to Baylor Health Care System
The panelists shared personal stories patients have to get up and walk to get
though the healing power of arts and those endorphins. They often refuse
Foundation through a planned gift or of the changes they’ve seen in patients
100 members and guests gathered at music. From reduced anxiety following
in their estate plans, and more than
this year’s recognition luncheon.
Special guests included Paula
Walker, who donated $1 million in 2015
to fund the core patient components of
the Arts in Medicine initiative, and
Harriet Jeffers, who is leaving a
$500,000 bequest for the program.
The program included a panel
discussion led by Foundation
president, Rowland K. Robinson, with
James Fleshman, M.D., chief of
a double mastectomy, to advances in
speech following traumatic brain injury,
to enhanced memory recall for an
Alzheimer’s patient, the Arts in Medicine
program is touching lives across all
areas of care.
According to Dr. Fleshman, the
addition of art and music therapy is
also having a positive impact on his
patients following surgery.
“With our ‘Enhanced Recovery After
surgery at Baylor Dallas; Kelly Surgery’ protocol, we are decreasing
Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer patients’ natural pain relievers —
Crayton, R.N., nurse manager at
Hospital; Tony Arant; JaeJeung So;
and Sara Chigani, music therapist.
their bodies functioning and boost
because it hurts too much,” said Dr.
Fleshman. “Having live music in the
halls and art stations where patients
stop to draw or color, is enticing them
to get up and get out, focus on the
music and art, not the pain.” Adding
these components to this protocol is
working: “It has collectively reduced
our use of pain meds by 80 percent
and is shortening patients’ length of
stay,” added Dr. Fleshman.
For more information on the
the use of narcotics to allow release of Boone Powell Sr. Society or the Arts
endorphins — produced by our bodies Cynthia Krause at 214.820.7928 or
to block the perception of pain. But
in Medicine Program, contact
[email protected].
Dr. Randall Rosenblatt, Bonnie Pitman and
Kristi Bernstein Paula Walker, Dodee Crockett and Jerri Hammer
Kay Aylesworth and Wendy Strick Becky McCamey
Cynthia Krause, Harriet Jeffers and Laura Jeffers
21