The Power of Art and Impact

Reflections on the project that changed my life and the lives it touched.

This January marks one year since one of the most humbling and unforgettable experiences of my life a project that reminded me just how far a single decision, rooted in care and creativity, can reach.

In January 2024, my organization, Arts in Medicine Ghana had the incredible honor of collaborating with The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Journal (UK) to co-create 12 cover designs for their monthly issues throughout the year. As I reflect on that journey, I feel immense gratitude and awe for the lives it touched and the stories it helped to elevate.

Art Therapy session at Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana.

A Birthday in the Oncology Ward

The cover art for Lancet’s January 2024 issue featured a vibrant piece by Ethan Okai, a brave 12-year-old I met at the Oncology Ward of Accra Ridge Hospital in Ghana. Ethan and his twin brother, Courage, were there for chemotherapy quietly celebrating their birthday under the fluorescent lights of the ward.

When my team arrived that day for our regular art session, we had no idea it was the twins’ birthday. Their mother gently pulled me aside and thanked us for simply being there. She expressed how heavy her heart felt, how she wished the day could have looked different for her sons.

What began as a routine creative session quickly transformed into something extraordinary. Ethan and Courage poured themselves into their artwork, their energy filling the room with a kind of joy and resilience that words could never fully capture. The love between the boys and their mother, expressed through brushes, color, and quiet presence, was unforgettable.

When Art Becomes Medicine

For Ethan and his family, that moment became more than just an art session; it became a celebration of courage, connection, and creativity.

For my team and me, it was a powerful reminder: Art doesn’t just decorate life, it dignifies it.

That single day continues to echo in my heart, reinforcing why I do this work. Care, creativity, and kindness can be as transformative as any prescription. And when we design with empathy, even the simplest act, a drawing, a conversation, a brushstroke, becomes a form of healing.

Moving Into 2025 with Purpose

This new year, I’m reflecting not just on goals, but on how we pursue them. What if our goals weren’t just about personal success, but about lifting others in the process? What if we measured growth not just by outcomes, but by the hope we spark and the hearts we touch?

Make 2025 a year where your ambitions inspire hope, our projects build connection, and our impact ripples beyond what we can see.

Artfully Yours,
Doris Komla