For Nicola and Paul Johnson, the memory of losing their daughter, Phoebe, is something they will never forget.
Phoebe died in 2021, just 10 days before her 18th birthday, following a road traffic collision. After a frantic journey to Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), they were left facing unimaginable news in the middle of a busy hospital corridor.
Paul recalls: “When the machines were finally switched off, we were left traumatised in the middle of a busy corridor. We were pouring our hearts out and needed to be able to do that somewhere private.”
Their experience is one that too many families have shared, being surrounded by noise, urgency and clinical activity at a moment when all they need is space, quiet and compassion.
This week, Nicola and Paul returned to QMC for a very different reason: the opening of a new Child Bereavement Suite, a space designed to ensure that no family has to go through those moments without privacy and dignity again.
Thanks to Nottingham Hospitals Charity and the fundraising efforts of bereaved families, the new suite offers a calm, non-clinical environment away from the busy wards and departments of the children’s hospital. It has been created from a former office within the hospital school and is the first dedicated bereavement space serving the entire children’s hospital, bringing support together in one place for all families.
Thoughtfully designed, the room provides a peaceful setting for some of the most difficult conversations and moments families will ever face, from end-of-life discussions and memory-making to follow-up meetings and ongoing bereavement support. It will also provide space for staff to come together and process the emotional impact of a child’s death.
At its heart is a memory tree, where families can leave a personalised leaf bearing their child’s name, a quiet and lasting tribute to lives that will never be forgotten.
The vision for the suite came from staff who have seen first-hand the need for a dedicated, sensitive space.
NUH Child Bereavement Nurse Specialist Lucy Lawton was interviewed by the BBC about the new facility and said: “When a child is at the end of life and dies, it doesn’t mean the end of care for the child and their family.”
Lucy Lawton interviewed by the BBC
“For us, bereavement care is of the utmost importance and it needs to be in a sensitive and thoughtful environment. Helen Bailie and I had the vision for the dedicated space for families, something on site but away from the busyness of the hospital.
“Having this room is one of the ways in which we can show our families how important they are to us and how their support matters.”
The suite has been made possible thanks to funding from Nottingham Hospitals Charity, along with the generous fundraising efforts of bereaved families.
Nigel Gregory, CEO of Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said: “This new bereavement suite provides a calm, private space where families can come together at one of the most difficult times, while also giving the Child Bereavement Team a dedicated environment to continue their vital work with families.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has donated to make this possible. We are proud to have played a part in creating this much-needed addition for both families and the teams who care for them.”
For Nicola and Paul, being at the opening was both emotional and meaningful, a reminder of their daughter and a source of hope for other families.
Alongside others who have experienced similar loss, they have helped raise funds to bring the suite to life, turning their grief into something that will support others in their darkest moments.
The new Child Bereavement Suite is more than just a room. It is a place for families to pause, grieve and be together — a “little oasis” in the middle of a hospital, created with compassion at its core.
