Posters And Poetry For Cancer Patients

Danbury –– The Praxair Cancer Center at Danbury Hospital conducts weekly “Posters and Poetry” sessions for local cancer patients. The free weekly sessions are held on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 pm in the Praxair Cancer Center Resource Room, first floor, Stroock Building. Park free in the Red Parking Garage, Locust Avenue entrance.

While attending “Posters and Poetry” sessions, patients learn to create their own poster and add words to enhance its meaning. No talent is required. Just come enjoy and express yourself through art and poetry!

“Posters and Poetry” sessions are taught by Rocco Colucci, a technical illustrator who was diagnosed with prostate cancer 11 years ago, and Laurie Arnold, an oncology nurse at the Praxair Cancer Center at Danbury Hospital. Mr Colucci teaches patients how art can bring joy, peace, and healing to themselves, and Arnold demonstrates how the positive effects come from self-expression through poetry and writing.

“Suspecting that art could be used as a form of therapy, I decided to embark on something foreign to me –– children’s posters,” said Mr Colucci. “I realized that my posters seemed to demand from me that they be joyful, peaceful, and healing, and they have in turn brought joy, peace, and healing to me,” added Mr Colucci.

For Arnold “the power of words and the ability of each person to speak from the soul always moves me,” she said. “By sharing my love of poetry and writing I try and encourage their use to give verbal expression to the poster.”

For more information or to register to attend “Posters and Poetry” sessions at the Praxair Cancer Center at Danbury Hospital, call Cancer Care Coordinator Joanne Ballerini at 797-7771.