As Sacred Places on hospital campuses steadily grow, we are excited to introduce the latest addition: the Garden of Hope and Healing at the April Sampson Cancer Center, in Lincoln, NE. This new space is a natural addition to the Center, which takes a holistic approach to caring for patients, their families, and staff.
The Garden of Hope and Healing is larger than most Sacred Places on healthcare campuses and provides tranquil, ample space where patients, their families, and staff can step outside and wander. A winding path encircles a small grove of towering pines and leads around a labyrinth they can walk. Beneath the trees, a Nature Sacred bench offers a peaceful place to sit, where visitors can also journal their thoughts if they wish. The path continues past a pavilion and pond, offering multiple moments of quiet reflection and connection with nature.
The April Sampson Cancer Center was created to unite all cancer care services under one roof, creating a seamless, supportive environment for patients in the Lincoln area. By eliminating the need to travel between different locations for treatment, the center not only simplifies the logistics of care but also places a strong emphasis on the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of its patients. This garden was a natural extension of this holistic approach to care.
At the opening of the ‘Garden of Hope and Healing,’ we were there to celebrate, with our CEO, Alden E. Stoner, sharing a few words about the powerful connection between nature and healing.
Nature offers solace. It offers hope. It offers a place to simply be, amidst the whirlwind of appointments, treatments, and emotions. This Sacred Place, this Garden of Hope and Healing, extends that solace not just to patients, but to their families, their support networks, and to all those who serve here.
—Alden E. Stoner
The Garden of Hope and Healing now joins the larger Nature Sacred network of Sacred Places, each offering a unique space for reflection and renewal. We look forward to continuing our support for this garden, while also learning from it as we evolve our programming and approach for Sacred Places across all communities. Through these spaces, we continue to learn how we can employ nature to bring comfort, connection, and healing to all.
Read more about the Garden of Hope and Healing on its Sacred Place profile.
Visit the Garden of Hope and Healing via the video below, which includes footage captured during the opening.
