Art with a Heart 2023
IHHN is incredibly grateful to its remarkable Women Ambassadors, Sara Chapra and Ayesha Hussain, for hosting the second annual art exhibition – “Art with a Heart” – to fundraise for Indus Hospital and Health Network. The paintings exhibited at the event were all created by IHHN’s pediatric cancer patients and reflect their feelings, experience, and journey in battling cancer.
There were over 90 paintings exhibited in the showcase. Despite having received no formal art training in their lives, the patients were able to beautifully capture their deeply personal journeys, including the feelings of pain, hope, joy, and determination encountered throughout the course of treatment and recovery.
Indus Hospital and Health Network is committed to giving every suffering child a chance to grow up healthy and happy and registers more than 1000 children for the treatment of cancer and blood diseases every year. Along with the provision of free-of-cost, holistic medical care, IHHN is also looking after their psychosocial needs and well-being with a team of qualified counselors and trained clinical psychologists that help patients heal from the psychological effects brought on by ongoing treatment through art therapy.
Some of the patients and their families were also present at the event and were given a chance to tell their stories in their own words to the audience. Among those present were Aina, Sidra, Maryam Khan, Uroosa, and Maryam Ghaffar. All gave credit to IHHN for giving them the tools to release their oft-pent-up feelings of frustration, pain, loss, and fear through art. The medium of painting helped reach out to others when words enough do not do justice and helped birth beautiful pieces of artwork that were appreciated by all those present.
The event was well-attended by people hailing from all walks of life, including journalists, artists, corporate leaders, philanthropists, and members from various other sectors. All gathered to witness the lovely paintings created by the pediatric cancer patients and learn of their inspiring journey.
Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, President of IHHN, delivered the event’s closing remarks, thanking all the pediatric patients, survivors, healthcare staff and organizing team, and steadfast supporters of IHHN’s noble mission for making “Art with a Heart” a resounding success. All funds raised will go towards providing countless other children diagnosed with cancer a future to look forward to.