A joint funded project was recently granted by the Staff Lottery Bids Panel and the Morgan Legacy Fund to transform the walls of the Spinal Rehabilitation Gym at University Hospital Llandough, in an aim to make it a more vibrant and welcoming space.
Last year the Spinal Services were relocated from Rookwood Hospital to University Hospital Llandough. The new rehabilitation facilities give patients the best possible chance of recovery and enhance their rehabilitation process through the use of the state-of-the-art equipment.
The walls of Rookwood Hospital were always adorned with artwork to enhance the environment, and the health and wellbeing of patients and staff. The new Spinal Rehabilitation Gym at University Hospital Llandough is light and spacious, however the blank walls made it feel clinical and uninviting.
Patients who utilise the gym stay in the hospital for longer periods of time, and utilise the equipment on a daily basis. The addition of the artwork aims to improve the environment and patient engagement with their rehabilitation by including motivational quotes inspired by Henry Fraser, who’s “Always look at what you can do” print is on display within the unit. Henry suffered a spinal cord injury and during his recovery taught himself to draw and paint utilising a mouth stick. His book “Hand to Mouth” contains inspirational, beautiful art.
Created and installed by Grosvenor Interiors, who have worked with Cardiff & Vale Health Charity on multiple projects to provide artwork across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board sites, the Spinal Rehabilitation Gym has now been transformed into a vibrant and inspiring area. Patients and staff who frequent the gym will now be able to benefit from the positive impact the arts have on their health and wellbeing.
The feedback received so far from the Spinal Rehabilitation Gym users has been overwhelmingly positive:
Patients:
“It’s brilliant, I think the quotes should be all round the hospital”
“I find the quotes very motivational”
“It’s positive and it makes me not worry about the rehab”
“you’re stronger than you think you are, is something my mum always said to me”
Staff:
“It brightens up the space and has opened up conversations with patients”
“It promotes a positive attitude to rehab”
The Staff Lottery Bids Panel were delighted to support the project, as the enhanced environment will benefit all users of the Spinal Rehabilitation gym, inspiring current and future Spinal Services patients throughout their rehabilitation. If you would like to find out more about the Staff Lottery, please visit: https://healthcharity.wales/hospital-staff/staff-lottery/
The project was also made possible by the generosity of the Morgan Legacy donation and the Staff Lottery Fund. Each year the income received to the Health Charity via Gifts in Wills donations contributes significantly to how we support services across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Making a gift in your will could be a percentage of your estate, a lump sum, shares or a valuable item, and is a valued and generous way of helping make a difference to patient care.
If you would like to find out more or discuss how you can support healthcare services in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan by leaving a gift in your will, please visit https://healthcharity.wales/how-you-can-help/gift-in-wills/or contact fundraising.cav@wales.nhs.uk.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board will be there for you and your loved ones, whenever you need us and for every stage of life.