Babari’s story: How art therapy lifted my daughter’s spirits during her hospital stay

Photo courtesy of Anna Ganago

For the last three months, Texas Children’s has been a second home for 10-year-old Babari Ganago.

“Prior to her diagnosis, my daughter was very healthy and active,” Anna said. “Babari was involved in so many different sports like gymnastics, dance and swimming. Then suddenly, in September 2020, she started having trouble walking and breathing, and then at one point, her fingertips turned purple. For the next several months, we consulted with different pediatric specialists in our home state of Arizona. It wasn’t until we were transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital in May of this year, that we finally got a diagnosis. An MRI showed my daughter had systemic scleroderma, a very rare, autoimmune condition that was causing inflammation in her lungs.”

“Art therapy has definitely lifted her spirits,” Anna said. “It takes her mind off of all of the negative. It gives her the ability to express herself. It’s almost like keeping a journal of your feelings.

Through Texas Children’s Art Therapy Program, there are many creative and therapeutic resources and opportunities to help patients and their families cope and adjust to their hospital experience, and to make it as positive as possible.