These Fairhaven Fake Cows Keep Cancer Patients Company

FAIRHAVEN (WBSM) — Outside of the Southcoast Health Cancer Center in Fairhaven is a sight that is “udderly” astounding.

Earlier this year, I had a bout with kidney cancer. When I made my first visit to the Cancer Center last winter, I looked out the window and saw two cows standing out in the yard. I did a double-take, because not only was it rather cold out for cows, but I also couldn’t understand why they’d be hanging around outside of a medical facility.

At second glance, I realized that the cows were fake.

What could be the reason for artificial cows to be “grazing” in the grass outside of the Cancer Center? My mind went to all the possibilities.

Could it be because the center was built on the site of a former dairy farm? There are other farms in the area, so it made sense.

Maybe they were there to scare off coyotes or deer or anything else that may wander onto the property.

We had the folks over at Southcoast Health look into cows and why they might be there, and it turns out there may not be any deep backstory to it.

“Unfortunately, I was not able to learn much more about the cows other than they were donated to the cancer center by a local artist,” said Kaitlyn Johnson, Manager of Public Relations and Media Relations for Southcoast Health.

“Our Philanthropy team shared that more than a dozen artists donated nearly 100 works of art to the Cancer Center over time, and the cows were part of that effort,” she said.

It turns out the cows even have names.

“I've been told that the team here in Fairhaven calls them Hope and Faith,” Meg Rogers, Advancement Officer of Oncology, told us. “Not sure if that was the sculptor's intention, but that's who they are now!”

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Want to see the cows for yourself? You can say hello to them on Sunday, October 6 when everyone gathers outside the Cancer Center for the 7th Annual Nicole Podkowa 5K Walk & Run.

You can still sign up to run or walk, or you can make a donation and support someone who is; I am going to walk this year for the second straight year to help after Southcoast Health helped me overcome kidney cancer earlier this year.