Prayer and meditation room at Ruby rededicated

The WVU Medicine Spiritual Care and Education Department rededicated the refurbished prayer and meditation room on the first floor of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital at a small ceremony held Oct. 30 that featured light refreshments and harpist Cindy Lewellen.

The renovated room features a new eight-foot-square stained glass installation with six panels that together depicts a West Virginia nature scene. The hospital commissioned Ruth Mahoney of The Glass Place to create the signature piece. Mahoney is a well-known stained glass artist whose works are on display across the United States.

“We really wanted to refresh the space and offer our visitors and patients a more contemporary, peaceful, and relaxing environment, where they could come and reflect, meditate, or pray,” said John Hardman, director, Spiritual Care and Education.

The WVU Medicine planning, design, and construction team spearheaded the project under the direction of Scott Bierer, director of facilities management, and Alan Neptune, manager of planning, design, and construction.

“Once again, our planning, design, and construction team has done a magnificent job transforming a hospital space – in this case, one critical to the spiritual well-being of our visitors and patients,” said Steve Tancin, vice president of operations.

Tancin, who is also a stained glass artist, was enthusiastic about the new artwork. “Ruth and her team really outdid themselves," he said. "The work is magnificent and will go a long way in helping create a soothing and healing environment.”