Care It Forward: Healing In Art and Music

Art expands our worldview, tells stories, builds community and personalizes healing.

At Henry Ford Cancer, we know well-being is influenced by much more than what takes place within our clinic walls. This understanding drives our Healing Arts program and has inspired our approach to interacting with art in health care spaces.

The Healing Arts program provides meaningful ways for our community to engage with the arts. It is led by Megan Winkel, the Lindsay Anderson Curator of Art. She has created a healing, calming environment in the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion.

The curator fund, established through a generous donation, allows Healing Arts galleries to be featured and operated at Henry Ford locations. Galleries include artwork by local artists, with annual patient and staff art shows. The newest gallery space in the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion is a prominent feature of the building, serving as a public gathering space and a place for reflection and regeneration.

Megan will also lead healing arts programming at the new pavilion and at Henry Ford’s nearby ArtBlock space in Detroit. Programs will include hands-on art activities, caregiver events and more.

Healing arts also includes musical experiences, thanks to Joanne Danto and the Marvin & Betty Danto Family Foundation, which established the David DiChiera Music Therapy Program at Henry Ford Cancer. The music program extends DiCheria’s legacy as founder of the Michigan Opera Theatre and honors his battle against pancreatic cancer.

The program kicked off this past summer with performances by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Michigan Opera Theatre, and musicians will continue to connect with patients through additional performances.

Other music-related activities (which have been proven to help manage pain, reduce anxiety, decrease depression and improve recovery) will be offered as a form of therapy at the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion.