Confluence Health unveils mural by local artist to brighten spirits in cancer unit

WENATCHEE — The Fifth Floor at Confluence Health’s Central Campus — the main hospital in Wenatchee — just got a major update, and it is as colorful as you might hope for a unit at the health care center that handles such serious business.

Floor 5, of course, houses the medical oncology unit (MOU), the part of the hospital that used to just be called the “cancer ward.” That’s where inpatient care happens, and residents of the unit can sometimes be there for extended periods. It’s important to keep the feeling of the area positive, and a local artist has just completed a work that does just that.

A wall-spanning mural depicts a sunset mountain scene filled with color, geometry and a sense of hope, all centered on a familiar formation, especially for those who spend a lot of time at that end of town: Saddle Rock.

“This is something that I have been passionate about bringing to life for years,” says Heather Sanchez, the nursing manager for the MOU. “We have the privilege of serving and taking care of a small inpatient oncology population. Many of these patients spend weeks or months at a time on our floor and come back for recurring treatments. We celebrate their victories with them and grieve with their families when treatments do not work out and they transition to end of life care. Most of our oncology patients are independent and ambulating our halls numerous times each day and I wanted something to bring life into their lives on the MOU.”

Enter Kathleen Dyer, a local, independent artist from Wenatchee. She worked together with Sanchez on the concept of the mural after staff had voted on a theme for it, ultimately selecting the mountain scene because of the symbolism of the challenges a cancer patient faces. The colorful springtime scene of Saddle Rock at sunset is painted in a geometric abstraction style with pixelated, blocky patterns in the colors of the sky and mountains.

Dyer spent time in the MOU with staff and providers to feel out the energy of the space, and she hiked the surrounding foothills for further inspiration. After making a final mock-up of the work and getting approval in April, Dyer completed the entire painting project in a single weekend, spending almost 26 hours over just two days working on it.

“I have known Kathleen for several years and have always admired her artwork,” says Sanchez. “Once I got approval from my leadership for this project, I knew she was the one I wanted to complete this vision.”

For her part, Dyer was full speed ahead in May: “It was just wake up, head there, and get to work for those two days. It was a lot of work, but the best part was getting to know the patients,” said Dyer. “My original background color for the piece was going to be pink but, after meeting and seeing people, I decided that it wasn’t colorful enough and needed to have more joy added, so the piece evolved a bit as we chose the colors for the final mural.”

Dyer wasn’t working alone. Her husband Hans Hessburg helped with the painting work, but more importantly, was there to bring her out of her art trance and remind her to have a snack and sit down for a while.

It was a labor of love for Dyer. “To me, this wasn’t really work,” she said, when asked about the meaning of the piece for her. “I went to art school to be an animator but ultimately took a different direction and mostly do freelance. This painting was one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had. Being involved in something that can bring joy to people who are in pain — whether

patients or their families — was important to me. Each day is a gift, and this piece has been much more to me than just painting a mural. It really meant a lot to me to be involved.”

The new work is already being embraced. “The goal was to pay a tribute to the oncology patients and families which we serve, while giving them something to distract them from the difficult days,” says Sanchez. “So far, everyone that I have talked to loves it! Patients and family members have sought me out to tell me how much joy it brings to them and how beautiful the colors are. Additionally, staff have ownership in this mural, as they helped pick the theme and really got to watch this vision come to life. It brings a lot of pride to MOU staff, demonstrating what makes the MOU special and the love we have for our patient population.”

In the business of health care, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the strict necessity of work. The fact that this became a focal point for Sanchez is a reminder that providers’ minds are on the personal and emotional needs of their patients more often than you might think. And the fact that someone as talented and invested in the project as Dyer was involved just makes the project all the more special.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media