The Creative Heroes – breathing space for sick children

Creativity, play, concentration and imagination are beneficial to all children, and help them to develop. For children and families whose lives are affected by illness and diagnoses, it is often difficult to find time, space and settings for creative games and activities.

“The Kreaheltene give children in hospital a break, so that illness and diagnoses are pushed into the background for a while. Kreaheltene have a mobile workshop, which is a secure, supportive and inspiring place for children to try out their ideas and fantasies, work through them and play with them. The creative process reinforces courage, curiosity and confidence in their own choices and abilities. This is enriching for all children, but for children whose daily life is controlled by external factors associated with their illness, a creative space is especially enriching,” explains Henriette Madsen, general secretary of the Child Accident Prevention Foundation.

Kreaheltene are a section of the Child Accident Prevention Foundation – a non-profit organisation that works to prevent accidents to children in Denmark. All members of Kreaheltene are professionals with qualifications in educational theory and knowledge of creative processes.

“We are extremely grateful for the Vissing Foundation’s donation to Kreaheltene at North Denmark Regional Hospital in Hjørring and at Aalborg University Hospital. It will help us to continue giving children a breathing space in their daily life, or when they are in hospital or going to out-patient appointments,” says Henriette Madsen.