Art therapy for children of Okhmatdyt Hospital at the Premier Palace Hotel Kyiv

On the 1^st of November The Premier Palace Hotel Kyiv, as part of the "Happy World" social responsibility program, organized a master class on painting for children, which are undergoing treatment at Kyiv National Children's Specialized Hospital Okhmatdyt.

The healing power of art is a scientific fact, and art therapy is now actively recommended for children to improve their emotional state during wartime. Children aged 6 to 15 from the departments of endocrinology, pediatrics, orthopedics, and chronic toxicology took part in the event. All of them have a complex disease and are on long-term treatment. The war brought its tragedy into their lives.

"To the art-therapy we involved children from different regions, including Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Bakhmut. There was also a 13-year-old girl who was at the epicenter of a rocket attack at the Kramatorsk railway station. She survived because a stranger covered her with himself. Unfortunately, she lost her mother and now we are treating her shrapnel injuries," says Valentina Lutsenko, an educator at the Okhmatdyt hospital.

For three hours, the foyer of the Sofiivskyi Grand Hall turned into an art classroom - work areas with easels, canvases, paints and, of course, goodies. Together with painting teachers of the art studio "Creative Kitchen", the children painted their associations with their native country.

"At first painting can be difficult. It's especially noticeable with children of war, but then the process is fascinating, - comments Inna Bortina, executive director of the network of art studios "Creative Kitchen", - In the process of creating a picture, we notice how the children's mood changes for the better. The art therapy is effective and efficient."

This is the second art therapy event organized by Premier Palace Hotel Kyiv. The first one was held in August for children who are in Kyiv during the war, and their parents are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "We are happy to managed the second master class for young patients of Okhmatdyt hospital. We hope that drawing and our friendly atmosphere will help children and they'll get pleasant emotions," says Oleksandr Buy, General Manager of Premier Palace Hotel Kyiv.

All drawings will be transferred to the front to the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.