New murals bring colour and comfort to Yarmouth hospital’s palliative care wing
A pair of new murals are helping brighten the palliative care wing at Yarmouth Regional Hospital.
Created by Yarmouth artist Danielle Mahood, the artwork features sunflowers and butterflies, the symbol of palliative care, and is intended to bring comfort to patients, families and staff.
Mahood said she was approached about the project by a nurse in the unit who wanted to make the space more welcoming.
“We wanted to add something that would add a little bit of cheer to some of the families and the patients that are on that floor,” she said.
The murals are located in the hospital’s palliative care wing, an area where patients receive end-of-life care and where families often spend long periods of time with loved ones.
Designed to brighten the space
Mahood said the artwork was intentionally designed to provide warmth and colour without being overwhelming.
The murals feature sunflowers along with butterflies, a symbol often associated with palliative care.
“They didn’t want it to be too overly bright in that location,” she said. “I think it fits really well and it adds just the right amount of colour to everyone’s day.”
The project was funded by the Yarmouth Hospice Society.
Mahood said she hopes the murals help make a difficult environment feel a little more comforting.
“I hope that I get to do maybe a few more around there to add a little bit of cheer to our hospital that’s expanding,” she said.
Familiar artwork around Yarmouth
While the hospital murals are among her newest projects, many residents have likely seen Mahood’s work elsewhere around the community.
Her murals include the welcome mural on Forest Street, the large swordfish mural near the CAT ferry terminal and several pieces throughout downtown Yarmouth.
She also completed a major mural on the Professional Centre building in Milton near the hospital.
The hospital project has already received a positive response online, with thousands of people viewing photos and videos of the completed work.
Mahood said the reaction has been overwhelmingly supportive.
“Everyone seems very supportive about it,” she said. “It seems like a good addition.”
