Photographer Joanne DeLuca Capturing smiles

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Oct = 25,=20 2007

Photographer Joanne=20 DeLuca

Capturing=20 smiles

Going to the hospital = is not often=20 something that grownups relish, but for a child it can be = downright=20 terrifying.

Greenwich Hospital is working to help = children=20 overcome that fear by making its pediatric center more = welcoming=20 through newly displayed photographs of children dressed up = as=20 doctors and nurses. The walls of the pediatric center are = now=20 decorated with the smiling faces of children, showing the = young=20 patients they have nothing to fear.

The photographs = are the=20 brainchild and creation of Darien photographer Joanne = DeLuca, who=20 thought of the idea after the daughter of a friend came down = with a=20 rare eye ailment and had to spend a lot of time at the = hospital.=20 Seeing the girl=92s growing anxiety, Ms. DeLuca invited her = to her=20 photography studio and took a few shots of her in a lab coat = with=20 medical equipment to try and relax her.

=93She got = such benefit=20 out of it that I didn=92t want to let this opportunity go to = waste,=94=20 Ms. DeLuca said. =93I wanted to do more and see if I could = help other=20 children with their anxiety.=94

Ms. DeLuca did the = series of=20 photographs before even contacting the hospital, but she = knew=20 Greenwich Hospital well, having delivered her children there = and=20 taking her daughter there for treatment. She had a feeling = the=20 hospital would like her idea and she found an immediately = receptive=20 audience.

=93As soon as we saw the photos we knew it = was going=20 to have a wonderful impact,=94 said Sue Brown, a registered = nurse and=20 program director for the pediatric center. =93The kids = looked so happy=20 and excited to be in the outfits. I think the children will = really=20 be able to relate to that.=94

=93I think this is a = great benefit=20 to children who are feeling anxiety about coming to the = hospital,=94=20 Dr. Toni Salvatore, medical director for the pediatric = center, said.=20 =93Anxiety is a big problem for children, much more so than = with our=20 adult patients. There=92s separation anxiety for them = because they=92re=20 being taken away from their parents and they=92re coming = into a=20 strange environment. If they=92ve been here before they = might even=20 have a bad memory of it.=94

This is not the first = time artwork=20 has been up on the walls in the pediatric center. Usually = pieces by=20 child patients are on display, but the hospital is hoping = the impact=20 will be greater than just making the walls look nice. The=20 photographs have been up since last Friday. While it will be = hard to=20 scientifically measure the positive impacts of the project, = it=92s=20 something that can be judged just by = looking.

=93We=92re already=20 seeing the effects,=94 Dr. Salvatore said. =93The children = really like=20 them.=94

=93The children have been smiling and = laughing with the=20 photos,=94 Ms. Brown added. =93I even saw a child in a = wheelchair going=20 by who had to stop and just look at them because of the = smiles on=20 the children=92s faces.=94

The photos also serve as a = testament=20 to Greenwich Hospital. Several of the children in them are = former=20 hospital patients, which serves as an additional tool to = medical=20 staff trying to calm the concerns of their = patients.

As an=20 artist, Ms. DeLuca said, it is very meaningful to have this = kind of=20 reaction to her work, especially since she did the project = to try=20 and help children.

=93I do what I can do, so I can = find=20 opportunities like this,=94 Ms. DeLuca said.

Ms. = DeLuca wasn=92t=20 always a photographer. She was once a corporate lawyer, but = after=20 having children she decided to =93reprioritize.=94 Ms. = DeLuca does all=20 kinds of photography now at her Darien studio, but says she=20 specializes in children. She=92d even done a similar series = where she=20 photographed her child models dressed up as tennis=20 players.

=93I actually think, in general, photography = gives me=20 the opportunity to let people capture their children,=94 Ms. = DeLuca=20 said. =93I find such meaning in this because I think = there=92s nothing=20 more precious. ... I do everything, but I love doing = photographs of=20 children. That=92s my passion for = photography.=94

Most of the=20 models Ms. DeLuca used for her hospital series are 2 to 5 = years old.=20 That means having a lot of patience and taking the time to = get what=20 she needs by speaking to the children and finding the most = effective=20 forms of communicating and relating with them.

=93A = photo of a=20 child is nothing if they have a blank look on their face,=94 = Ms.=20 DeLuca said. =93It was a challenge to try and get them = engaged in the=20 project. You can do that by talking to them. Kids want to = share with=20 you and get to know you. If you engage them in role-play you = will be=20 able to find a way to connect with them.=94

Doing = this requires=20 not only Ms. DeLuca=92s skills as a mother but also her = background as=20 a lawyer, because she needs to be constantly thinking on her = feet=20 and finding a way to connect with someone who might not = necessarily=20 want to cooperate just because someone tells them = to.

While=20 it was hard work to make the project a reality, it was more = than=20 worth it for its creator.

=93I feel so happy to do = something=20 that=92s leaving a lasting impression,=94 Ms. DeLuca said. = =93You don=92t=20 often have the chance to have an impact except on those who = are=20 closest to you.=94

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