In hospital with Licorice

St. Nicholas visited patients in Thomayer Hospital

One of the largest one-off events in December was visit of St. Nicholas. He and his companions visited the patients, from almost all inpatient wards. On December 5 on St. Nicholas Day, volunteers created eight groups of devils, angels and Nicholas, who visited adult and children patients. They visited almost 600 patients.

Many of the patients were really surprised, but at the end from their reaction one could read that they were pleased with this such a visit.

According to the tradition to prevent themselves from being taken by the devil to his lair underground you could hear people saying poems, sing songs and some of the patients were sharing some of their stories from their youth. As a reward for this effort the patients got a present from St. Nicolas and the angels. The presents were handmade Christmas cards – made by our volunteers, and at the Department of Geriatric Medicine together with this card patients got another small gift as well.

Art workshops

Even at the hospital the patients could have get into Christmas mood before the Christmas started. One of the ways how to do it was to listen to the volunteers and kindergarten children who come to the hospital to sing carols for the patients. Another way was to attend the Art workshops that took place at several departments of the hospital. Under the guidance of skilled volunteers, the patients (adult or children) could make some Christmas cards or Christmas tree decorations. Especially children from Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, who were meant to be at the Hospital right until Christmas were happy for the opportunity to make a present for their parents and siblings. The patients from Department of Geriatric Medicine, who were meant to stood at the Hospital over the Christmas were glad to make some decorations or small advent wreath.

Regular workshops for mothers of children hospitalized at Department of Paediatric Neurology

In autumn and before Christmas at Department of Paediatric Neurology the art workshops for mothers of children hospitalized there successfully continued. The workshops are prepared by our volunteers Verka and Lenka. The mothers and older children could make a practical and fancy bag and before Christmas also some seasonal decorations. To find a little time for mothers to get some rest other volunteers were playing with small children or helped making the bags to the older ones. We try hard to make these early evening workshops regularly every month and the feedback from mothers that attended it is widely positive. The mothers consider these events as welcomed and pleasant distraction within the hospital environment.