COVID MEMORIAL
‘A PLACE TO HONOUR, TO RESPECT, AND A PLACE OF HEALING’ Permanent memorial for those who died of COVID-19 erected at Tallaght Hospital
ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT with medical staff from Tallaght University Hospital were John Kelly, Director of Pastoral Care; Niamh Gavin, Chief Executive of the Adelaide Health Foundation; Lucy Nugent, Chief Executive of TUH; and Ann Hickey, Assistant Director of Nursing. BELOW RIGHT: The Heart Memorial unveiled at Tallaght University Hospital.
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permanent memorial honouring those that died during the COVID-19 pandemic has been unveiled at Tallaght University Hospital (TUH). The sculpture by artist Mark Ryan and sponsored by the Adelaide Health Foundation will be known as the ‘Heart Memorial’. The memorial is located in the garden adjacent to the hospital chapel and contemplation room. The ‘Heart Memorial’ is in honour of those who died during the COVID-19 pandemic, the grieving families, the hospital staff and the community who provided so much support during the pandemic. The piece is based on identical hearts, an initiative by the Pastoral Care team. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and continuously since then, healthcare chaplains in TUH incorporated into their end-of-life care the practice of placing a handcrafted heart in the hand of a dying or deceased patient while an identical heart is given to the next of kin/family member (when present) or if not forwarded to them by post. These identical hearts are handcrafted by hospital staff and also sent in by members of the public. The message to the bereaved families reads: “Your loved one was not alone, we cared for them, we stayed with them “life has to end, love doesn’t - a pair of identical hearts, one is with them and this heart is for you made with love”. The identical hearts are deeply appreciated by family members as a meaningful keepsake of the time of their loved one’s death. Commenting on the unveiling, John Kelly, Director of Pastoral Care at TUH, said, “The image of the identical hearts incorporated into a permanent memorial commemorates this tragic time of COVID-19. It serves as an everlasting tribute to beautiful lives well lived and worth remembering. The heart of those we remember returning to the loving heart of the source of their being and a reminder of the love they shared in the world. It stands here least we forget, as a place of remembrance, a place to honour, to respect and a place of healing.” Lucy Nugent, Chief Executive of TUH, said, “This memorial provides us all with a space to honour those that have died in our hospital but also for those of us that have lost loved ones during this pandemic. It also recognises the dedicated care provided by staff throughout this pandemic
who have and continue to contribute to the care of end-of-life patients with courage, selflessness and dedication. It ensures that there is a special location where family members and hospital staff can pause and remember, a reminder that loved ones lost to us are forever in our hearts.”
HEALTH MATTERS WINTER 2021 | 29
