The Art for Healing: Journey Sculpture Dedicated

The members of the oncology team who helped design their new home, the Sandra R. Berman Pavilion, embraced a guiding principle from the start: Patients first. Among the patient-centered elements of the design is the way the best views of GBMC’s hilly, lush campus are from patient care areas. 

Today, patients receiving infusion look out over a hill of trees and a tall ribbon of steel. Journey was created by sculptor David Hess for GBMC and donated by Wendy Jachman. In October, they were honored guests as Journey was dedicated to the memory of Wendy’s late husband, Howard, and the patients and clinicians of the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute. 

Mr. Hess and Mrs. Jachman are friends and fellow artists. David shared his design with Wendy, and the scaled-down model, or maquette, made an immediate impression. 

“When David showed me the maquette, the sculpture took my breath away, just as Howard did the first time I saw him,” Wendy told those gathered for the dedication. “I recognized the grace, elegance and largeness, just as I had seen in Howard. 

“Howard always had a big smile, open arms and sparkle when embracing those around him. I hope this sculpture has the Howard effect on all that view this and heal in its magic.” 

Thanking Wendy for her generous gift, Paari Gopalakrishnan, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of GBMC HealthCare, Inc., said that community support for the hospital system and its programs was key in attracting him here. “I have been told that the community fully supports GBMC. It has been a privilege to see that proven true,” he said. 

“This stunning, deeply symbolic sculpture Mrs. Jachman contributed is an inspiration to our patients and to everyone caring for them.” The gathering for the dedication was held in the John R. Saunders, Jr. Conference Room, on the second floor of the Berman Pavilion. Paul Celano, MD, FACP, FASCO, the Herman & Walter Samuelson Medical Director of the Berman Cancer Institute, pointed out that the room is primarily used for meetings of the Tumor Board. 

He explained this to the guests attending the event: “This morning, for example, we had our head and neck tumor conference during which patient cases were presented and discussed by our head and neck surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, geneticists, clinical trials team, social workers, palliative care team, and other specialists. We meet here to review cases, painstakingly reviewing patient’s stories, images and test results and consult with each other to determine the best possible treatment, not just to attack cancer but to meet the patient’s goals.” 

A sign at the base of the ribbon sums up its meaning to Wendy and her sons: “This sculpture was donated in memory of Howard R. Jachman by his loving family. You will always be in our hearts and our light.”