The birds are singing their songs in my sketchbook today

Dur<strong>in</strong>g a conversation several months ago with Dr Mun Woo, Associate Specialist <strong>in</strong> Renal Medic<strong>in</strong>e, she told me about tak<strong>in</strong>g the Artists from Art <strong>in</strong> Hospital around the renal dialysis unit for the first time. She had been <strong>in</strong>terested to see that rather than be<strong>in</strong>g alarmed by the complicated tubes, blood and mach<strong>in</strong>ery surround<strong>in</strong>g each patient (as many medical students had been!) the Artists' had wanted to work out how best to work around the dialysis mach<strong>in</strong>es to ensure the patients had choices and freedom to work. Based on her prior experience and understand<strong>in</strong>g of the work of 'Art <strong>in</strong> Hospital' she had supported the project with<strong>in</strong> the Renal Dialysis unit from its <strong>in</strong>ception. To have such understand<strong>in</strong>g from a senior medical Consultant seems to have been crucial to the success of this project and perhaps most <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>gly to the motivation of the patients tak<strong>in</strong>g part. Many times, I heard " As Dr Woo thought it was such a good idea, I decided to give it a go." "Dr Woo is <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> our quality of life dur<strong>in</strong>g treatment and I wanted to take part to acknowledge that." Or even "Dr Woo can be very persuasive!" Maria Doyle, Sharon Goodlet Kane, Bel<strong>in</strong>da Guidi and Daisy Richardson worked <strong>in</strong>dividually with patients dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>their</strong> dialysis at Inverclyde Hospital over a period of 5 months.This exhibition simply marks a moment <strong>in</strong> that residency, which I was priveleged to witness. It was an extaord<strong>in</strong>ary exchange of creativity.