Forget Me Never mosaics make memories for dialysis families

By Mary Dennehy

THE wish of a mother-of-two who passed away while on dialysis in 2013 has inspired a collaborative, remembrance art piece that set roots in the atrium of Tallaght Hospital this week.

Tallaght mother Deborah Smyth was on dialysis at the local hospital for 12 years, over which time she spent 18 hours a week with the staff and patients of the unit.

Deborah’s husband Roderick told The Echo: “Deborah was spending more time during the week with the staff and patients of the unit that it became like a family, and myself and our two boys Adam and Ruirí also got to know everybody and their families.

“The dialysis unit became such a big part of people’s lives.”

Sadly, however, there were people who never got that lifesaving transplant and Deborah had an idea, a wish, to create something that would remember all of the people whose lives cross paths through dialysis in Tallaght Hospital.

“After Deborah died the social workers in Tallaght Hospital stayed in touch with me and the boys and one day I mentioned Deborah’s idea to them, which the hospital thought was a fabulous idea and the Forget Me Never project was started,” Roderick said.

The Forget Me Never project saw dialysis patients and their families make 170 unique, individually crafted, mosaic leaves, which represents and remembers a person who was part of the ‘dialysis family’ at Tallaght Hospital.

The tree, which was designed and facilitated by Lucia Barnes, Tallaght Hospital’s artist-in-residence, involved months of bedside art with patients and workshops for friends, families and staff.

Alison Baker, of the National Centre for Arts and Health at Tallaght Hospital, said: “The idea of a tree is symbolic on many levels, in this case as a representation for the dialysis family – both past and present.

“Each leaf represents an individual presence, while the leaves and branches represent the community and remind us of the level of engagement, commitment and the reality of dialysis treatment.

“The roots, although not always visible, provide the stable support structure keeping everything in place.

“A medium like mosaic enabled all involved to create their own unique leaf, with participants ranging in age from 5 to 80 years.”

Now that Deborah’s idea has blossomed into reality, Roderick told The Echo: “I’m delighted that it’s there and Deborah would have loved it – it reflects how everybody connected to the dialysis unit which values each other like a family.

“It’s a strange feeling. Making the leaf was very emotional, it was sad and beautiful that all of the leaves being made represented a loved one.”

He added: “The project has also created a support network between families.

“When Deborah died our relationship with the dialysis unit also disappeared, all of a sudden it was cut from our lives.

“Creating this tree allowed us to connect again with the staff and patients of the dialysis unit and meet other families who are in the same boat as ourselves.”

The tree, which was officially unveiled in the atrium of Tallaght Hospital on Thursday, April 20 by Mayor Guss O’Connell, was funded by the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, The Meath Foundation and supported by the staff of the dialysis unit and Smyth family, who fundraised for the project.