‘Resilience, bravery and courage of children’ ART PROJECT DONATED TO PAEDIATRIC UNIT
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unique art project has been unveiled at the Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. The project is a series of artworks by the fourth class students of Portarlington Presentation Primary School, inspired by their classmate who has undergone treatment in the hospital. Each piece of art signifies the resilience, courage and bravery of the children attending the Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Saoirse Ryan, a student in the class, recently underwent a bone marrow transplant in Childrens Health Ireland at Crumlin while the Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise supported her recovery. On returning to school Saoirse proposed and developed an art project with her teacher Jenny Kelly and classmates. The project was inspired by the ‘Beads of Courage’ project. ‘Beads of Courage’ enables children to tell their story using colourful beads as meaningful symbols of courage that commemorate milestones along their unique treatment path. The children adapted the idea and displayed the philosophy of care and healing through the medium of art. The art project was officially unveiled by Sandra McCarthy, Director of Nursing at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Saoirse Ryan, her mother Sinead Walsh, and her teacher Jenny Kelly, with the Paediatric Unit staff. The artworks are currently on display throughout the Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Sandra McCarthy, Director of Nursing at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, said, “We are so grateful to Saoirse and all her classmates for this wonderful art project that we are proudly displaying in our Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. The collaboration which took place between Saoirse and the school is truly outstanding. It really shows the courage and determination displayed by Saoirse and her family to embrace the philosophy of ‘Beads of Courage’.” Elaine O’Brien-Doyle, Acute Paediatric Link Nurse (CNSp), said the artwork was
ABOVE: 4th class students of Portarlington Presentation Primary School displaying their art project that they donated to the Paediatric Unit in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.
humbling for hospital staff. “Through Saoirse’s leadership, she has won the support of her teacher and classmates to embrace a project which reflects the resilience, courage and bravery of the children that we see every day in our Paediatric Unit and it is humbling for it to also reflect gratitude from our community for the care that we provide,” she said. Saoirse paid tribute to the staff who made her hospital staff ‘brighter’. “I would like to say a big thank you to all of the staff in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise which feels like home when I’m there. I am very grateful to my teacher and all of my friends for putting this all together for such a wonderful place in the hope that it will make someone’s stay in hospital a bit brighter,” she said. Her mum Sinead Walsh said Saoirse ‘always felt very safe in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise’. “The staff should be very proud of themselves as they always made my daughter feel secure. The aim of the project is to give something back to the Paediatric Unit that supported Saoirse through her journey. Saoirse and her class have underpinned their project with the ‘Beads of
ABOVE: Saoirse Ryan admiring her own artwork on display with teacher Jenny Kelly. Saoirse’s piece is a turtle which signifies protection and nurturing and a reminder that your home is always near.
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