Feeling better with film: Rosalie and James’ Stories

Rosalie

Hospitals aren’t exactly fun. I’ve been there for different procedures before, but last year, I had to stay in for surgery – and that’s when I found out about the MediCinema. I didn’t know cinemas could be in hospitals, so when we were asked if we wanted to go, I was kind of confused at first. But then my dad said, “Why not?” and we decided to go.

I was so surprised when we got there. The seats were all different colours and there was a big screen, like a proper cinema. It was really exciting to be there with my mum and dad and it was nice to look around and see all the cheerful faces around us, enjoying the film, instead of people being down. I didn’t think much about being in hospital while I was watching that film – it was just like being at the cinema anywhere else.

Being in hospital can be really hard. I miss being at home, going to school, seeing my friends – doing the normal things. I just don’t really like the feeling of being there. You feel different and it’s not home. On the ward I’d feel really bored, not really knowing what to do. When I didn’t have a distraction, something else to focus on, I would just think about negative things. My brain would just go over and over how I’m in hospital, how I’m not hanging out with my friends. But when I was at the MediCinema it helped me to forget about all that. I could just watch a movie and enjoy it and not think about the bad things for a while. The volunteers and staff were always really cheerful and kind – that made me feel cheerful too.

My favourite time at the MediCinema was when we watched Wonka. I hadn’t been feeling great after my surgery (I don’t remember those days very well – I try not to think about them), but I was excited to go and see Wonka, because I hadn’t seen it before and we were getting to see it the day after it came out, which was really cool. The movie was so cheerful, that it gave me a boost and I felt so much happier afterwards. Going to the MediCinema made me feel better – then it felt like everything just got better after that. First, when I got back to the ward, the nurses came to check on one of the machines I was hooked up to – one that I really hated being on – and they said I didn’t need to be on it anymore. Then the doctors started talking about me going home. That was definitely my favourite MediCinema day. And I even got some Wonka merch – an umbrella, a hat and a tote bag that I still use every week!

I think it’s really important to have things like MediCinema in hospitals because it gives you a break from everything that’s going on. I’ve told friends about it, and they thought it was cool because you don’t normally expect to see a cinema in hospital. Knowing there was one there helped me – it gave me days to look forward to, knowing I was going to watch a movie. So, if you get the chance to go, maybe you could try it – because it helps you forget about all the bad stuff for a while. MediCinema helps you feel happier, and I’ve heard that being happy can help you recover faster, so it might even help you recover better too.

James

Me and my daughter, Rosalie, have a condition that requires regular surgeries and check-ups, so we’re both familiar with hospitals. When I was her age, I had to have the same operations, so it made sense that I would be the one to stay with her in hospital. But as a parent, one of the hardest things is watching your child have to go through something painful and frightening. You’d rather take it on yourself than watch someone you love having to go through it. It’s difficult trying to explain why things like surgeries and procedures – big, scary, horrible things – are things she needs to do. You want to say, ‘you’ve got to do it, to keep you alive’, but it’s not easy to talk about.

We were introduced to MediCinema on the first night of Rosalie’s hospital stay, before her surgery. Simon, who runs the cinema, came by and asked if we’d like to go. I wasn’t sure what to expect – I thought it might be a small room with a projector – but when we got there, it was a proper cinema, complete with big screen, dimmed lights, and rainbow-coloured seats! It was nothing like the hospital, and that’s what made it special. It felt like you were in a different place, somewhere that didn’t remind you of the difficult situation you were in. I looked around at everyone else in the cinema before the lights dimmed and wondered if they all felt the same; just to be able to do something different, be somewhere different … it makes such a difference.

Whenever we got the opportunity to go to the MediCinema after that, we went! I would try and get Rosalie out of the ward as much as possible, because being sat on the ward for such a long time takes a toll. So, I jumped at the chance for her to get out and have a change of scenery. We won’t forget the effort that everyone went to for us. They made sure that if Rosalie needed a wheelchair or was hooked up to machines, they would find a way to get her to the MediCinema. There was no hesitation, no “we’ll see if we can make this work”, it was always “we will make this work.”

One of the most memorable screenings came during Rosalie’s second hospital stay for another surgery. Even though we knew it wasn’t going to be very pleasant going back into hospital again, we knew we had the MediCinema to go to – something to help us both feel a bit happier. The nurses had warned us that after surgery, once the anaesthetic wears off, patients often hit a low point. That was true for Rosalie. By the Friday, she was feeling really down. But the next day, we went to the MediCinema, and it completely turned things around. Her spirits lifted, and by Monday, the doctors were talking about sending her home. From that extremely low point, it all went uphill very quickly and it was like the cinema helped to bring her back to herself.

I could not speak more highly of MediCinema. Our experience has motivated me to run a marathon to raise money! It’s my way of giving back to a charity that has had such a positive effect on our whole family.