Leah Cearlock, a former hospice and home health nurse, shares her passion for art as a volunteer at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton with the Art Cart, a mobile cart filled with art supplies and projects designed to enrich the lives of patients and their families by providing life enhancing creative activity.  

Her favorite part of volunteering with the Art Cart is encouraging participants to let their creativity flow. She has had numerous Art Cart visits that have been very meaningful for patients. In 2021, Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton cared for a patient who had a life goal to do a weaving project.  

“Leah visited one of our patients on Christmas Eve with the Art Cart. She had researched ways she could do a weaving project on Pinterest,” said Annette Burckart, art therapist at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. “She left such an impact on that patient and is always finding ways to go above and beyond.”  

One of the ways she goes above and beyond is through her stained glass art. Cearlock started a Facebook page, Light From Within, named after the last line of an Elisabeth Kubler Ross quote: “People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”  

Cearlock found her passion for stained glass art after taking a class 20 years ago.  

“I spent the next couple of years making large pieces for my home and my family. Then life got in the way, so I packed everything up and continued to move my glass stash with me through seven moves across many states until I decided last summer that it was time to resurrect my love for the art,” Cearlock said. “It has become my creative outlet, and it also is a way to earn a little money to help cover traveling expenses, another retirement bucket list item!” 

Just about everyone has been touched by death and so many have experienced the value of hospice.

– Leah Cearlock, volunteer

She recently created pieces in a series of botanical flowers including poppies, daffodils, tulips, rosebuds, and irises, and hosted an online auction.  

“I knew I wanted to kickstart my post-retirement small business to supplement my income, but I was not sure of outside interest. I decided to host the auction after my brother had similar success with his woodworking business,” Cearlock said. “It was a way to test the market not only for interest but see if my pricing would be on point. I decided anything above the set price would be donated to a worthy cause and without thinking, I knew it would be for hospice.”  

Through the online auction, Cearlock raised $480, which included donations from those who did not win.  

“Everyone who bid and won was from southern Illinois where I grew up and worked for a home health and hospice agency,” Cearlock said. “It was heartwarming. Just about everyone has been touched by death and so many have experienced the value of hospice.” 

Burckart said the proceeds that Cearlock donated to the are being used to replace art supplies for the Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Art Forever Support Group and the Art Cart. 

“We are grateful for Leah’s support of our mission,” Burckart said. “We are so fortunate to have volunteers like Leah.”   

To volunteer, please visit: https://www.ohioshospice.org/volunteer/