Doing What I Can

The Center of Excellence for Cancer Support Services at Mount Sinai launched its new Art Fridays program on September 12 with a poetry workshop at the Dubin Breast Center in East Harlem, welcoming nearly a dozen patients, caregivers, and staff. The monthly enrichment series is designed to provide creative outlets that support healing, connection, and self-expression.

Author and poet Peter Yaremko, who shared how poetry can help people process the emotional weight of cancer, led the inaugural session. Participants heard poems by distinguished writers who turned to poetry in times of illness and grief, and then wrote their own personal reflections. 

“The whole purpose is to put on paper the feelings that are bothering you, so you can unburden yourself and find some peace,” Yaremko explained. “Poetry doesn’t take away pain, but it provides companionship in the grief journey.”

Yaremko’s commitment to leading healing poetry workshops is deeply personal. After losing his wife to cancer ten years ago, he turned to poetry as a way to cope with his grief. Writing became a space where he could slow down, reflect, and begin to heal. Inspired by how transformative the practice was for him, Yaremko now shares this gift with others facing illness or loss, guiding patients and caregivers to discover how words can bring comfort, peace, and resilience.

For patient Lisa Atkins, a Brooklyn resident, the event felt like a sign. “This class was inspirational. Art is healing because there’s no right or wrong—you can just express yourself freely,” she said. “My dad was a poet, and I saw this as a way to reconnect with him, and with myself, after my cancer diagnosis.

“This workshop reminded me that even in the middle of a cancer journey, I can find moments of joy and expression. Writing poetry helped me put my feelings into words and feel connected to others who understand what it’s like,” she said.

Alison Snow, PhD, LCSW, co-director of the Center of Excellence for Cancer Support Services at Mount Sinai, described the gathering as intimate and moving. 

“Everyone was holding back tears,” she reflected. “Art allows patients to tap into creativity, feel safe, and form bonds with one another. You could see those connections happening around the table.”

The Art Fridays series will continue this fall with workshops in painting, cooking, and interior design. 

“We’re excited to see this program grow,” Snow said. “Through art, we want to give patients and caregivers moments of beauty, healing, and hope, a reminder that even in the hardest times, creativity can light the way forward.”