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V.K. SANTOSH KUMAR
Aanya Rao, a 15-year-old NPS International student, runs an organisation called Art:Connect which aims to link student art and healthcare.
It is now collaborating with the National University Centre For Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) at the National University Hospital on a programme to spread awareness about organ donation among the youth.
As part of the programme, Art:Connect is organising an art competition which has organ donation as its theme, with specific focus on kidney and liver donations.
"Through the art competition we hope to get more students to think more about the topic and familiarise themselves with it," said Aanya.
"All individuals aged between nine and 23 around the world can participate. The participants have to create artwork that reflects the theme of organ donation, following the guidelines on our website (connect-art.org)."
The guiding ideas include "Organ donation to loved ones". Participants have to portray the emotion behind the donation. Another one is "Organ donation: Changing a life". Participants have to illustrate the joys and the changes in life after organ donation: How the donation has affected the person's lifestyle and how it has strengthened the bond between the donor and the recipient.
The closing date for submissions is Tuesday (June 15 at 11:59pm). Participants have to submit their artwork via the Google submission form on Art:Connect's website (organ donation awareness art competition page).
All artworks will receive official certificates from NUCOT.
Team Art:Connect will select the winning artworks, which will be displayed at a special gallery at the NUH Main Building, Lobby B Exhibition Area - outside the NUCOT clinic.
Art:Connect, which was started in June last year, has a membership of more than 25 students aged between 14 and 23 who attend both international and local schools.
The core team consists of Aanya, Siya Sharma, 15 (director of outreach), Urvi Chakravarthy, 16 (director of communications and marketing), and Kavya Nair, 15 (director of art curation).
"Art:Connect provides me with the opportunity to give back to society while pursuing my passions in arts and healthcare," said Aanya.
"Even a small impact in the lives of patients or residents - such as seeing a smile during an art workshop - makes the effort worthwhile.
"I hope to continue to use this as a platform to meet new individuals and gain experiences."
