The Healing Power of Portraits

On the fourth floor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, they're doing cutting-edge research on bladder cancer, the mechanics of cancer stem-cell replication, and the healing power of portraits. That's right, portraits. The aim of the project is for an artist to study the interaction between patients and caregivers and to develop a set of paintings based on observation. The work is being done by Scottish-born artist Mark Gilbert. A few years ago Gilbert did a whole series of portraits on some hospital patients in London. And it was during these sittings that Mark says he first noticed the medicinal effect of having one's portrait done. (Video)