Hopes ceiling mural will calm skin cancer patients

A colourful mural has been put on the ceiling of a clinic in a Shropshire hospital, to help skin cancer patients feel calmer.

The nature-inspired art is inside the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, and was commissioned by Lingen Davies Cancer Support, which helps people in the county and mid-Wales.

Most of the treatments undertaken in the room are the removal of skin cancer, which typically involves patients looking up at the ceiling for up to 45 minutes per session.

"Having any sort of procedure under local anaesthetic when you are awake throughout, can be a daunting experience," said Helen Childs, a dermatology nurse at the hospital.

"For our patients requiring skin surgery we wanted them to be looked after in an environment that was calm and inviting.

"We see all ages in our procedure room so having a mural with lots to see and interact with was a priority."

She added: "The ceiling tiles are bright and colourful – there are insects to find to distract our patients from their clinical procedure and the patients have fed back how it has helped make their surgical experience be a more positive one."

The mural was done by Shrewsbury-based Charlotte Tisdale, who has also done artwork in the the multi-faith room at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

"The brief was to paint something fun, colourful, and engaging that would help distract patients," she said.

"I decided to go for a woodland inspired scene with creatures to be found and winding leaves that the eye can follow."

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