Cancer treatment doesn’t have to be scary.
Now, thanks to Ashok Memorial Foundation, children coming to Surrey Memorial Hospital for chemotherapy and other cancer treatment have a chance to connect with nature through virtual windows. Our Pediatric Oncology Unit treats children as young as two years old.
The Oncology Unit is a three-bed unit within an enclosed room to ensure infection control. There are no windows letting in natural light or providing a view of nature. When younger children come for treatment, the surroundings can be intimidating, and the procedures can be frightening.
Thanks to donors in the community, beautiful sky tiles have been installed in the ceiling over each bed. These backlit images of nature help relax and calm frightened children, resulting in less stress for the child and their family, and a more positive overall experience. Recent studies show that photographic sky images can lower stress level by up to 50 per cent.
Now, our youngest cancer patients have a view of the world that instills a sense of peace, happiness and hope.
