NUI Galway Medical Students Celebrate Fourteen Years of Teddy Bear Hospital

Pictured at last year’s Teddy Bear Hospital at NUI Galway were (l-r) Ryan, William and Oisín from Kilcroan National School, Ballyglass South, Williamstown, Co. Galway.
Jan 08 2019 Posted: 09:51 GMT

The 14th annual Teddy Bear Hospital at NUI Galway will take place Thursday and Friday, 17 and 18 January. The event will see over 1,200 sick teddy bears admitted to the hospital, accompanied by their minders, 1,200 primary school children.

The event is organised by the Sláinte Society, NUI Galway’s health promotion society that focuses on promoting all aspects of physical and mental health. Up to 200 medical, healthcare and science students will diagnose and treat the teddy bears. In the process, they hope to help children, ranging in age from 3-8 years, feel more comfortable around doctors and hospitals.

Over the years, children have come along with teddy bears suffering from an imaginative range of sore ears, sick tummies and all kinds of other weird and wonderful ailments.
Anna Lynam, a second year Occupational Therapy student at NUI Galway and co-auditor of Sláinte Society, said: “We are so excited to welcome the 14th annual Teddy Bear Hospital this year. Despite the ever-growing demand from schools to attend the event, we strive to include as many schools as possible; conscious that each and every teddy bear in Galway deserves the best care. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our first ‘patients’ and hope to present an atmosphere of fun, enthusiasm and encouragement for all.”

This year, 29 local primary schools are participating in the event, equating to over 1,200 children. On arrival at the Teddy Bear Hospital on campus, the children each have an individual consultation with one of the teddy doctors on call. The ‘patients’ will be examined by the doctors and will receive a ‘pawscription’ and referral to surgery or x-ray. The students will have specially designed X-ray and MRI machines on hand, should the teddy bears need them. 

Recuperating teddy bears can avail of medical supplies from the Teddy Bear Pharmacy, stocked with healthy fruit from Total Produce and Fyffes, along with medical supplies sponsored by Matt O’Flaherty Chemist.

After all this excitement the children can enjoy a bouncy castle and entertainment from NUI Galway’s Circus Society. Sponsorship for the event comes from Bank of Ireland, Medical Protection Society and Dunnes Stores.

Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway’s Societies Officer, said: “The Teddy Bear hospital is a magical opportunity for the society to invite the children and their teddies to campus and provide a valuable learning experience for all. It is one of the NUI Galway societies’ most colourful and endearing community outreach programme and we are thrilled with its success. Congratulations to Sláinte Society who engage such a large number of our students in this event for such a positive purpose and we look forward to a rewarding few days for all involved.”

-Ends-

Déanann mic léinn leighis OÉ Gaillimh ceiliúradh ar cheithre bliana déag d'Otharlann na mBéiríní

Reáchtálfar 14ú Otharlann na mBéiríní in OÉ Gaillimh i mbliana ar an Déardaoin agus an Aoine, an 17 agus an 18 Eanáir. Tiocfaidh breis agus 1,200 páiste bunscoile chuig an ospidéal lena mbéiríní tinne le go gcuirfí cóir leighis orthu.

Is é Cumann Sláinte OÉ Gaillimh atá i mbun an ócáid a eagrú. Díríonn an cumann ar gach gné den tsláinte fhisiciúil agus den mheabhairshláinte a chur chun cinn. Beidh suas le 200 mac léinn leighis, cúraim sláinte agus eolaíochta i láthair chun na béiríní a dhiagnóisiú agus a leigheas. Tá súil acu go gcuideoidh an ócáid le páistí idir 3-8 mbliana d’aois a bheith ar a suaimhneas le dochtúirí nó i dtimpeallacht ospidéil.

Tá béiríní tugtha chuig an ospidéal ag páistí i gcaitheamh na mblianta agus iad ag samhlú go raibh réimse leathan tinnis ag gabháil dóibh, leithéidí cluasa tinne, boilg bhreoite agus gach cineál easláinte eile faoin spéir.
Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Anna Lynam, mac léinn le Teiripe Shaothair sa dara bliain in OÉ Gaillimh agus comh-iniúchóir an Chumainn Sláinte: “Táimid ag súil go mór le 14ú Otharlann na mBéiríní i mbliana. D’ainneoin go bhfuil borradh ag teacht ar an éileamh ó scoileanna, déanaimid tréaniarracht freastal ar an líon is mó scoileanna agus is féidir; ar ndóigh, níl ach an chóir leighis is fearr dá bhfuil ann tuillte ag gach béirín i nGaillimh. Táimid ag fanacht go foighneach ar na chéad ‘othair’ agus tá súil againn gur atmaisféar spraíúil agus spreagúil a bheidh rompu.

Tá 29 bunscoil áitiúil agus breis agus 1,200 páiste ag glacadh páirte san ócáid i mbliana. Gabhfaidh na páistí i gcomhairle le duine de na dochtúirí béiríní tar éis dóibh a theacht i láthair ag Otharlann na mBéiríní ar an gcampas. Déanfaidh na dochtúirí scrúdú ar na ‘hothair’ agus tabharfar oideas dóibh, agus cuirfear ar atreo ansin iad le haghaidh obráide nó x-gha. Beidh meaisíní speisialta x-gha agus MRI ag na mic léinn ar fhaitíos go mbeidís ag teastáil ó na béiríní.
Beidh na béiríní atá ag teacht chucu féin in ann ábhair leighis a fháil i gCógaslann na mBéiríní, áit a mbeidh torthaí sláintiúla le fáil a bhuíochas le Total Fruit agus Fyffes, mar aon le hábhair leighis urraithe ag Cógaslann Matt O’Flaherty.
Nuair a bheidh an méid sin curtha díobh acu, beidh deis ag na páistí spraoi ar an bpreabchaisleán agus beidh Cumann Sorcais OÉ Gaillimh i mbun siamsaíochta. Is iad Bank of Ireland, an Cumann Cosanta Leighis agus Dunnes Stores a chuir an urraíocht ar fáil chun an ócáid a reáchtáil.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Ríona Hughes, Oifigeach na gCumann in OÉ Gaillimh: “Is deis iontach é Ospidéal na mBéiríní don chumann chun cuireadh a thabhairt do pháistí agus a mbéiríní chuig an gcampas agus chun taithí luachmhar foghlama a chur ar fáil do chách. Tá sé ar cheann de na cláir for-rochtana pobail is taitneamhaí agus is spraíúla atá idir lámha ag cumainn OÉ Gaillimh agus táimid an-bhródúil as a rathúla is atá sé. Comhghairdeas leis an gCumann Sláinte a thugann deis do líon chomh mór dár gcuid mac léinn a bheith rannpháirteach san ócáid dhearfach seo agus tá súil againn go mbainfidh gach duine a bheidh páirteach ann an-sult as an gcúpla lá seo.”

-Críoch-

Marketing and Communications Office

PreviousNext

Featured Stories