Dubai
The air feels dry, there’s a constant beeping sound and more than often a needle prick leaves behind a lingering pain. A patient in a hospital ward probably counts the minutes and looks forward to being discharged. But, while there, a cheerful presence would be a good distraction.
This is where the Volunteers in UAE organisation comes in. With their Friends with Flowers project, initiated in 2014, they send a team of volunteers to Latifa Hospital in Dubai to hand out flowers to patients, hospital staff and even the families and friends who are visiting.
Lola Lopez, the founder of Volunteers in UAE, told Gulf News: “It is a token or gesture for patients and the hard-working nursing staff. It is a reminder to them that there are people who care about them. The idea came about through my work with some of our other projects.”
Once a month, a group of cheerful people visit the hospital to help brighten up someone’s day and remind them to stay strong. It may seem like a small gesture, but it could mean a lot to someone who is unwell. They include the hospital staff, too, as the group believes that the staff have a physically and emotionally demanding job and thus they deserve the appreciation.
Lopez said: “The hospital gives us the necessary approvals to enter their premises. Other than that, we organise the rest. Volunteers can register on the group’s official website, www.volunteerinuae.com.”
According to the Society for Neuroscience, a professional healthcare organisation based in Washington DC, US, companionship appears to be key in recovering from pain. Those recovering from a surgery who have people visiting them suffer less nerve-related pain and the inflammation in their wounds reduces faster. Having a visitor reduces stress, which allows the body to heal quicker.
The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), a healthcare certification organisation based in Chicago, states in a study that the restrictions on hospital visiting hours should be removed to allow patients to spend more time with family and friends. This could lower the patient’s anxiety levels and feelings of social isolation.
A study by the University of Minnesota, in the US, highlights how the stress of a hospital room might result in a patient not only feeling worried, sad or helpless, but experiencing higher blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension. The hormones released in response to the emotional stress could suppress the patient’s immune system, causing the recovery process to slow down.
Providing a pleasant diversion or increasing one’s connection with Nature can significantly reduce stress and have a complex impact on emotions, reducing anger and fear and increasing pleasant feelings. In one example from the university’s study, heart surgery patients who had a diversion or viewed Nature reported less anxiety or stress and needed fewer pain medications.
The study also states that social support improves recovery and emotional wellbeing and the quality of life in cancer patients.
All these studies show that the initiative taken up by the Volunteer in UAE organisation should only have a positive impact on the patients and staff that the volunteers visit.
Lopez said: “Many people are alone in hospitals, often spending entire months in a ward with no visitors. Our volunteers visit patients once a month and we give away free flowers and a smile. The events have been very successful so far! Anyone can apply, so long as they have a positive attitude and a commitment to the cause.”
Sarah Lisa Kamara, a Dubai-resident who has volunteered for the project, told Gulf News: “When we visit the hospital, everyone is so happy to see us. I remember one of the nurses told me that it was the best part of her day, because it was a reminder that there are people who still care. It made her and her colleagues feel appreciated. And when they realise that we’re just volunteers, it makes it more special because they know that someone is taking time out of their schedule to visit them. It’s a lovely event!”
Kamara works as an administrative manager and has volunteered for this project twice.
She said: “The volunteers meet up at the hospital and form groups to work on different tasks, such as making sure the thorns are removed from the rose stems, excess leaves are removed and the labels with a note are attached to each flower. Once ready, we visit the staff, patients and families. It’s our way of giving back to society.”
Husam Sameer Ehsan, a sales manager based in Dubai, was another volunteer.
He said: “I’ve participated in many volunteering events, but this one was the best by far. When you give a flower to a patient or nurse, you know that you have made them happy and that makes us happy, too. They don’t know in advance that we will be visiting; only the hospital management is aware. They are really surprised to see us and are very appreciative. If the event starts at 10, we gather earlier to make sure the flowers are cleaned up and arranged in a nice way. When we’re together, we feel like a family. After we’ve arranged everything, we enter the hospital and hand out flowers to anyone and everyone we see!”
For this specific event, the volunteers have to be above the age of 16 and have a positive and motivating attitude. The group urges only those to sign up who are certain that they can commit to the requirements of the cause. For each visit, a group of at least 20 volunteers is required. When a volunteer signs up on the website, the request is then looked upon by the organisation. If they are confirmed for the event, they are contacted through email with all the details.
