Who's Who

Despite the Age of Technology, storytelling remains a natural part of human life whether through the Internet, pictures, movies, magazines and newspapers, comics, or books. As an AIM volunteer, Ellie Sommer provides the gift of storytelling and listening to adults and children at the bedside in the hospital setting. Whether weaving a story from scratch, playing with words to make a poem, or just sitting back and listening to story unfold, patients find themselves transformed by the magic of stories. Children especially resonate with the joy of hearing a story unfold or the excitement and satisfaction of creating their own.

Ellie has been part of the Arts in Medicine program since 1994 and was an Artist in Residence for seven years until she took a full-time position as editorial director at a small publishing company specializing in works about psychological type. She continues with AIM as the Bedside Storyteller and Listener on the pediatrics units at Shands at AGH.

When not editing, writing, or storytelling and listening, Ellie enjoys studying herbs, gardening, reading, and romping around ten acres of land with her husband and their super puppy, a 95-pound German shepherd-yellow Lab mix.

Ellie Sommer can be reached at eksommer@yahoo.com.