Helping Zoey Brighten the Day
From left to right: Gina Sievert, Lawren Cruz, Haileigh Tenney, James Andrews, Brandon Williams, Valerie Martinez and Vanessa Baldwin
“I am beyond impressed with how the coloring book turned out! Our pediatric patients are loving it! They meet Zoey when they get admitted and find it quite fun that she has her own book to read and color. ”
Being in the hospital can make people feel anxious, and that’s especially true for children who are hospital patients. After meeting some of the leaders at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Brainstorm Productions wanted to play a part in helping children feel more comfortable during their stays at the hospital. How could our artists use their talents to support these children? Creating a coloring book was our answer! When we pitched the idea to Torrance Memorial, their team loved the idea, and the coloring book project has given the two organizations an opportunity partner in serving our community.
In addition to managing an on-site community daycare facility for children with mild illnesses, Torrance Memorial’s Child Life Specialist Gina Sievert’s role is to comfort hospitalized children so they are not so scared of a hospital stay or a hospital procedure. Gina has many tools and resources available to accomplish her mission, including a playroom in the hospital’s pediatric unit where patients can play with toys, games, and electronics or make crafts. Gina also uses puppets, like Zoey, who has an IV and tells children about her life in the hospital. But Gina didn’t have a coloring book . . . until now!
“Zoey’s Adventures at Torrance Memorial” came to life through the work of Brainstorm Productions artists Lawren Cruz, Haileigh Tenney, and Brandon Williams. Children in the hospital can keep the coloring book with them and color the pages to help them relax and express themselves through art. Through the pages of the coloring book, Zoey interacts with the care team and explains different procedures like drawing blood, having an x-ray, or having an MRI or a CT scan. There’s even a page for patients to get autographs from their favorite hospital personnel and a page for them to draw their own story.
Creating “Zoey’s Adventures at Torrance Memorial” was an adventure itself for Brainstorm Productions staff and artists. Valerie Hernandez and Vanessa Baldwin, who were the team leads on the project, felt that working on the coloring book was an amazing experience that gave them an opportunity to grow as instructors and artists while collaborating with Torrance Memorial staff to bring Zoey to life. Brandon Williams, one of the artists involved in the project also felt that the work on the coloring book allowed him to grow artistically. He says, “I had a fun time working on the Zoey coloring book as it was an experience that I will never forget. Zoey is a unique character of her own as she is a patient that can relate and provide comfort for children who might feel uneasy being at the hospital.” James Andrews, a donor who supports Torrance Memorial, funded the printing as the final step in making the coloring book available for distribution.
Zoey's Adventures at Torrance Memorial coloring book being put to good use.
Since unveiling the coloring book and making it available to children at Torrance Memorial last month, hospital staff have enjoyed seeing patients interact with Zoey as they color the pages instead of focusing on what might be a scary experience for them. Hospital staff told us that the coloring book helps hospitalized children benefit from art therapy, and Child Life Specialist Gina Sievert, who provided the narrative content for the coloring book, said, “I am beyond impressed with how the coloring book turned out! Our pediatric patients are loving it! They meet Zoey when they get admitted and find it quite fun that she has her own book to read and color. They are also learning about the hospital which, in turn, helps reduce their anxiety.”
Brainstorm Productions has been thrilled to give back to our community by helping produce “Zoey’s Adventures at Torrance Memorial,” and we’re looking forward to our next adventure!