Donation leads to new mural in theatre suite at Victoria Hospital

​Thanks to the fundraising efforts of a young girl the experience for young patients undergoing treatment in theatres has been a little easier.
By John A. MacInnes
Published 16th Jan 2024, 15:12 BST
Poppy in front of the new mural she helped fund at the Victoria Hospital (Pic: Submitted)Poppy in front of the new mural she helped fund at the Victoria Hospital (Pic: Submitted)
Poppy in front of the new mural she helped fund at the Victoria Hospital (Pic: Submitted)

​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 of Glenrothes, 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 at the Victoria Hospital.

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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.”

Artist Donna Forrester 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.

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“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 said: "Having had a personal experience with our daughter Poppy receiving care, my family and I have witnessed first-hand the amazing work that staff do in caring for young patients.”