Latest News 26 September 2019 | A series of intricate decals have been added to Middlemore Hospital Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Unit to make the area more welcoming for CM Health’s junior patients.
The new unit, which was opened in 2018, now features New Zealand native birds depicting the special story, ‘Tui goes to space’.
The decals were funded through donations from The Hector Trust and the Kelliher Trust and designed specifically to offer a form of distraction for children in particular, as having an MRI can be daunting for them.
Project Coordinator Jenna McTague says project, created by Antony from Your Decal Shop’ in Hawkes Bay helps to educate children about the process.
Antony explains: “We wanted the story to be fun but also functional, so we created a journey that Tui would meet his friends (other NZ natives) along the way who help him get ready for space (the MRI machine)."
Antony also designed a colouring book with stickers to be given to children as they arrive at reception.
“To tell the story properly without cluttering the walls with text, we came up with the concept to make a storytelling colouring book. Every child, either inpatient or outpatient, receives one as they enter the MRI suite. With this book, they can follow the story as they move through the unit and colour in each of the designs to either match the decals or have their own creative input. In the middle of the book we designed a page of stickers from the elements of the decals that they could stick throughout the book,” he says.
Though decals were the main focus of the project, the funds have also been used for new furniture, toys and books for the reception waiting room, a foam chair for the luer room for parents to sit on, and lockers for patients to leave their personal items in while having their scan.