kkheart

About Us

Coping with physical illness is not only physically challenging, it can also drain us emotionally and spiritually. Dealing with the emotional distress is important as it can have an impact on our patients’ recovery. However, many might not seek the additional psychological help they need because of the stigma associated with receiving psychiatric treatment and the additional financial burden.

With the aim of enhancing the holistic care for our patients, the KKheART programme was set up in 2012 under the Department of Psychological Medicine. The programme is supported by the KKH Health Fund. KKheART will provide a range of supportive therapies conducted by the Department of Psychological Medicine. Through these complimentary therapies, we hope that it can benefit patients’ psychological well-being, and for the caregivers as well.

At present, we have heART and Share-A-Craft programme under KKheART. We plan to introduce more programmes under KKheART over the coming months.

Contact Us

Department of Psychological Medicine: +65 6394-2205

The programme is supported by KKH Health Fund (KKHHF).

To make a donation to the KKheART programme, please click here to download our donation form.
(Click here to view a sample copy of the completed GIRO form.)

Please note that you should also fill up the donation form to provide us with your details.
Please indicate "KKheART programme" on the donation form and on the back of the cheque.

This art-making support group for cancer survivors receiving treatment at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital was started in October 2009 by the Department of Psychological Medicine. In a supportive and non-threatening environment, the participants are able to enjoy and benefit from the therapeutic process of art-making. Many of the participants have no previous art background and have since discovered their passion and talent for art.

heART has organised many art-making activities including art exhibitions, community art projects, decorating the wards with patients’ paintings and printing the paintings into calendars. You can view many of the paintings at the gallery below. 

The art sessions are free for the participants as we manage to be self-sufficient through the sales of the art work done by the participants. Now that the programme is under KKheART, there are plans for a wider range of activities for our participants.

We have the art sessions twice a month on the last two Wednesdays of the month.

Gallery

This programme was started in January 2013 – our first new initiative after the establishment of KKheART. The concept behind this project was for patients to come together in a group and share the making of handicrafts with each other. After they have mastered the craft they will share with other patients and perhaps even with caregivers and hospital staff.

On top of sharing and learning craft-making from the one another, these sessions also provide them with a mutual support for one another in coping with their conditions. The process of crafting can provide a mental respite from the stress of daily life. At the end of the session, the creations give the patients a great sense of achievement.

The afternoon sessions are conducted twice a month – on the first two Thursdays.

Current Craft Session

Origami – Costume Jewelry

Past Craft Session

Origami – Lanterns & Wreath

Scrapbook Making

Fabric Painting

"Ang Pow" Lanterns

Christmas Tinsel

Air Clay

Paper Cutting

Chinese Lantern

PAST EVENTS

2016

Art and Craft Exhibition

heART set up an Art and Craft exhibition at the Women’s Tower on 14 December.

Learning Trip

"Project Ukulele with Love" by the Cairnhill CC
The Ukuele Group from Cairnhill Community Center invited the heART’s members to attend “Project Ukulele with Love” on 19 November at the Cairnhill Community Center. The members were taught to play the Ukulele.

Art Market at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM)

heART set up a stall at the Art Market, organized by Singapore Art Museum on 30 October. It was an opportunity for members to immerse themselves in the artistic environment which were different from the events held at KKH.

President Challenge Event

Members work very hard for the presale of craft and the event on 31 August. We exhibited the art pieces and crafts to raise fund for this event. Participants had a good time at the event.

Learning Trip

STPI (Singapore Tyler Print Institute)
We attended the Open House on 6 August with 22 heART’s participants. It was a learning experience for some and they enjoyed doing the different methods of printings.

Chinese New Year – Consumer Sale Day

Member work very hard to make the “Ang Pow” lanterns and other crafts from September 2015 to January 2016 for the CNY Consumer Sale day. The participants enjoyed the event learning the role.

2015

Origami Christmas Wreath - Sales

Participants created Origami Christmas Wreath for sale in December for the KKH staff.

Origami Exhibition at the Toa Payoh National Library

We were invited to exhibit the Origami and “Journey Art”. We also held a Origami workshop at the Toa Payoh National Library on 21 November.

heART Exhibition at the Academia – SGH

After the success of the 5th Anniversary at the Art House, we brought it to the Academia at SGH in April. It is collaboration with the Arts for Health from SGH.

Expressions – Ceramic Exhibition at the Goodman Arts Centre

The exhibition held in 20 January at the Goodman Arts Center was collaboration with Goodman Ceramic Studio. It featured member’s ceramic work that reflects their personal cancer journeys. It is also a learning experience for them as they were taught the different techniques of sculpturing and also to create a series of sculptures at the workshop.

2014

Art Exhibition at the Art House

Featuring the member’s art pieces at the Art House, the exhibition is held in conjunction with the heART 5th Anniversary on 3 October.

Sale of Lanterns at the KKH Women’s Podium

Chinese New Year Consumer Sale Day on 4 January.

2013

In-house Workshop for Nurses

Members conducted a lantern-marking workshop in October for KKH nurses. The nurses learn to do the craft and they will impart it to in-patients who are interested of doing craft.

Ceramic Workshop at the Goodman Studio

The members attended the ceramic workshop at the Goodman Studio on 20 October. It was their first workshop and they were all were so excited to learn a different type of art.

Learning Trip

House of Liechtenstein Exhibition at the Singapore National Museum
It was an eye-opener to all who attended the exhibition. The museum guide explanation helps them to understand and appreciate the art pieces featured at the exhibition.

Open-house at STPI (Singapore Tyler Print Institute) – Picasso Exhibition
Members were given a tour at STPI premises on 14 August before the exhibition and they also tried on different methods of printing.

President Young Talent at Singapore Art Museum – 17 July
It is features art pieces created by young artists and members had a good understanding of the work of the artists through a museum guide.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – Exhibition at KKH

The exhibition is collaboration with the Oncology to create awareness of cancer on 28 May.

Singapore Women’s Leadership Network Annual Conference (McDonald)

heART were invited to exhibit and sale of the art pieces at the conference on 26 April.

Blisse Café and Restaurant – A social enterprise network

In collaboration with the restaurant to display and sale of heART art pieces at their premises.

2012

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

The exhibition is to part of event to create the cancer awareness and also working with the Oncology’s forum.

Chinese New Year Consumer Sale Day

heART members exhibit their first Chinese paintings and paper-cuttings on 17 January.

2011

Exhibition and sales – Ovarian Cancer Awareness month

heART held exhibition on 13 June working together with the Oncology department.

Exhibition at the Community Art Project in KKH

In conjunction with the community art project” Paint-a-Heart” on 16 March, heART also exhibit their paintings.

2010

Exhibition at the Women’s Cancer Forum

heART held an exhibition in September in collaboration with the Oncology at the Women’s Cancer Forum.

Exhibition at the Public Forum

heART held the exhibition in conjunction with our public forum to educate the public of coping cancer “Riding the Emotional Roller Coaster of Cancer”.

Projects

Ward and Clinic

Patient’s paintings were installed at the Children’s Intensive Care Unit, Clinic G, Ward 51 and KKH Committee Board Rooms.

Community Art project

A community art project “Paint a Heart” which helped to raise funds for the KKH Health Fund in 2011.

Calendars

heART had created their first calendar in 2011 and had since produced different designs and theme every year.

Mother & child – Clay workshop

The workshop was held in July 2013 at “Mommy’s Day Out” event. The aimed of the workshop is to enhance mother and child communication by bonding over a fun activity.

CJ Student involved in the heART event

Students from Hwa Chong JC volunteered at the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Carnival event held on 11 January 2012 at KKH. The students work with the members preparing the art pieces, crafts and setting up the stall at the event.

Learning from One Another

In July 2011, one of the members in the group had volunteered to teach Chinese painting. She had many years of experience in Chinese painting.