When Frank entered palliative care bedridden and given just 10 days to live, he never thought he would find his true meaning and purpose to life.
But with the power of art therapy, Frank remarkably defied the odds, not only surviving for six months but even getting well enough to leave hospital.
The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Creative Health’s art therapist Gabby Wright worked with Frank and saw his incredible transformation. With Frank’s blessing, she shared her reflections below:
“Frank came to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s palliative care unit for end-of-life care. Given only 10 days to live, he was bed bound and very deconditioned.
He was struggling in a hospital environment and felt powerless over his life. Frank was referred to art therapy due to his anxiety, as staff thought that engaging in a creative activity may be good for him.
For Frank, he truly thought his life didn’t have any meaning or purpose. I saw the opportunity for therapeutic goals to be achieved through art therapy, giving him something to ease his thoughts.
My goal was for Frank to feel like his life mattered and create something that could benefit him or someone else.
Frank also has Parkinson’s, so he wasn’t sure how much he could do with his hands. Based on the therapeutic goals Frank came up with in session, we decided to paint a birdhouse, for the birds that live in the hospital’s garden.
This was extremely symbolic as he was creating a place where life is birthed. He was able to decorate it himself and have complete control of how he did this.
Despite his initial reluctance, Frank gave it a go and he started to see that he could still achieve things – he began to believe in himself.
Despite his shaking hands, Frank began painting with a paint roller. As he was still bedbound with very limited strength or movement, Frank painted lying on his side.
I remember him saying to me ‘when I paint my thoughts stop going around and around in circles – if I discovered this 30 years ago my life would have been different’.
As he progressed with his birdhouse Frank began to build confidence in himself, not only with his art, but with his health-related goals.
One goal included sitting up in bed and painting, and it was incredible seeing him achieve this.
As he got more motivated and confident, he requested to see the hospital physio and OT.
One day I came to his room and saw him sitting in a seat, he built up his strength enough to get out of bed. It was truly incredible to see.

Frank was able to see his birdbox in its new home.
Once Frank finished his birdbox, his final goal was to choose a spot in the hospital garden for it and for the first time in five months, Frank left his room, picked a spot and watched as I placed his birdbox in its new home.
Frank was discharged from hospital after six long months, having originally come to the palliative care ward for end-of-life care.
The incredible part about Frank’s journey is that he became physically and mentally strong enough to begin chemotherapy for his cancer again, something that was not an option when he was admitted.
The message Frank wanted to get across was that he was able to find meaning in his life by creating that birdbox, and through creative expression he had more self-belief and more to give to the world.
It’s been absolutely incredible seeing Frank’s transformation and the pinnacle of that is when he left hospital to live back in the community with support from NDIS.”
This is the power of art therapy. To support this impact in palliative care, please click here to make a donation, or call (08) 8243 0320.