The playful toy dinosaurs perched on the nurses’ station are wearing crocheted holiday sweaters and hats that change throughout the year. Giant lady bugs, caterpillars, fish and flowers line the hallways and a long multi-colored banner hanging from the ceiling blows in the breeze whenever someone whisks by. The pediatric area at SSM Health Dean Medical Group’s location on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin, is a wonderland of whimsy and has been that way for three years thanks to one of SSM Health’s language interpreters.
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“They were running short-staffed. It was sick kid after sick kid during COVID,” says Brenda Serna, an SSM Health interpreter for Spanish-speaking patients.
So, she decided to decorate the department and surprised the staff one morning.
“There were flowers everywhere! I did it at the end of the day so by the next morning, when they came in, they were so happy because it was colorful and fresh. It definitely lifts your mood.”
It all started with origami and decorating a space for every season using recycled materials.
“Over the last few years, I've been really into being as green as I can be.”
Serna often uses items like COVID vaccine stickers, plastic bottles and the paper wrap from her eco-friendly rolls of bamboo toilet paper.
“I'm not sure if you have heard of the toilet paper company called Who Gives a Crap? It's online,” laughs Serna. “Each paper roll comes wrapped in this really cute tissue paper. I felt bad throwing them away, so I just made flowers out of it.”
Brenda learned origami years ago with her son when he was a child and now incorporates it in complex designs at the clinic.
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“The one comment I love the most was with the origami butterflies,” says Serna. “A patient whose husband had passed away brought in a pack of origami paper and said ‘will you make me an origami butterfly to take home? My husband used to love butterflies.’ So, I made her a butterfly and she was really happy. I think that's probably the most touching.”
Her co-workers love it too.
“Brenda’s passion for serving people is expressed in everything she does,” says Tricia Thompson, SSM Health Dean Medical Group Language Access Manager. “I greatly appreciate her interest in brightening her coworkers’ workspaces, as well as creating a more engaging atmosphere for the pediatric patients. Nurses have shared that when taking children out for measurements and such, the offers to show them the dinosaurs or all the ’cool stuff’ makes them come more willingly and they are amused by the silly diversion.”
Brenda creates the elaborate art displays on her own time using materials she collects throughout her day, whether at home or at work. In her spare time, she looks at Pinterest and YouTube to spur new ideas for her next seasonal theme at the clinic.
“People ask ‘Where do you find time to do all of this?’ and I say ‘Some people like to read, right? And I like to craft’. Sometimes, at the end of my workday, I just sit and craft for a little bit. It's very relaxing to me.”
Check out some of Brenda's beautiful creations.
