9 June 2011
Nurses and their colleagues, friends and relatives came together at Sutton Hospital last month (May) to unveil a brand new 'quiet room' at the eye clinic.
The room has been specially designed to give patients the privacy they may need when coming to terms with bad news. The £10,300 refurbishment included brand new flooring, partition walls and paintwork, as well as furniture, flowers and candles.
Named 'Ellie's Room', it has a personal touch, too: it is dedicated to the memory of Ellie Beadsworth, a former receptionist in the children's eye unit, and was paid for by charitable funds, which have received numerous donations from former patients.
Hannah Coleman, sister at the eye unit and a long-time colleague of Ellie's, said: "We were determined to celebrate Ellie's life - she was a wonderful character who loved working with kids, so being able to open a new room in her honour was all about fun and friendship."
Hannah added: "Problems with eyesight can be quite traumatic, and individuals learning of their condition often have an immediate need to be somewhere peaceful and welcoming.
"Ellie's Room isn't solely for sad occasions, though. Any occasion where a bit of privacy is preferred - like giving eyedrops to children, for example - can be done there too. Sometimes people just need to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy eye unit, and the room has designed to be that much-needed oasis of tranquility."
