Letting Kids Be Kids: CHAP Transforms Hospital Stays at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
The Children’s Healing Art Project brings the healing power of art to children with serious medical conditions and their families.
// By Susan Dubuque //
For children facing significant health challenges, hospital stays can feel like a never-ending cycle of pokes and waiting. But inside OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, a unique kind of healing is happening — one filled with color, laughter, and glitter glue.
The Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP), a Portland-based nonprofit, has spent the past 19 years transforming pediatric playrooms and hospital rooms into vibrant, imaginative spaces where creativity can flourish. Its mission is simple yet profound: to let kids be kids, even while facing the toughest medical battles.
Susan Sherwood, MA, CCLS, Child Life Specialist, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
On the pediatric medical‑surgical and oncology units at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, CHAP’s staff and volunteers set up playroom “studios,” pulling supplies from a mobile art cart to offer activities ranging from painting and jewelry‑making to sculpting with Model Magic clay.
“Whenever the CHAP team arrives, something truly special happens,” says Susan Sherwood, a child life specialist on the hematology-oncology unit at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “They foster an environment where every child can express themselves freely, without judgment or expectations. It’s all about creativity, fun, and a brief respite during a difficult hospital stay.”
Read on for a clearer picture of the role of art in patient experience and actionable strategies for healthcare marketers to engage families and strengthen community ties.