Creative Care Initiative at UVA

Club Description

Creative Care Initiative (CCI) is an organization at UVA dedicated to harnessing the power of creative expression to bring comfort, connection, and emotional support to individuals in healthcare settings. Our mission is to bridge the gap between clinical care and human connection by fostering meaningful interactions between students and patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers.What sets CCI apart is our emphasis on holistic healing and personalized engagement. Unlike traditional volunteering groups that focus solely on logistical support, we create interactive, patient-centered experiences that uplift, engage, and empower. Our members develop and lead projects such as bedside art sessions, personalized poetry readings, musical performances, and letter-writing initiatives for hospital patients, elderly care residents, and individuals experiencing long-term illness. Creativity is the foundation for all of the projects we carry out. Additionally, we aim to provide students with an outlet for their creativity and opportunities to destress through mental health workshops, coloring book pages, stress ball making, etc. In doing so, not only do we empower the health and wellbeing of clinical spaces, but also in our own community. We have already launched several impactful projects, including our Handmade Card Initiative, where students crafted and donated heartfelt cards to the staff at the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center (ECCCC) as a gesture of appreciation for their dedication and hard work. We have also arranged an upcoming in-person delivery day, on February 20, 2025, during which ECCCC will provide an escort so that our members can personally distribute the cards to the healthcare staff, fostering direct and meaningful connections.Through interdisciplinary collaboration with artists, healthcare professionals, and community members, CCI offers a unique space where creativity meets care, fostering both artistic expression and compassionate service. Our initiative not only provides patients and healthcare workers with moments of joy and relief but also equips students with invaluable empathy, communication skills, and a deeper understanding of patient well-being beyond clinical treatment.CCI seeks to cultivate a culture of compassionate creativity, empowering students to use their artistic talents to make a tangible difference in the lives of those facing health challenges.