I have a student who has been working on a long term project based on a statue that resides in a small grove on the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Campus. I have been his teacher for a number of years and as a result feel a particular fondness for The Blue Lady. Whenever I visit the hospital, I try to stop by, say "hi" to her and take her picture. Yesterday I was there to drop off two new pictures that I recently had accepted in the Healing with Art show at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. After dropping off my two photos and picking up my two from the last time, I stopped by the grove and was horrified to find the Blue Lady's beautiful face smashed and fallen to the ground. I saw the pieces lying there and realized if the hospital knew about it they would have picked them up to preserve them. I thus, returned to the information desk and told them what I found. They promptly sent security to investigate.
My student's story is all about how this magical statue comes to life and helps a young cancer patient deal with her illness through a wonderful adventure. He describes in his book the Blue Lady's gentle expression. I would hate to think this is the end of her or that this smile would fail to grace her lips again. I hope the Blue Lady's story has a happy ending.
