Kids in hospitals can celebrate with mural
The pandemic won’t stop Charlie Brown, Snoopy or the “Peanuts” gang from marking an important birthday, and they’re hoping to raise the spirits of sick kids while they celebrate.
The beloved comic celebrates its 70th anniversary this week with new lesson plans, the announcement of a new TV show and a philanthropic push that includes donating “Peanuts” murals for kids to paint in 70 children’s hospitals around the globe, from Brooklyn to Brazil.
“When kids see the familiar face of Snoopy, they feel like they are at home watching the cartoon,” said Dr. Kusum Viswanathan, who heads the pediatrics department at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in New York.
“I think it’ll really help in positive coping and distraction. It makes the environment very comfortable, as opposed to being very stiff and professional.”
The 4-foot-8-inch wide by 4-foot-1inch high murals have been sent to participating hospitals in six pieces, along with smocks, brushes and paints in 13 colors.
Children and hospital staffers are encouraged to paint the easy-to-follow templates, a diversion that gains even more importance during coronavirus restrictions.
The initiative is being welcomed at the CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange, California, where the virus pandemic has shut down the playrooms and cut back on starry, wellwishing visitors, like baseball star Mike Trout.
“There’s really nothing to look forward to so I thought even just painting something like this at bedside is going to really truly mean something, especially during this time,” said Amber Chavez, the special-programs coordinator.
The finished murals show an image of Snoopy and Woodstock sharing a laugh atop his red doghouse. It’s co-sponsored by Peanuts Worldwide and the Foundation for Hospital Art. They hope the custom murals bring a smile to worried families.
“Art is always very therapeutic,” Viswanathan said. “Any child who comes — even if a child comes for a regular check-up — it’s always a slightly scary event, and I think it helps patients feel a sense of normalcy.”
Jeannie Schulz, the widow of the comic strip’s creator, Charles Schulz, said the initiative hopes to lower the fear level in hospitals: “If you can have a little bit of levity — a little smile — we know that lowers your blood pressure. It’s almost as good as patting a dog.”
How each hospital deploys the murals has been left to the local administrators.
— Associated Press
Nicki Minaj a mom
Nicki Minaj has welcomed her first child.
The “Super Bass” rapper gave birth Wednesday in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times has confirmed. No additional birth details were immediately available.
It’s the first child for the 37-yearold artist and her husband, Kenneth “Zoo” Petty. She and Petty got married in October last year after about a year together. They had previously dated when the “Bang Bang” rapper was 16 and living in Queens, N.Y. Minaj, whose full name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, announced her pregnancy on social media in July with a series of bikini-clad photos taken by David LaChapelle.