Thanks to GHC Genetics, the ‘Plešouni’ are now adorning the corridors of the paediatric oncology ward in Motol
On Friday 28 August at 12.00, the grand opening of the newly refurbished corridor at the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (Motol and Homolka University Hospital, Motol site, 5th floor) took place. The new design of the space was created as part of the Plešouni project, conceived by the artist Eliška Soffer Podzimek, and will now bring a world full of colour, imagination and joy to young patients and their loved ones. The event took place with the significant support of GHC Genetics, which has been providing long-term financial backing for the entire Plešouni project.
Behind the colourful corridor at Motol Hospital is the artist Eliška Soffer Podzimek, who is also the creator of the ‘Plešouni’ project. Until recently, however, the corridor of the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology was completely bare. She herself has known it longer than most of the guests at the grand opening. When she was fifteen, she was treated at Motol Hospital’s clinic. Today, however, she is returning to the place as the creator of the corridor’s new design. “I’m absolutely delighted that I’ve been able to return in this way at least, because I spent far too much time here when I was fifteen – somewhat against my will. Nevertheless, coming back here in this way is incredibly lovely for me; it actually moves me,” she says.
When designing the space, the artist drew primarily on the purpose of the communal area between the wards. As many volunteers visit the children’s clinic with animals, this is one reason why the décor features so many animal motifs. "Hanging on the wall are characters and creatures from the ‘Plešouni’ project , including the colourful beatle, a magical vehicle that takes young patients on a journey through the human body and helps them understand their own treatment. “Nobody told me what to do,” smiles the artist. Nevertheless, she admits that when she asked the children and medical staff how they envisaged the space, they had a clear answer: “Everyone said they wanted it to be colourful.” She knows from her own experience just how strongly the environment can affect a patient’s state of mind. When she was in hospital herself, the clinic had just been refurbished. However, for certain tests she had to go into older wards intended for adults. “There’s a big difference in how a person feels depending on the environment they’re in. Whether they’re looking at something nice, where it’s clean and there are new windows, or whether it’s an old, relatively shabby environment. Psychologically, I think it makes far more of a difference than we all realise,” she explains.
GHC Genetics has long supported the Plešouni project, so it was only natural that they should be present at the grand opening. “If we are unable to treat the children, we can at least do our bit to soothe their little souls by ensuring they are in a more pleasant environment that isn’t quite so sterile,” added the company’s managing director, Bc. Viktor Furman, MBA.
However, the creators do not want to limit themselves to Motol Hospital. They intend to gradually dub the series into other languages and make it available to children abroad. According to Podzimek, initial contacts are already being established, for example in Japan. An app where children can record their fluid intake, pain levels or mood can also help young patients.
