Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine students who are part of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) partnered with the Cabell Huntington Hospital to introduce a new project.

The project allows patients to express their outlooks on illness and treatment through art.

John Davitt, four-year medical student at the School of Medicine, said the art project is in cooperation with Gold Humanism Week. The week coincides with the national “Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care,” a week when medical students and patient care organizations are encouraged to share their support of kindness to patients.

Davitt came up with the idea of medical students and nurses to deliver Gold Cards to patients. The Gold Cards have instructions to paint, write, draw or decorate the card with personal experiences they had during their time at CHH.

“I wanted them to be able to express what they felt was the most important aspect of their time in the hospital, positive or negative,” Davitt said.

In a recent press release, Dr. Hoyt J. Burdick, chief medical officer of CHH, said the hospital is a proud supporter of the Gold Humanism Week.

“It is consistent with the hospital’s core values of Caring and Respect,” Burdick said. “At Cabell Huntington Hospital we always strive to provide the very best care with the highest degree of compassion.”

This week is declared as Gold Humanism Week in West Virginia after Governor Earl Ray Tomblin issued a proclamation.  Davitt said the GHHS works to promote humanistic medicine on nation and local levels and student are benefited by being provided opportunities to become more involved in service projects.

“My hope is that the sentiments expressed will remind those in healthcare of what patients and their loved ones go through during their time dealing with illness,” Davitt said.

Allyson Carr can be contacted at [email protected].