Like all brides, Karen is grinning ear to ear. She and her now-husband Blaine Hodge have just said their “I do’s”, and their children and closest family and friends are there to celebrate the occasion. He holds her hand while walking down the aisle. Karen is seated in her wheelchair.

This touching photo is part of a photography gallery – What Healing Looks Like – featuring former GF Strong (GFS) Rehabilitation Centre clients. Installed with support from our VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, the exhibit of more than a dozen photos hangs in the main hall of GFS.

The photos depict healing through clients’ eyes, says Andrea Heal, creative arts therapist at the GFS Artworks Studio “It’s wonderful to see past clients moving on with their lives,” she says, “and it’s inspirational to clients in rehab now. It shows that there’s life beyond rehab.”

Karen Hodge, who submitted more than one photo to the gallery, agrees. “I wanted to show that new life milestones could be achieved and celebrated.”

Lifting spirits

Former GF Strong client Paul Haskell.

At the GFS Artworks Studio, Andrea and her coworker Michelle Weeks, who support clients doing creative projects as a way of reaching their rehab goals, gain confidence and acquire new skills to prepare for life outside the centre. Together, they spearheaded the project and put out a call for submissions to clients. They were thrilled by the response.

Karen, and many others, welcomed the idea of sharing recent milestones. Karen submitted photos of her wedding and children for consideration, instead of the sports or extreme adventure photos often seen at physical rehabilitation centres.

“I was so excited about this call for photographs,” Karen explains. “I’ve never been very athletic or adventurous so for me these images were sort of intimidating when I first became injured,” she says. “I wanted to see images that showed that everyday life goes on as usual, of families enjoying time together, friends hanging out.”

A six-person selection committee – comprised of staff and clients – chose more than a dozen photographs for the exhibit. “The submissions were fabulous. I was so pleased with what came in,” says Andrea. “We received a wide variety of photos, all of which have special meaning.”

Expansion in the works

Dylan Cross, former GF Strong client, and her mother Sandra Breed.

Inspiring clients, the exhibit also lifts staff spirits, says Andrea. “For staff, it’s a reminder that we all have a part in our clients’ healing. It’s what we do — we help people move on to other things.”

The photo gallery has been so well received that Chris Palmer, patient services manager, inpatient allied health/outpatient programs, hopes to expand — perhaps even double — the number of photos on display.