News

Hope splashes down at SBU Cancer Center, again

2008-12-17

By Jennifer Choi of Times Beacon Record

Splashes of Hope, a Huntington-based group that fulfills mural requests from facilities throughout the world, has been donating murals to the Stony Brook University Cancer Center's pediatric oncology unit since 1997. On Dec. 11, Splashes of Hope founder Heather Buggee helped unveil the biggest one yet.

"We want to use our talents to help make it a cheerful environment and take the children's minds off their problems," said Buggee, one of three full-time professional artists who provide the artwork.

Joining Buggee at the unveiling were hospital staff, patients and their families and state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), who worked along with the Laurence W. Levine Foundation to secure funding for the project.

Dr. Devina Prakash of the pediatric oncology unit thanked Flanagan for his help and Splashes of Hope for transforming the department into an "underwater wonderland." Jeannie Gaspard, the assistant director of nursing in outpatient cancer services, also noted that the murals have "brightened up the place" that was once very "sterile."

One of the beneficiaries of the soothing artwork is 12-year-old Marissa Factora, a five-year patient of the Cancer Center who was very involved in creating images for the murals. "Splashes of Hope makes the pictures come to life, so I really like their paintings," said Marissa, a Ridge resident.

Matthew Donnelly, 3, of Setauket, who suffers from acute lymphocytic leukemia, helped unveil the new mural with his parents, Jack and Jennifer Donnelly. Matthew helped paint one of the fish, according to his mother, who said it was "very exciting for him to see his work."