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An Image of the Cork University Hospital Waiting room for paediatric outpatients. The windows are decorated with window art done by Helium Arts participants as part of the Create While You Wait Programme.

Create While You Wait – In Pictures

Our hospital outpatients programme – ‘Create While You Wait’ supports children and young people managing lifelong health conditions, to access creative activities in outpatient clinics while they wait to see the doctor and nurse.

Children and families can feel anxious or nervous about attending their hospital appointments. Our artists are helping by designing bespoke creative activity packs, and engaging with outpatients in the waiting room.

Reflecting on their experience of Helium Arts in outpatient clinics, through the 2022 Helium Arts Impact Survey, 94% of children reported that they felt happier when going to hospital as a result of Helium Arts. 100% of parents indicated that theirs and their child’s healthcare experience was positively impacted.

Here is a look at how ‘Create While You Wait’ has been adding some colour to the paediatric outpatient waiting rooms in:

  • Cork University Hospital with artist Ashleigh Ellis
  • University Hospital Galway with artist Yvonne Cullivan
  • University Hospital Limerick with artist Chelsea Canavan
  • Mayo University Hospital with artist Tom Meskell

Cork

  • A drawing of a cut on a window

  • Cardboard cutouts of a circle making them look like they are shocked

  • A picture book create by a child in the waiting room

  • A picture of light coming through different shaded tissue paper and stickers to create a colourful pattern

Galway

  • Laminated colouring sheets with stickers, paint blobs and pieces of paper

  • Colouring sheet strips with a green, red and pink pens

  • An image of Christmas decorations covering the window

Mayo

  • An art piece of stickers and fancy tape

  • Multiple pieces of multi-coloured tissue paper laid out on a plastic clipboard

  • A colouful array of tissue paper arranged into patterns and stickers

  • A drawing created by a workshop participants

Limerick

  • A picture of one of the tables at the workshops

  • Two teddy bear cut outs with decorations like colourful paper as clothes and bows

  • A colourful homemade kaleidoscope

  • A picture of two googley eyes stuck onto a piece of patterned cardboard with decoration like fancy tape and wrapping paper

5th September, 2023