More than 50 donors, nurses and well-wishers celebrated the unveiling of a new sculpture in the lobby of WhidbeyHealth Medical Center on Friday, Sept. 30.

The sculpture is called “Hearts” and was crafted by Sue Taves, a Whidbey Island sculptor. Joann and Art Peterson, along with their friends and family, raised funds to commission the piece for it to be placed in the lobby.

“My family, friends, Art and I dedicate this “Hearts” sculpture to you, the members of my oncology team who date back to March 2015,” Joann Peterson told the crowd before the piece was unveiled, according to a press release.

The Petersons partnered with the WhidbeyHealth Foundation and Taves to bring their vision to life over the course of a year. The five varieties of stone in the tower of artistically-hewn hearts symbolize strength and love in the face of adversity. It also includes a honeycomb onyx, California antique marble, Spanish blue alabaster, raspberry alabaster and serpentine on a granite and steel base.

Joann Peterson said in a press release that she hoped the piece would be something enjoyed by visitors to the hospital. She mainly hoped it would provide a place for cancer patients and their families “to contemplate, to meditate, to be at peace.”

Peterson compared the piece to her own cancer journey.

“A tower of hearts that sometimes seems just a little precarious,” Joann Peterson said. “Colors that begin in dark and end in light. This piece means so much more to me than I ever envisioned. Thank you, Sue, for your genius and your artistry.”

WhidbeyHealth photo — Joann and Art Peterson pose for a photo with WhidbeyHealth’s Cancer Care team.