This week’s Chair-A-Tee profile comes from a Gilda’s Club representative. Jennifer Dochod is a life long Grand Rapids resident. She is also the volunteer arts and crafts instructor at Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. She has been giving of her time and talent for 15 years as a way to honor her mother. Her chair can be seen at Gilda’s Club of Lowell.
Giving Back
Like many, Jennifer Dochod has been personally touched by cancer. When she was in junior high her mother was diagnosed with cancer and given a 25% chance of survival. A fighter, Dochod’s mom is a 30 year survivor who also volunteers with Gilda’s Club. The family knows all too well the emotional toll cancer can take. The fight comes not only from the person dealing with cancer but friends and family showing support.
Gilda’s Club did not exist with Dochod and her family. She feels those in the medical field treats the body with medication but psychological and social needs should be addressed as well. This is where Gilda’s Club has provided a much-needed service. “At a time that is often fraught with uncertainties, isolation, and varying emotions, Gilda’s Club does an outstanding job at being a warm and welcoming place ‘to come as you are’.” according to Dochod. Support groups, workshops, arts and crafts, and exercise are among the programs offered free of charge to those on a cancer or grief journey. Some continue to come to events years after a loved one has passed away due to continued support and friendships which have formed.
Designing a Chair
Dochod’s contemporary chair started with finding fabric and letting inspiration take over from there. “I like how the slats of the chair back are echoed in the stripes of the fabric.” she says of her design. She wanted to create something bright and cheery as a way to show how Gilda’s Club can be seen during a dark time in a person and family’s life. She uses the metaphor of “a rainbow after a really bad storm”.
Dochod is also an occupational therapist where she uses art. She conducted her Masters thesis at Gilda’s Club. “I found that the arts provided a distraction from pain, a way to connect with others, and served as a form of self expression. … There are so many health benefits to participating arts and crafts!” she says. An artist for 25 years, Dochod was a 2010 ArtPrize artist with a polymer clay relief sculpture. She has also participated in juried shows. She prefers working with watercolors, polymer clay, and mixed media but also enjoys fiber arts and making jewelry.
Jennifer Dochod’s chair can be seen at Gilda’s Club of Lowell until August 18. From August 22 – 26 all of the Chair-A-Tee chairs will be on display at LowellArts. Bids can be placed until 3pm on the 26th during a closing reception. Winners will be announced at 4pm.
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