The Art of Giving Back

On Thursday, April 3, 2025, about 25 artists will showcase their work at the Craig Hospital Foundation’s Impact Celebration: Art Auction. Chaired by Laura and Keith Fuicelli and supported by generous sponsors, the event celebrates resilience, creativity and the transformative power of art—with proceeds providing critical funds to help patients.

For artist and Craig grad, Jennifer Radil, supporting the art auction is very important.

“I have donated my art to Craig in the past, and I’m so happy to do it again this year,” Jennifer explains. “I am extremely grateful for Craig and feel lucky to have spent time there after my accident. Donating my work to the auction is a way for me to thank Craig, while also showcasing my skillset and my art career.”

Back in July 2000, Jennifer—who had just completed her freshman year at Colby College in Maine—was working as an assistant counselor at a summer camp near Florissant, Colorado.

“I was riding in a Jeep with several co-workers, heading to a day of whitewater rafting,” she recalls. “The car rolled, and because I was sitting in the cargo area without a seatbelt, I was seriously injured.”

After a hydraulic tool freed Jennifer from the wreckage, she was flown by helicopter to a Colorado Springs hospital. “My spinal cord was compressed, which caused paralysis from the chest down. It was a very scary and life-changing experience.”

Jennifer spent several weeks in the hospital before her family decided Craig was the best place for her spinal cord injury neurorehabilitation. “Even though my family lived in Omaha, we knew about Craig from several friends who had been there,” she says. “They all told us that Craig was the best place for me.”

After three months in Denver, Jennifer returned home to Omaha: “I wanted to go back to Colby, but it wasn’t a feasible option in a wheelchair, so I transferred to Colorado College and graduated with a degree in studio art.”

She went on to complete her graduate work in art therapy at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and became a teaching artist at WhyArts, an organization dedicated to providing Omaha’s underserved populations with access to inclusive quality arts programming.

Today, Jennifer is a full-time mixed media artist, working out of her studio in Omaha. In addition to her own personal work, Jennifer produces commercial commissions.

“For me, creating art is about connecting with nature and setting; celebrating the handmade process; and experiencing a sense of wholeness,” she says. “In an increasingly noisy world, I seek to establish balance and a sense of calm in my work through paints, colored pencils, ink, leather and coiled string.”

She adds, “Trauma tends to divide life into before and after. But I am fortunate to be able to follow my creative passions—even after my accident. I am so thankful I didn’t have to stop pursuing my art.”

To learn more about the Impact Celebration: Art Auction on April 3, visit: https://craighospital.org/events/impact-celebration-art-auction