DoSomething Day: Mt Druitt palliative car ward’s upgrade

A revamp of Mt Druitt Hospital’s palliative care ward garden is set to ease the strain on families visiting loved ones in their final days: “It’s just going to make the journey that happens in there so much better, and more memorable.”

In less than one week the entrance garden to Mt Druitt Hospital’s palliative care unit was transformed from “arid, dry” land into a tranquil place for reflection.

Staff from Blacktown Workers Club had been hard at work in the garden last week before putting the finishing touches on it in time for DoSomething Day on Wednesday, July 25.

The backyard blitz project saw new grass, plants and a chair installed, and was born after feedback from members and staff who visited loved ones at the ward.

Top: Mt Druitt Hospital palliative care nursing unit manager Trish Dalgleish, Blacktown Workers Club welfare officer Harold Becker and Blacktown Workers Club marketing manager Tracey Russel. Below: Blacktown Workers Club groundsmen Geoff Cooke and Blacktown Workers Club Accounts David Bate in the Palliative care ward garden. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Palliative care ward nursing unit manager Trish Dalgleish said the garden would help to put families of patients at ease, and to see the ward as a “welcoming environment”.

“They did the plans they organised everything, it’s just been amazing,”

“It’s just going to make the journey that happens in there so much better, and more memorable.

“Death is such a taboo. But people will recognise this is a place where it’s OK to talk about it in a calm environment.”

(L-R) Mt Druitt Hospital palliative care nursing unit manager Trish Dalgleish, Blacktown Workers Club welfare officer Harold Becker and Blacktown Workers Club groundsmen Geoff Cooke. Picture: Angelo Velardo

The front entrance before its makeover.

Workers club group marketing manager Tracey Russell said the project was the club’s way of proving it’s here for the community.

“Visitors can take some time out to gather their thoughts if they need to be inside with their loved ones,” she said.

“We’ve got some amazing groundsmen who have transformed a dead space into something bright. If we change someone’s day then we’ve made a difference.

“We had a budget of $5000 but we spent nowhere near that because of the generosity of the companies who have helped us out,” she said.

Time and supplies were donated to the project by Billabong Turf, ParkEquip, Blacktown Building Supplies and local tradesman including Keith Sleaman and his team.

Are you out to #giveyourbest today? Email: [e-mail]