San Francisco, California, United States
2026. I am Nancy J Ballard, an artist and author living in Petaluma, California. Since 1990 I have worked in watercolor, acrylic, pen & ink, pastels and oils, creating art for galleries, books, and community programs. I enjoy writing and illustrating children’s stories, such as Silly ABCD’s With Sunny the Dragon and the Cousins, and The First Friend Would Have to Be the Best. I also lead in-house art sessions at a Luxury Rehab and volunteer with schools and art groups, sharing my passion for creativity and self-expression. December 31, 2019 RTR4C closed its doors and is no longer a 501c3. We are proud of the work we have done and the lives we hopefully changed. Please feel free to contact Nancy at [email protected] if you would like a consultation and/or additional information. Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo (RTR4C) works in collaboration with interior designers, volunteers, local vendors and facilities that provide treatment to transform drab, sterile chemotherapy spaces into peaceful, warm and nurturing environments that help to promote healing – thus making a tangible difference in the lives of cancer patients, their families and those involved in their care. Nancy Ballard, a retired Marin County entrepreneur, master botanical illustrator and published author was not looking for another project to add to her already full schedule. However, in May 2011, she was asked to donate one of her watercolor prints to cheer up a chemotherapy room. The room was so drab and dreary; she knew it needed more than a simple piece of art. Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo was born out of that one simple request. Now her full time passion, Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo, works in collaboration with interior designers, volunteers, local vendors and facilities that provide treatment. Together they transform drab, sterile chemotherapy spaces into peaceful, warm and nurturing environments that are instrumental in promoting healing – thus making a tangible difference in the lives of cancer patients, their families, and those involved in their care. RTR4C has overseen the redesign of 86 rooms throughout the United States and El Salvador that host over 800,000 patient visits per year.
CHECK OUT OUR FULL LIST OF PROJECTS BELOW! Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo (RTR4C) mobilizes compassionate artists, designers, and volunteers to transform chemotherapy treatment facilities into vibrant, beautiful spaces that encourage healing and hope for all who are affected by cancer. RTR4C envisions a world in which all who are touched by cancer – regardless of income, geography, background, or age – have access to inspiring and hopeful chemotherapy treatment facilities that support the healing process. We believe the collective energy, skills, and passion of a community can be harnessed to address the community’s most pressing needs. RTR4C views nurses, physicians, patients, and families as co-creators and engages these critical stakeholders to design beautiful, purposeful, and culturally inclusive treatment spaces. We know that beautiful and inspiring treatment spaces can help improve self-confidence of patients and better support families. RTR4C believes simple solutions have the power to solve complex problems; in a single weekend, a treatment space can be redesigned to substantially and positively transform the healing process. Room transformations have the ability to not only improve the emotional well being for patients and families battling cancer, but also has the potential to improve healthcare outcomes as patients are more likely to be compliant with treatment when they enjoy their surroundings. We incorporate the evidence-based idea that the body better equipped to heal when the mind is put at ease by calming surroundings.
Over the weekend of October 26-28 2018 in Santa Rosa, CA, RTR4C transformed 8 spaces at the Round Barn Santa Rosa Oncology Center. It was a fantastic weekend full of hope and inspiration as a total of 30 volunteers joined forces to completely transform eight spaces within the St. Joseph’s Cancer Center, including a very large infusion center! The nature-inspired design palette was the brainchild of professional architects, SmithGroup; it presented calming interiors marked by windblown dandelions, birds perched in trees, and the centerpiece of the whole design: an outline of the area’s beloved Red Barn. The Red Barn was a historical landmark that the city of Santa Rosa knew well. During the North Bay fires a year ago, the unique round barn burnt to the ground. SmithGroup tied the barn into the design to pay homage to this familiar image of comfort. SMPS, the Society for Professional Marketing Services’ San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, lent volunteers throughout the weekend and lent their graphic design skills to design a team t-shirt featuring, you guessed it, the red barn!
On October 9th, 2017, the horrific fires of Northern California severely damaged a large part of Roseland Collegiate Prep school in Santa Rosa California. The fire has been traumatic and devastating to staff, students, families, and the community. To support the effort to rebuild hope, RTR4C facilitated in transforming another location that is being used temporarily. The temporary location was used previously by a sister school and needs to be repainted in their school colors and revived.
STATISTICS: Room: 7 Volunteers: 40+ Gilroy was our 20th project and we were so excited to have it be a local one! Since it was a Bay Area based project, it allowed the opportunity for many of the RTR4C Board Members to volunteer their support … more than on any other project we’ve done! This project was a labor of love hosted by our Ambassador Board, and chaired by President Alicia Tolbis. They fundraised and gathered volunteers to help us spend a summer weekend indoors painting, stenciling, and transforming the entire space. Home Depot came to the rescue once again, donating paint and discounting necessary supplies. They even sent volunteers to help for the weekend, making this a true community involved activity! Our newest partner, Rxhibition donated two exquisite art pieces and muralist Shannon Gies donated her time and talent for the fifth time. The waiting room is now a serene oasis and space of inspiration of hope for all of the patients, staff and visitors. In total, 7 rooms have all had big transformations. Thanks to the ongoing support of Cutting Edge Stencils, vibrant colorful stencils adorn the walls and bring some much needed calm and peace to the space. GCRI hosts thousands patients a year, many low income farm workers. Now, each patient can experience the healing benefits of a beautiful, artistic space to support them through their chemothearpy journey. When we called the front desk we were told, “Everyone loves it!” SCOPE OF PROJECT: Total Rooms: 7 1 Waiting Room 1 Staff Break Room 3 Patient Exam Rooms 1 Large Infusion room 1 Patient Restroom DESIGNER: Kelly Sabella DONORS & SPONSORS: Cutting Edge Stencils Behr Paint Home Depot Rxhibition QUOTE: “When you are dealing with cancer, you are scared and want to go where you feel safe. Inviting and comfortable environments that are stress-free help patients and their families through this journey.” ~Dr. Lynne Bui, Founder GCRI