REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND IN THE PAEDRATIC UNIT
As President I don’t get the opportunity to open too many playgrounds, so I am particularly delighted to join you today to officially open the playground at the Children’s Unit of Limerick Regional Hospital. I would like to thank Mr. Frank O Shaughnessy for his kind invitation.
The words ‘children’ and ‘hospital’ in the same sentence don’t sit easily of comfortably together. It is always a worry for parents when it is necessary for their children to need hospital treatment. It can be a time of anxiety for the children too when they are separated from their parents, away from their comfortable surroundings.
So it is wonderful to acknowledge the co-operative efforts of so many people in the Limerick area who have come together to try to make the time children spend in this hospital as pleasant and comfortable as possible. In particular I would like thank the staff of the paedratic unit who initially came up with the idea of making the new unit more child friendly. We are blessed to have in our hospitals such devoted and committed staff who not only perform their duties in such a professional manner but who never forget that that they are dealing with human beings. They understood that children can feel overwhelmed in a medical environment so they wanted the surroundings to be adapted to ensure that their young charges would enjoy their stay in the hospital.
Great credit is also due to the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust, the Department of Health and to the group of which I am patron - the Children in Hospital Ireland. Of course the inspiration for the theme and design came from the real experts, the children in the local schools who completed questionnaires on their ideas for the unit. It is wonderful what can be achieved through a spirit of partnership and co-operation and you all must be very proud of this beautiful new unit.
This unit is now known as The Children’s Ark and it’s a theme which works particularly well. The animal figures, the shipwreck the swirling lazy river create an authentic atmosphere – I wonder does Noah realise what he started! The focal point of the Ark is of course the playground and it is a fabulous area of play and discovery for the young patients.
As parents we all know that children love to play and indeed that they need to play. Through play, they can transport themselves to the world of their imagination, a world free from their worries, where they can, for a short time, forget their discomfort and illnesses. This playground is very important in the overall context of the effectiveness of the children’s treatment and rehabilitation, and I am sure it will contribute to the speedy recovery of the children who receive treatment in the hospital.
I would like to say a special hello to the young patients who are here today. I know all of those who can get out of bed will enjoy these wonderful facilities as much as they can and I am sure the hospital staff will have their hands full trying to get them back to bed! Some of the children are still too unwell to enjoy the playground but I hope that they too will shortly be up and about and ready to explore and make full use of the playground.
I have had a wonderful time here today and I would like to thank you all for your warm welcome. I would like to congratulate all involved in bringing this playground to fruition. I know that it has set the benchmark for hospital playgrounds throughout the country and that when hospital playgrounds are built in the future others will endeavour to emulate the standard set here.
I would like to wish all the young patients a speedy recovery and I hope you will be back with your families soon.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.