Tree of Life

Today was Dad's last full day in the Royal Brompton and, as we've come to expect of hospitals, it wasn't plain sailing. A day or so ago, the transport home for Dad tomorrow had been booked and confirmed as 2 p.m. But a nurse came and told us today that it would have to be moved back to 6 p.m., which meant Dad would be arriving home late evening instead of late afternoon. Dad became very upset at this news, and I hit the roof. After a few conversations with senior nursing staff where I had to be quite firm, the pickup time was restored to the original 2 p.m.

These Supporter Trees are dotted along the corridors of the hospital. If you make a donation to the charity supporting the hospital's work, you can have your name and a short message put on a "leaf" which is then hung from one of the trees. One of the leaves on this tree bears the words "You all gave me life".