Thanks to the fundraising efforts of a young girl the experience for young patients undergoing treatment in theatres has been a little easier.
The process of undergoing surgery can be a daunting experience for patients, regardless of their age. This is particularly true for young patients who often feel frightened and overwhelmed by the unfamiliar surroundings.
Thanks to a generous donation by the Chalmers family and a contribution from the Fife Health Charity, local artist, Donna Forrester has created an underwater-themed mural to provide a more calming atmosphere for young patients undergoing surgery.
The idea for the mural came from Dr Laura Armstrong, an anaesthetic consultant at NHS Fife, who together with her team of theatre colleagues wanted to help recreate the more gentle surroundings of the Children's Ambulatory Care Unit.
The aim was to reduce the anxiety for young patients by making the environment more calming. She said: “Having surgery is daunting for anyone, especially for children and young people.
“The mural has been designed to make the journey that little bit easier by providing distraction therapy right from when the child enters the theatre suite. Young patients are encouraged to ‘follow the fishes’; which we find helps reduce the stress and anxiety felt by young people by creating a child-friendly environment.”
Artist Donna Forrester has done many of the murals in the children’s ward and was the natural choice for the project. Donna said: “The art work has been designed with children and their parents in mind. The hope is to create relaxing atmosphere for children who may be feeling anxious about their procedure.
“The mural guides them on a fun journey to find fish and other sea creatures to help make their overall experience that little bit less scary.”
This project was made possible due to funding from the Fife Health Charity and a generous donation of £1000 from the Chalmers family. The family have donated many times to the Children’s Ward and regularly raise funds to help enhance the experience for children and young people in hospital
Claire Chalmers has been involved with fundraising for the children’s ward for a number of years. Claire said: "Having had a personal experience with our daughter Poppy receiving care in the Children's Ward, my family and I have witnessed first-hand the amazing work that staff do in caring for young patients. We’re really proud of Poppy for her fundraising efforts and we’re delighted to see the funds raised being put to such good use.”
Images:
Photo 1 - [DOWNLOAD]
Photo 2 - [DOWNLOAD]
Photo 3 - [DOWNLOAD]
Notes to Editors:
The Fife Health Charity accepts and distributes all donations given to the wards and departments within NHS Fife.
All donations received are held in trust within the Fife Health Charity and are used to fund a range of items and activities that benefit the patients, carers and staff of NHS Fife.
Find out more about the work of the Fife Health Charity at: https://www.nhsfife.org/fifehealthcharity/
