Squeeze and twist to bring patients joy and confidence

“I could never have imagined that balloon twisting would give me so much joy,” exclaims person-in-recovery (PIR) Shirley, who learned the art in the Patient Resources and Social Centre (PRSC) during her stay at Kwai Chung Hospital (KCH). “I now make balloon shapes for my neighbours and friends, and for people in homes for the elderly. On one occasion, a mother and daughter even came up to me and asked to take a photograph with my balloons.”

Shirley continued her passion for balloon twisting after her discharge, learning advanced techniques by watching YouTube videos, and found that her new skill gave her confidence when people commended her on her creations.

She even taught her elder sister how to twist balloons, bringing the family members closer together. “Balloons spread happiness and help release pressure,” Shirley says. “My family gives balloons to our neighbours. I give balloons to healthcare workers when I go back to visit the hospital, and they call me ‘the balloon twisting girl’.”

Shirley’s teacher at KCH was Ivona Chan, Enrolled Nurse of Psychiatric Nursing, who has set up a team of balloon twisting made up of volunteers and PIRs with colleagues at the beginning of this year. She hopes balloon twisting could bring joy to PIRs, and says learning the techniques help patients with their emotional balance and stress management.

PRSC was temporarily closed during the epidemic. Now, it holds balloon twisting activities every month, inviting patients to make balloon shapes, and installing with volunteers together. The finished works are displayed at PRSC for patients, relatives, and staff members to take photos of. Patients can even take instant photos for retention.

“We had a balloon cherry tree with around 200 balloon buds, all of which were twisted by patients. They can join according to their abilities. We feel accomplished when patients are happy with the finished works.” says Aaron who – together with Jam – is a member of the volunteer team. Both have seven to nine years’ experience in balloon twisting. They describe their work as exchanging ideas rather than teaching, and say practice makes perfect for both volunteers and patients.

Ivona says balloon twisting can teach people important life lessons as well as hand-eye coordination and train up fine motor skills. “When you twist a balloon, it reminds you that people need to be flexible, but they must make sure they do not take on too much. If there is too much pressure, the balloon will burst,” she observes.

Her ultimate goal is integrating people with disabilities. “We hope that by doing balloon twisting with patients, volunteers will find out more about mental illnesses and dispel their misunderstandings. When patients are discharged, they can come back and join us as volunteers, and communicate with other volunteers to integrate better into the community.”