A couple celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary have had help to mark the occasion from amazing staff on a hospital ward where the husband was being cared for.
Eddie Scaresbrook and his wife Cynthia celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday 1 September, but due to Eddie being an inpatient on Burton Ward at Lincoln County Hospital they were unable to celebrate as planned.
With the help of a wedding box funded by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity and support from Chaplain Keith Tomlin, the couple were able to renew their vows to mark the anniversary. Eddie had already bought his wife a new wedding band and his daughter brought decorations, cake and a card from the Queen.
The Swan Scheme wedding boxes are a Fab Academy initiative that provide patients with a special moment with their loved ones. In this case it allowed Eddie to surprise his wife and mark the special occasion of 60 years of marriage.
Samantha Marsh, Charge Nurse, said: “It was an amazing experience for the staff of Burton Ward to be able to participate in this moment and the other patients in the ward bay also were part of the celebrations.
“I wish them all the happiness in the years to come.”
Gary Burr, Charity Fundraiser, said: “The Charity has been funding these wedding boxes for two years now and they make such a difference to patients, allowing them to make these special memories.
“As a Charity we hope to continue initiatives like this that improve our patient’s time within hospital.”
As well as vow renewals, the wedding boxes are able to help facilitate weddings for patients who near the end of their life. The boxes allow these ceremonies to take place at very short notice. They include a bouquet, buttonhole, bunting, confetti, wedding rings with a ring cushion and as small mementoes for loved ones to keep and remember the special day.
Sharon Kidd, Patient Experience Manager, has been leading on the project which supports around ten weddings per year in Lincolnshire’s hospitals. Sharon said: “The difference it makes to patients and their loved ones has been incredible to see. Feedback from our patients and their loved ones has been amazing and they are so thankful that we can create treasured memories in very difficult times.”
The wedding boxes are held by the Trust’s Chaplaincy Teams, so are readily available to staff when needed. The boxes are part of the Trust’s wider Swan Scheme, which is a nationally recognised model of care to support dignity in death and is used across more than 50 acute Trusts in England.
You can find out more about the Trust’s Swan Scheme on the Fab Academy website and about how the Charity supports the Trust on their website.