Bringing the beauty of Richmond Park to St George’s
Children and teenagers being treated at St George’s Hospital are now able to enjoy a brand new Richmond Park themed isolation room on Pinckney ward paediatric unit.
The £3,000 refurbishment project sponsored by The Rowans School in Wimbledon and Peter Jones Department Store was coordinated by Samuel’s Charity and Momentum. Through its Family Support Programme Momentum currently supports around 200 families across South West London and Surrey, including children at St George’s Hospital.
Approximately 50 children undergoing cancer treatment will use the isolation room every year with some of them needing to spend several weeks in isolation. Momentum’s efforts have transformed our once plain isolation room into a colourful and calm environment complete with stunning wall art of Richmond Park. We are delighted to now be able to offer the children a nicer space.
Martin Leib, director of Samuel’s Charity, said: “Staying in a room for more than a few days means there is something quite serious wrong. My son, Samuel, was in one of the rooms for nearly 6 months. He battled cancer but also battled boredom sadness, loneliness and fear.
“Samuel passed away in that room. I wanted to be able to give him a much better room if it was to be his last. The wall that he stared at for months on end was a dull and depressing cream colour. To be able to give some brightness, some light and a bit of joy each day is no small thing. None of us want to be stuck all day, every day in a dull and sad place and that is why this is such a positive improvement. 50 kids a year will really benefit – that is amazing”
Momentum’s Projects Manager Nikki Howard said: “The isolation room was a clinical and sterile looking environment in desperate need of a facelift. With the money kindly donated to us we researched, designed and refurbished the room. The park theme came about because it is a local image and also because we wanted to appeal to a wide age range of young children and teenagers. I think we are all delighted with the result.”
She added: “We are hugely grateful to The Rowans School and Peter Jones for funding this project. Without their help none of this would have been possible. These kinds of projects are vital for helping children to recover more quickly. Studies have shown that a good hospital environment will assist children’s recovery time. This is such a beautiful room now and delights the children, hospital staff and parents alike.”
Claire Jones, practice educator for inpatient paediatrics at St George’s, said: “The room has been utterly transformed. It is a brighter, fresher space now and so much more child-friendly than a bare room with beige walls.
“Many children will need to spend long periods of time in this room and we are hugely grateful to Samuel’s Charity and Momentum for helping us to improve their environment.”
