Art with a Heart in Healthcare, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the healing process of patients and their families, has received its annual donation of funds and art supplies from the Mett family of Yulee, Fla. Since 2012, Shannel Mett and her family celebrate their son Kaylum Dean Anthony Frank’s life and preserve his legacy by giving back to the organization. Their donation will be used in countless future art sessions with hospitalized children.
Tragically, Kaylum was 12 years old when he died on February 6, 2011. According to Shannel, he was the most gentle and loving child to everyone, and was artistic, loved birds, lizards, aliens, and was fascinated with outer space. Kaylum tragically died in a pedestrian traffic accident in Jacksonville. Shannel Mett owns and operates Shannels Cleaning Service in Yulee.
After Kaylum’s death, his sister Alyssia was a patient at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville where she and the Mett family benefitted from Art with a Heart in Healthcare’s programs and services. Alyssia’s participation helped her cope with her brother’s passing and her health challenges. Additionally, she was moved to draw and participate in art classes to honor the keen art abilities of her brother. During this time, the family started the “Kaylum’s Gift” initiative with monetary donations from clients of the family’s cleaning service totaling in the thousands of dollars and art supplies purchased for the nonprofit.
“We are so grateful for Art with a Heart in Healthcare during such devastating times for us. We understand that donations like these enable the organization to carry out its mission to enhance the healing process for young patients and their families,” said Shannel Mett.
Art with a Heart in Healthcare programs and services funds a talented team of staff artists, community volunteers and interns from the University of North Florida and University of Florida to develop sessions individualized to meet the needs of patients and families at bedside or in groups.
Together they create art that helps to reclaim the child from the illness. Patients are from Palm Coast to St. Augustine to Jacksonville and Fernandina Beach, and beyond. The nonprofit’s team of artists and volunteers have served tens of thousands of patients and their families in northeast Florida at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Specialty Clinic, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, and Mayo Clinic.
Visit the website at www.artwithaheart.info. Visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/artwithaheartinhealthcare.
