Newly Refurbished Rainbow Ward Opens at Children's Hospital for Wales

Thanks to £1.4 million in funding from children’s cancer charity, LATCH, Rainbow Ward at the Children’s Hospital for Wales has recently undergone a major refurbishment.

Rainbow Ward is the lead centre for paediatric oncology in South and West Wales, caring for children and young people with cancer and leukaemia. It is an extremely important place, with specialist doctors, nurses and LATCH support workers building close relationships with children and their families spending long lengths of time on the unit, months at a time in many cases. The staff on the ward take pride in creating a family atmosphere for those in their care.

Ahead of the official opening of the ward which took place this week, 16 year old Kiera and her mum Andrea were invited for a look around. Kiera has spent a lot of time at the Children’s Hospital for Wales, particularly the Rainbow Ward, while undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

The generous funding from LATCH has allowed much needed upgrades to be completed, creating a comfortable space for patients and their families. LATCH has a long standing relationship with Rainbow Ward, providing support for children and families across Wales who are receiving treatment for cancer and leukaemia at the Children’s Hospital for Wales

Jan Janczewski, Chair of Cardiff and Vale UHB, said: “Rainbow Ward provides exceptional care to children and their families during extremely challenging times, our team of dedicated staff underpin this. The ward has become increasingly difficult to maintain over time and advances in healthcare technologies present us with new opportunities to elevate the care we provide. On behalf of the Health Board, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to LATCH for this significant donation to refurbish Rainbow Ward, in addition to the ongoing vital support the charity provides for children and families in our care.”

As part of the transformation of the ward, additional single-unit beds have been created to offer privacy and to help prevent the spread of infections to immunosuppressed children. A new large playroom and family room are also included in the new design to provide much needed breakaway areas away from clinical settings. Ambient lighting and entertainment systems have been installed to help create a calm and comfortable environment for children and their families. Staff also benefit from new working areas positioned at the centre of the ward to enhance how they can respond to the needs of children in their care. The build also includes state-of-the-art healthcare technologies installed and maintained as part of the programme.