As patients and practitioners challenge the very nature of Western medicine, unconventional doctors like the well-known Patch Adams become American heroes. Dr. John Graham-Pole, who has a conventional medical degree and specializes in chronic and terminal illness, is such a doctor. He has sought to humanize the care of patients by introducing the arts – music, dance, painting, theater, writing, puppetry, clowning, and magic – into the hospital setting. In this volume, inspiring stories illustrate how patients engaging in the arts respond better to physical setbacks, are more adept at expressing their emotions, and find more spiritual peace in the midst of their illness.
