Christmas in hospital can be a difficult and lonely time, but thanks to our Give the Gift of a Smile campaign, Fife Health Charity has been able to bring much-needed festive cheer, comfort and happiness to patients across NHS Fife hospitals.
Last year, your kindness helped bring smiles to around 800 patients staying in NHS Fife hospitals on Christmas Day, ensuring that everyone received a gift, including those spending Christmas in our Intensive Care Unit ([read their story below]).
This Christmas, while many of us will be gathering with loved ones and enjoying familiar festive traditions, others will be spending the holidays in hospital wards across Fife, away from the comfort of home and the people they love.
We're inviting you to help us Give the Gift of a Smile once again this festive season. No matter the size, your donation will help us bring smiles, comfort and a little Christmas magic to patients when they need it most.
With your support, we can provide gifts to patients spending Christmas in the care of NHS Fife. It's a small gesture that can make a big difference to someone in hospital at Christmas.
Together, we can make sure every patient feels remembered this Christmas.
Fife Health Charity Christmas Appeal
- Donate online
- Share our campaign with friends, family, and colleagues.
- Encourage your workplace or community group to get involved.
Help us bring joy and smiles this Christmas by donating today. Your gift will help us purchase presents and fund festive activities, allowing hospital patients to share in the joy of the season.
Send a smile this ChristmasCelebrating Christmas Day in hospitals in Fife
Christmas smiles at Tarvit Ward
A small gift can brighten someone’s day, bring a smile to their face and remind them that they are being thought of, cared for and remembered at Christmas.
Gifts to surprise on Hollyview Ward, Cupar
"Last year, I had a patient cry on Christmas Day as he was not used to getting anything."
Sparing a thought for the most vulnerable, at Christmas
Not everyone gets to look forward to Christmas. For some, such as patients in NHS Fife’s Intensive Care units, Christmas may even come and go unnoticed. But not forgotten as Senior Charge Nurse Christina explains.
Christmas time on Letham Ward
As part of our Christmas Campaign, Fife Health Charity caught up with Shirley Ward Senior Charge Nurse on Letham Ward in Cameron Hospital, Leven to learn more about spending Christmas time in a hospital setting.
We realise that no-one would choose to be in hospital over the Christmas period, so at Letham Ward we try to make the experience as much fun as possible. We host a ward Christmas party for patients, their relatives, and staff, with music, games, and plenty of festive cheer. It’s a highlight of the season and something our patients really look forward to – staff too actually!
We then make sure we have a gift for every patient all carefully chosen and wrapped for opening on Christmas Day morning. It’s lovely to see the smiles and appreciation on the patient’s faces.
All of this is possible thanks to the support of Fife Health Charity, which makes such a difference to the experience of patients in hospital and their families at Christmas.
Kelly, our Activities Coordinator, does a bit of detective work by speaking with family and friends to find out what each patient might enjoy, so we can make it as personal and surprising as possible. She usually shops locally, carefully selects the gifts, wraps them, and then they’re handed out on Christmas morning which always brings lots of smiles.
Christmas smiles on Tarvit Ward
For the patients on Tarvit Ward, receiving a Christmas present on Christmas Day means so much more than simply unwrapping a gift. It brings a little extra joy, comfort and a sense of normality during what can be a difficult and lonely time away from home and loved ones. A small gift can brighten someone’s day, bring a smile to their face and remind them that they are being thought of, cared for and remembered at Christmas. It helps create a warm, festive atmosphere on the ward.
It was such a privilege to play Santa and deliver the presents on Christmas morning with colleagues. It shows patients that, even when they cannot be at home with their families, the kindness and generosity of others can help make Christmas Day feel that little bit more special.
We’re so grateful to Fife Health Charity for making the gift of a smile possible for our patients.
Christmas on Hollyview Ward, Stratheden, Cupar
We tend to buy a mix of gifts suitable for all of our patients and this always includes some nice toiletries and chocolates. If we have had patients with us for a while we can be more detailed with our choices.
In my ward we have also split the money into gifts and treats: Gifts covering the actual gift and treats such as novelty crackers for Christmas Day, tablecloths and party food to make the hospital food a bit more fun and to offer an evening buffet.
I had one patient cry on Christmas Day as he was not used to getting anything...That's what I see as making a difference.
Sparing a thought for the most vulnerable, at Christmas
Not everyone gets to look forward to Christmas. For some, such as patients in NHS Fife’s Intensive Care units, Christmas may even come and go unnoticed. For these patients however, the staff are still there.
Senior Charge Nurse, Christina, explained that in special wards like hers, where the patients are very unwell and for those who don’t have close family or friends to bring in supplies, thanks to the donations that come in over the festive period to Fife Health Charity, the ICU staff can buy gifts.
These gifts, however, are thoughtfully chosen – perhaps a nice smelling wash set or a fancy shampoo. These, she explains, can make a huge difference to their patients, particularly as they start to wake up and their senses kick in and they start to recognise sounds, smells and sensations again.
Unfortunately, in the Intensive Care Unit our patients are unconscious and unable to comment on the gift sets we provide on the day. As their voice however, I can tell you that the gifts are greatly appreciated.
