Franciscan Health’s Pinwheel Garden of Hope celebrates discharged COVID-19 patients

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — People who visit Franciscan Health Indianapolis hospital might come across some new garden decorations near two of its main entrances.

From a distance, the garden may look like it’s littered with little pinwheels. However, these small artworks are signs of something big.

Each pinwheel planted at the hospital is spinning for a COVID-19 patient who was released to go home. On Tuesday, 293 pinwheels were placed to celebrate patients that have recovered from the virus.

Sister Marlene Shapley, the vice president of mission services at Franciscan Health, says it gives people a break from thinking about all the tough days the pandemic has brought.

“We’ve gone through a very traumatic experience not just in our city, but in our nation,” she said.

She says the pinwheels in their “garden of hope” give the doctors and nurses on the front lines a reminder that the work they have done could return a patient to their family. It’s something she says they are proud to celebrate with her colleagues.

It’s “awesome,” she said. “We have a walk of honor that when we have a patient going home they announce it over the PA system.”

As they celebrate life, the pinwheels serve as a symbol of faith in the fight against COVID-19 … faith that they can win.

It’s “a gift of love that we’re giving back to the community and that the community is giving back to us,” she said.

There are two gardens. One sits in front of Entrance 6, and the other in front of Entrance 12. The hospital says they plan to add new pinwheels to the gardens each week.