Young patients driven to distraction by £6,000 donation
Children and young people undergoing tests and receiving treatment in Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children can now focus on something uplifting during their appointments, thanks to a series of larger-than-life ‘distraction pictures’.
Following a £6,000 donation from the hospital’s longstanding charity, the Friends of Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, the Outpatient Department is now home to four distraction pictures and one piece of wall art – and all specifically designed to give children something positive to focus on during blood tests and other minor procedures.
Play Specialist Amanda Laughton explained: “We know that coming to hospital can be worrying for children and young people, so it is really important that we are able to make their experience as calming and as positive as it can be. Our new distraction pictures and wall art are a great help in this, and help our young patients to take their minds off their medical procedure or appointment.
“What makes these distraction pictures so special is the fact that they are all taken from Osbourne Books, so they’ve been tried and tested in some of the nation’s most popular children’s books. They all contain little puzzles, so not only do they completely distract our patients, they’re educational too!”
Honorary Treasurer for the Friends, Peter Collins, said: "The Friends have existed for over 80 years, and our aim is to help make sure that the children at the hospital get the very best of care. We support the hospital in a number of ways, including purchasing medical equipment and helping to fund improvements to the environment. This is why we funded the purchase of these lovely distraction pictures."
If you would like to support the Friends’ fundraising efforts please write to:
Peter Collins, c/o Amanda Laughton
Outpatients Department Queen Mary’s Hospital
Wrythe Lane
Carshalton
SM5 1AA
Alternatively, you can email amanda.laughton@esth.nhs.uk. Donations are welcome, and volunteers for the charity will be holding collections at Morrisons in Sutton before Christmas.
