Healing Through Art

Plainview NY

10 May, 2022

4:39 PM

Description

A brother and sister at Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District are taking a tragic personal loss and turning it into healing experiences for others experiencing similar grief. Aidan and Zoey Taylor founded Heidi's Helping Hands in honor of their late mother, who passed away suddenly in 2019. The program provides arts and crafts material for the loved ones of patients at Plainview Hospital to create ###a>special keepsakes"I couldn't just sit with these feelings," said Aidan, who is a freshman at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. "I proposed the idea to my aunt and sister and it kind of escalated from there. My sister helps a lot with the craft part of it. I do more of the logistics and organizing people. I use my connections to help create fundraisers. As a kid, I may not have a lot of connections, but I try." Zoey, who is an eighth grader at H.B. Mattlin Middle School, wants to spread awareness of the program. "People should know that there is an opportunity to create a memory of their loved one while they are in the hospital," she said. While Heidi's Helping Hands is currently only available for patients at Plainview Hospital, the Taylor siblings would like to expand it state and nationwide. "It's an opportunity everyone should have to connect with your loved one," Aidan said. "It's not about the fame; it's about the feeling and the idea behind it. At its core, we are just trying to help people heal through art." Aidan and Zoey encourage anyone interested to visit support.northwell.edu/HeidisHelpingHands and donate to Heidi's Helping Hands. For more information about the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, please visit the District's website at www.pobschools.org. Exciting activities happening throughout the District and programs celebrating student achievement can also be found on the District's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pobschools/.