Flags help spirits soar

Carrying messages of hope and healing, hundreds of brightly colored felt squares called “spirit flags” are now brightening the hallways of the MGH Cancer Center. Created by cancer patients, their families and staff members, the spirit flags are modeled after traditional Tibetan prayer flags and are intended to carry the written wishes and blessings of the flags’ creators into the air, making them a permanent part of the universe. The colors of the flags were carefully chosen, with each hue representing one of the five elements: blue = sky/space, white = water, red = fire, green = air/wind and yellow = earth.

Today, more than 400 flags can be found hanging in the Cox Infusion Unit, Yawkey Infusion Unit, Ellison 14, Radiation Oncology and the Cancer Resource Room. The project is sponsored by the Network for Patients and Families, the Cancer Resource Room and MGH Chaplaincy. For more information about the spirit flags or to make your own, call or visit the Cancer Resource Room on Yawkey 8 at (617) 724-1822.