Faces of Bythdale Children’s Hospital, 1978

“These children were people and not to be shunned of who they were because of their illness”

– Bill Antin, Bythdale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, NY

 

 

“I was looking for a new project to shot after I finished my Grand Central Station images.” writes Bill Antin. “I was working as a security guard part time at Westchester Medical Center. Traveling to and from my residence to my job I passed by Bythdale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, NY.

“One day I decided to visit the facility and speak to the administrators. I presented some of my work and they agreed to let do some images that could be used in their promotional material. The images were not quite what they were looking for. That wasn’t as important to me as spending six months enjoying these children and getting to know who they were.

“It was tough at times and very frustrating because I refused to take any images that were demeaning or unflattering. After six months the facility asked me to leave not because of my photos but because the children were getting very attached to me and the staff felt that it could be damaging to the children. It was one of the most emotional time of my life. I cherished my time there and the images I created.”

 

 

Blythedale Children’s Hospital

Blythedale is New York State’s only independent, specialty children’s hospital.

In 1891 the New York Ethical Culture Society formed The Teaching and Visiting Guild for Crippled Children. This group visited New York City’s shut-in children, and obtained medical attention for them and summer respite in Westchester County. In 1903 $10,000 was donated toward the establishment of a permanent summer home in Hawthorne. In 1922 Blythedale moved to its present campus in Valhalla. The new “Blythedale Home” took up residence in a 22-room main building located on 17 acres.

By 1940, Blythedale’s typically treated scoliosis, polio, Legg-Perthes (a condition affecting hips), Tuberculosis and Osteomyelitis (bone marrow infection). 1944 X-ray equipment is purchased. In 1951 the hospital begins a shift away from serving as an orthopedic convalescent home to a hospital concerned with treating the ‘whole child’.

In 1964 Blythedale received its accreditation as a hospital, officially changing its name to Blythedale Children’s Hospital.

 

 

“Sometimes I wished I’d made different choices in my life so that I could have followed my dream of photographing life and how it impacts people. But that’s a mute point know. Thankfully I’ll always have what images I have taken and will be able to look at them with some pride that I was able to see things others couldn’t and hopefully opened up their eyes to the world around and what people are all about.”

– Bill Antin