Radiotherapy
An art project by IRILLI to help overcome fear
Art inside Oncology Radiotherapy. An all-Italian art project, a new vision created in 2012 by artist SILVIO IRILLI, to give a special welcome to patients, helping them to face therapy with an emotional journey.
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THE DEPARTMENT
THE WAITING ROOM
THE GAMES AREA
THE BUNKER
HOSPITALIZATION ROOMS
A TRUST IN COLOUR
"When a child has to go through radiation therapy, he has to enter a room of more than 150 square meters, go through a corridor that will take him to the large accelerator that will have to intervene with great precision on the tumor cells and consequently require his total immobility so that this procedure can be as precise as possible. For a child to be still is very difficult, and unfortunately the doctors had to put the child to sleep with anesthesia. By lying down on the crib and closing his eyes, the child now imagines that the dolphins and turtles in the darkened room are swimming around him and encouraging him. The result? Thanks to the work for many children, even 3-year-olds, anesthesia was no longer necessary! When the doctors after the first year of treatment informed me of this fact, I was moved. The work had gone beyond all expectations." ( SILVIO IRILLI)
"You see things as they are and ask yourself why? I dream of things that never were and ask myself 'why not'! Thank you for turning a 'why not' into a work of art.
Prof. Vincenzo Valentini ( Director of Radiation Oncology - GEMELLI A.R.T. - Policlinico Gemelli Hospital - Rome )
The artist Silvio Irilli worked in the Salerno Radiotherapy Unit, which I manage, with dedication and sensitivity, decorating in 2017 the radiotherapy bunker where the linear accelerator is housed. The bunker is decorated like an aquarium; this decoration serves to distract the attention of patients of all ages from the radiotherapy equipment, which does not in itself convey great tranquillity. It is obvious that all this decoration serves to "humanise" the nuclear environment and to make the period of radiotherapy treatment, which can last up to two months, acceptable.
Dr Davide Di Gennaro (Director of Paediatric Radiotherapy, Salerno Hospital)
"Radiotherapy is a very delicate department, where total immobility is required during treatments so that the accelerator can intervene with great precision on cancer cells. Welcoming patients, especially little ones but also adults, in an environment that transports their thoughts to a world of serenity is a great psychological help to put them in the most favorable conditions to banish fears and face treatments. It is therefore with great pleasure that we welcome this double "gift," which comes to us from the skill of artist Irilli and the generosity of our supporters: their ability on the one hand to donate and on the other to infuse vitality and energy with the drawings and color of the works, have made it possible to create a journey of colors and suggestions, from which all patients, especially children, their families, and our operators will immediately benefit: because the gaze that rests on enchantment is good for everyone, at any age."
Dott.ssa Patrizia Benini (Dir. Generale IOV di Padova)
"The inauguration of the TC Simulation Room is part of a path undertaken more than 10 years ago with the Art4ART project, which has seen the creation of unique works within our treatment rooms to benefit adult and pediatric patients treated at Gemelli ART. Thanks to the contribution of La Roche-Posay and Silvio Irilli, who allowed us to enrich this path with a new work."
Prof. Maria Antonietta Gambacorta (Director Uoc Radiotherapy Oncology of Gemelli.)
Play area in the Radiotherapy Department of Salerno Hospital
Waiting rooms in radiotherapy
Radiotherapy ceilings become emotional
The corridor of the Radiotherapy Bunker
The presentation of thematically painted bunkers at Gemelli ART
The Play Area in the Gemelli ART Radiotherapy Unit
The inauguration of a themed bunker, a great event with many meanings
3 Giorni per trasformare un Bunker di Radioterapia
THE DOLPHIN'S SMILE
"The dolphin is man's best friend: it always smiles at us, it always wants to play with us, but most importantly it is our great defender at sea.
If a person is swimming or visiting the seabed and there is a shark in his vicinity that wants to attack him, the dolphin will immediately head for her, start swimming around her at great speed to form a "water shield," and in the meantime make a sound, a whistle, to call all his dolphin friends, who will immediately come to defend the person in distress all at once.
And do you know what the shark does? It runs away!
You got it right: the shark is afraid of dolphins.
When a child faces radiotherapy, he has to enter a room of more than 150 square meters, cross a corridor that will take him to the large accelerator that will have to intervene with great precision on the tumor cells and that will consequently require his total immobility so that this procedure can be as precise as possible.
For a child,during radiotherapy, being still is very difficult and unfortunately the doctors previously had to put the little patient to sleep with anesthesia and thus cause additional suffering.
Today, thanks to the company of dolphins, the child by lying down on the crib closes his eyes and imagines that the dolphins are swimming around him to defend him and form a protective shield to let the "shark" escape.
The result?
Thanks to the work for 70% of the children, even 3-year-olds, it was no longer necessary to put them to sleep with anesthesia!
Beyond all expectations. To continue to hope. To continue to dream."
