HARD-WORKING staff have ensured Christmas is magical for children spending the festive season in hospital.

Nurses have decorated wards at the Royal Hospital for Children and have arranged festive fun like virtual Santa visits. Kids have also been able to leave the traditional mince pie and milk for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph.

The family of one patient have thanked NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for making their daughters's Christmas "magical."

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Little River Staff-McKenzie is currently undergoing chemotherapy for ependymoma. Dad, Robert Menzies, said staff have been "amazing." He said: “The staff have been amazing, I don’t think they realise just how amazing they have been with us throughout all of this. Everyone has been so good with us, including the doctors, nurses, cleaning staff and non-medical staff there is such a support network for us.

“River is doing okay, she’s getting better slowly and this has obviously been a difficult time for us all but the level of care here is very comforting.

“It’s not normality for us but we are grateful to the staff for doing everything they can to make sure everyone on the ward still enjoys Christmas as best they can. They arranged a Christmas raffle for us and we even had Santa visit River on the iPad, which was great.

“It’s obviously hard for the activities to continue with COVID-19 but staff have been working hard to do everything they can.”

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While River and her family have been at the RHC over Christmas, the hope is they will be able to head home soon with staff training both Robert and mum Katie, 33, in how to administer part of her treatment at home.

Robert said: “The support with training us has been amazing, I didn’t think I would ever be able to do it but the staff have been so patient with us and we’re getting more confident.”

April McDaid, Senior Charge Nurse at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow said: “No family wants to spend time in hospital, especially over the Christmas period. Christmas is such a special time of year and our staff always do whatever we can to make it as fun as possible for the children and as special a time for their families too.Glasgow Times:

“With the added challenges of COVID-19, we have had to adapt some of the usual Christmas activities but we hope that we can still help put smiles on faces and make Christmas as magical as possible for the families who will be staying at the Royal Hospital for Children and at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Campus during this time.”

One of the nurses working on Christmas Day to look after families in the ward is Senior Staff Nurse, Julie Cefferty.

She said that although things are even harder for the youngsters due to coronavirus restrictions, the staff go out of their way to ensure Christmas Day is still magical.

“Every Christmas is quite different, some Christmases are quite busy, some haven’t been quite as busy. We do try and get as many children home for Christmas as possible but that’s not always possible.

“The build-up starts on Christmas Eve, the kids put plates outside their doors with milk for Santa and cookies and a carrot for Rudolph.

“In previous years, Santa has come round the hospital with his elves and he will pop his head round the door and give the children a wee wave which is always really special.”

Julie added that some of the children on the ward worry that Santa won’t be able to find them while they are getting treatment in hospital.

“We always make sure Santa knows where the children are on Christmas Day,” she said.

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“Some of them do worry that Santa won’t be able to come to the hospital so it’s wonderful to see their wee faces in the morning when they’re opening their presents.”

With everyone from catering staff to porters working on Christmas Day, Julie says the team is like “one big family” who try to spread as much festive cheer as possible on December 25.

And while she gives up time with her own family to tend to sick children, she says it is a “pleasure” to help the youngsters have as magical a Christmas as possible.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to look after these children, some of them are really sick. The parents are always so grateful that you’ve given up your day to look after their children,” she said.

“There’s not many people who give up their Christmas Day but if it means you can help these families then it’s a pleasure to be able to spend Christmas with them.”