The Best View is When You're Leaving - The Shalom Family Story
The Best View is When You're Leaving
The Shalom's Family Story
From the time he was five years old and diagnosed with an inoperable spinal tumour, until he passed away at age 17 in 1983, Clive faced a world of challenges. But, he faced it all with an adventurous spirit.
At age 12, he designed a felt image of a bee - a bee without wings. His mother Dorothy explains, "It tells a story of a bee striding into the world of adventures where the sun shines and a voyage beckons. But look again, and you will see that this is a different bee, a bee with a problem, a bee without wings. You see, Clive also had a problem, he was confined to a wheelchair, but he knew that life would still be full of fun and challenges."
The image, which was originally made of felt, won a competition to be the cover of a Resource Handbook produced by the Alberta Children's Hospital.
Clive's parents tooke the image to Victor C. Thompson, a stained glass artist, who further interpreted the bee's adventures and created the beautiful windows that are at Ronald McDonald House today.
Clive and his family were never able to benefit directly from using Ronald McDonald House, but their affinity to the organization still runs deep. Dorothy committed significant amounts of time to both the Board of the Alberta Children's Hospital as well as to the Board of Ronald McDonald House® Southern Alberta.
"We had to travel a lot to get Clive access to casting and wheelchair experts that he needed," Dorothy says. "Each trip was stressful, hopeful, and ultimately, disappointing. It was difficult to stay in hotels, where you had to find rooms and taxis that accomodated a wheelchair. We did stay in accomodation connected to the hospital in Winnipeg once, but it was so grim that we left after one night."
 The idea of building a Ronald McDonald House in Calgary came up while Dorothy was on the ACH Board. "I was very involved and approving. We needed something like this so badly, I could see how it would help so many families."
When the new House was built, Dorothy and her husband, Maurice, were delighted to learn that her son's stained glass Bee would be moved from the original House.
"Clive alwasy said that stained glass looked best from the inside out, with the light shining behind it," adds Dorothy. "In fact, he thought that the best view of a hospital is when you are leaving to go home and get on with your life. When the sun shines through his Bee today, perhaps he is telling us that whatever the problem, there is always some fun and happiness waiting for us somewhere."
Clive's Bee on the front door to Ronald McDonald House® Southern Alberta
About Victor C. Thompson
Victor C. Thompson is an incredibly talented artist with a unique craft. As a 'Divers Craftsmen,' he has the skills to create a leaded stained glass piece from start to finish. Conversely, most artists in this trade specialize in a specific element of the fabrication - the leading, glass, creation, design, and so on.
Victor's capabilities are a culmination of his experiences, skill and artistry. He collected a wide range of knowledge through his various careers, which included times as a draftsman in London, England, service in the British Royal Navy shipwright shops, and time working with a print shop in Calgary after immigrating to Canada. Apprenticeships and projects with other well-known artists suchs as Dutch Glass Artist, Joseph W. Vroom, further honed his abilities and reputation.
One of Victor's most cherished pieces in Calgary is at the Alberta Children's Hospital. Originally created for the expansion of the Hospital in the 1980s, the piece was moved to the new site and is now on the 2nd floor, where it catches the light for the southwest. The window wall brings colourful reminders of nature and the elements in a whimiscal and joyful composition. The timeless medium of leaded stain glass works perfectly with the eternal hope that so many feel within the Hospital walls.
Across the street, another of Victor's pieces greets and bids farewell to guests at Ronald McDonald House® Southern Alberta. He brought life and adventure to Clive Shalom's 'wingless bee,' translating one brave young man's story into an inspirational piece of artwork for many to enjoy.
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