Abu Dhabi school students cheer up frontline healthcare workers with handmade artworks

Students at Aspen Heights British School have been busy while staying at home, not just with their schoolwork, but also with a new art project designed to cheer up caregivers at a nearby hospital.

The pupils created a range of paintings to brighten up the wards at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for patients and caregivers working to beat the coronavirus.

The paintings are being hung on the walls of the hospital’s isolation floors.

This includes a collaborative piece by sisters Keira and Khloe Ucat, aged 13 and 11, who were inspired by their favourite movie, High School Musical. They painted a wildcat, which is meant to represent the fighting spirit of those confronting the current pandemic. Yellow lights, also depicted in the painting, stand for hope.

"We wanted to support and encourage frontliners and patients during this tough time," said Keira. "We wanted them to know that we're all in this together and that we are supporting them by staying at home to prevent the spread of the disease.

"Tough times won't last but tough people do.”

To make sure the paintings meet the hospital’s strict infection control regulations, each artwork has been laminated and then disinfected before entering the facility.

They are also sterilised during routine cleaning rounds.

Sue Behrens, the hospital’s chief clinical and nursing officer, said: “These paintings have transformed our isolation units, providing a great source of hope and motivation for our caregivers who are working hard to beat this disease and supporting our patients who are fighting it while separated from their friends and family.”

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