Our Impact

How Arts For Life Programs Can Change The Healthcare Experience 

Since our start in 2001, Arts For Life has delivered top-notch art, music, and creative writing lessons to children and teenagers across North Carolina who are being treated for cancer and other serious illnesses and disabilities — we’ve brought the arts to nearly 100,000 individuals since 2010, providing over 187,000 hours of programming free to patients and their families.

Just last year, our team facilitated nearly 2,900 art and music sessions to over 1,300 patients, siblings, and family members! You can read more about our impact by reviewing our most recent Annual Report.

How Our Participants Experience Our Impact 

“Arts For Life is the highlight of the clinic experience for our patients. I have seen patients walk into the clinic discouraged and dreading what is ahead. But after working with Arts For Life, their attitude changes, and they are ready to tackle the events of the day. Attitude is so important to these kids who are facing cancer and blood diseases, and I know they do better with treatments because of Arts For Life.”

—Dr. Krystal Bottom, pediatric oncologist at Mission Children’s Hospital

At the end of 2019, Arts for Life partnered with the Culture of Results (COR) Initiative of the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness to complete a program evaluation of all of our chapters collecting survey responses from patients, siblings and other family members.

• When I make art or music, it makes being at the hospital better.
  98.2% agreed (76.6% said ALWAYS, 21.6% said SOMETIMES)
• When I make art or music, I feel included and respected.
  97.9% agreed (80.3% said ALWAYS, 17.6% said SOMETIMES)
• When I make art or music, I start feeling happier.
  98.1% agreed (82.4% said ALWAYS, 15.7% said SOMETIMES)