Art therapy studied at Cancer Treatment Centre

A doctor doing her residency on P.E.I. is talking to Islanders who have turned to the arts as part of their treatment for cancer.

There is currently no art therapy program at the Cancer Treatment Centre, but Dr. Nancy Yao is hoping to make the case for developing one.

Art therapy is an emerging field in medicine and it's been found to be really helpful for healing, said Yao.

This really is a pilot project to see if using art therapy would work, and in particular with cancer patients.

As part of her research Yao has already talked with two Island women who took up artistic pursuits after being diagnosed with cancer. Kathey Campbell began painting and Joan Atkinson turned to knitting. They told Yao it kept their hands busy during treatment, and was soothing and healing.

Patients don't need to be artists to benefit from art therapy, said Yao, adding it could help patients with other medical issues too.