49-year-old Thomas from Richmond Hill has spent the last four months in hospital away from his wife, Cath and three-year-old daughter.

The day before New Years Eve, Thomas’s life turned upside down when he was blue lighted to hospital in the middle of the night, unable to move his limbs.

When Thomas came into hospital, he had a CT scan which revealed he had several lesions up and down his spine which had caused a fracture. After more tests and biopsies, eight weeks later, Thomas was given the devastating news he has a blood cancer called Lymphoma.

Four months on, Thomas has been undergoing treatment, and has been in a cycle of hospital wards, ambulances and scanners so access to a green space has been hugely important, especially for spending quality time with his daughter.

Thomas’s little girl found coming into the busy ward scary and overwhelming which made visits to see him difficult when he was unable to get out of bed. At first, she was very timid and it took almost two months for her to climb next to him on the hospital bed for a cuddle.

When he was well enough to use a wheelchair, Thomas said spending time with his daughter in the courtyard and garden has made a world of difference.

“The hardest thing about being in hospital is being away from my daughter and missing the special moments and milestones, but the second hardest thing has been seeing her in hospital and struggling to have the same connection.

“On the days when I haven’t been well enough to leave my hospital bed and we have to stay on the ward, she’s quiet and doesn’t say much. When we get outside into the courtyard, she becomes a chatterbox and she can feel free to be a child and let her imagination run wild, playing hide and seek and pretend cafes with me. I could cry because it has brought us moments of happiness during a very tough time.”

As part of his rehabilitation, Thomas has been using the therapy kitchen to make meals, he says:

“I haven’t personally taken part in the horticultural therapy, but I love going into the greenhouse and rubbing the fresh herbs between my fingers and enjoying a smell that isn’t disinfectant or chemotherapy helps me escape from the hospital for a moment.

“Before I was in hospital, I loved cooking and I miss it a lot so just taking in the scent of the herbs and getting the chance to use the rehabilitation kitchen as part of my recovery is fantastic.”

Thomas doesn’t yet know when he will be able to return home to his family, but on his journey to recovery he feels grateful to have access to a green space for rehabilitation tailored to his needs.

“Anywhere where you can see greenery, feel the sun on your face, or take in a breath of fresh air really does help. It feels like a sanctuary for me, it’s somewhere away where you can take a break from the constant beeping and background noise on the ward.”