have received from the citizens of Red Deer has been critical support for us.”
Sandi Sebastian, Director of Women's and Children's Services at RRDHC
“We truly appreciate the effort to put this together. Our teams will truly love having these as a reminder of the support from our community.”
Sharon Bilanski, Director, Surgical Services, Endoscopy, OPD, MDR, and CZ MDRD
“This is so touching. We are in this together, and appreciate our community standing with us.”