- November 22, 2024
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by: John Guthrie
Vice President, Communications, Halifax Health
On Dec. 9, Andy and Molly Clark, local entrepreneurs and owners of All Aboard Properties, announced a $400,000 gift to Halifax Health for the first Arts in Medicine Endowment. The announcement was accompanied by a ceremonial agreement signing and some musical performances at Halifax Health with President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Feasel. The gift will be used to fund an arts therapy coordinator to plan and schedule therapeutic visual, and musical art encounters and activities for patients and Halifax Health team members.
The idea came to the Clarks when they saw Lowell and Nancy Lohman’s gift for diabetes and Charles and Miki Grant’s gift for oncology.
“Seeing the generosity of others prompted me to think what could we do to help people in medical need and or during treatment regimens," Andy Clark said. "The idea of providing therapeutic arts was a natural.”
Joe Petrock, executive director of the Halifax Health Foundation worked with Julie Roth, serviceline administrator for oncology to source a program and coordinator who was trained at UF Health in Gainesville.
“It is our hope to start this therapy for oncology patients with musical performance and visual art experiences and for the program to grow and touch all aspects of Halifax Health," Petrock said. "This gift by the Clarks takes our care to a higher level not only providing exceptional medical care but also providing wrap around care through comfort for our patients."
Petrock said that he will continue to raise funds to add to the Arts in Medicine Endowment and thanked the Clarks for improving experiences for so many among us who need medical treatments.
