HEALING GARDEN OFFERS TRANQUIL SETTING AT UT MEDICAL CENTER

Community donations and labor create serene setting for patients, families and staff
A community-wide effort initiated by a well known Knoxville garden enthusiast has resulted in a beautiful, peaceful setting for all patients, families and staff at The University of Tennessee Medical Center to enjoy. Medical center representatives introduced the Healing Garden to the community at a dedication ceremony.
The Healing Garden is a 4,500 square foot landscaped garden with seating areas and a cascading water feature located in a courtyard just beyond the cafeteria at the medical center. The purpose of the garden, according to Rick Giecek, chief development officer at UT Medical Center, is to provide a spot for those at the medical center to promote healing and recovery during their visit.
“The dedication and blessing of the Healing Garden honors all the patients who come to The University of Tennessee Medical Center for care each year,” Giecek said. “The garden was made possible through philanthropic support from throughout the Knoxville and East Tennessee region. This support created this tranquil and special place for our patients and their families.”
The idea for the Healing Garden originated about two years ago when Maria Compere, known throughout the area for leading the efforts to have one million daffodil bulbs planted alongside the roadways and in other areas throughout the Knoxville community, visited the Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center. She decided people needed a special place for reflection and healing.
The community agreed, by contributing approximately $80,000 in philanthropic gifts and in-kind donations. Black Fox Farms and Stanley’s Greenhouse donated many of the plants, shrubs and trees. Ross/Fowler donated the architectural design for the landscaping and a group of 17 volunteers, students from the University of Tennessee’s Green T Club, spent a Saturday in April planting about 600 annuals, flowers, shrubs and trees. The installation of a water feature early in June, added as a tribute to Mrs. Judy Oglesby by her family and friends, completed the garden.
Tribute bricks available for purchase offer people throughout the community the opportunity to become a lasting part of the Healing Garden. Bricks in celebration of or in tribute to loved ones are placed along the walking path of the garden and are offered through the Office of Development at UT Medical Center. A 4” by 8” brick costs $150 and 8” by 8” bricks sell for $300. For more information about the Healing Garden or to purchase a tribute brick, call the Office of Development at (865) 305-6611 or email development@utmck.edu.
“This is absolutely beautiful,” said Compere, sitting under a shade tree on a bench in the Healing Garden and admiring her surroundings. “I know a lot of people in this community will enjoy the Healing Garden and will be able to renew their spirits here.”
The University of Tennessee Medical Center is a 581-bed, not-for-profit academic medical center, which serves as a referral center for Eastern Tennessee, Southeast Kentucky and Western North Carolina. The Medical Center, the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, is one of the largest employers in Knoxville. For more information about the University of Tennessee Medical Center, visit online at www.utmedicalcenter.org.