There is a new symbol of health, healing, and hope in the lobby of Ascension Seton Hays.
The Healing Sculpture, created by local artist and longtime Ascension Seton associate Joshua Farrell, was funded by the Ascension Seton Hays Foundation. It was placed here with a simple goal: to serve our mission of caring for the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.
It didn’t take long for the sculpture to start making an impact. Soon after it was installed, hospital president Joan Ross noticed a visitor sitting quietly in the lobby. She was waiting for her husband to come out of a procedure and felt anxious. Joan offered to take her to the chapel for a moment of peace. But the woman said, “No, I’m actually happy here. This sculpture is bringing me peace.”
Art heals. It can calm the mind, lift the heart, and speak in ways words cannot. In times of stress or sorrow, beauty reminds us that hope still exists. This sculpture brings peace and offers quiet strength — a gentle reminder that this is a place where healing truly happen.
Joshua drew inspiration for the sculpture from Ecclesiastes 4:12: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Healing is never done alone. At Ascension Seton Hays, it happens through the strength of a community — caregivers, patients, families, and supporters all working together. The sculpture’s woven branches reflect that unity. Nurses, doctors, chaplains, volunteers, and loved ones each play a part in lifting up those in need. This shared care is at the heart of everything we do.
Hospital staff, donors, and Ascension Seton Hays Foundation Board Members recently gathered to dedicate the sculpture for its healing purpose. “We’re so grateful to be able to make special projects like this a reality,” said Michelle Lopez, Ascension Seton Hays Foundation Board Chair. “We support this hospital because we believe in the mission to provide spiritually centered, holistic care. This means going beyond medical treatment to care for the whole person. This sculpture is one more way this hospital lives out that mission.”
Now, as each person passes through our lobby, this sculpture will serve as a gentle reminder: this is a place where healing happens, where hope is alive, and where no one faces their journey alone.