Autistic teen sends over 700 personalised letters to hospital staff in Scotland

Paddy Joyce, a 17-year old autistic teenager from Glasgow has sent almost 700 thank you cards to staff at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) in Scotland. Paddy began writing to health care staff in mid-January as a way to help with his anxiety after seeing death statistics due to the coronavirus. The cards have been sent to the hospital and the health staff is receiving support from Paddy. 

According to the website of hospital, Paddy has written more than 1,000 cards till now and hopes to send more than 5,000 letters by the end of the year. Paddy said that he was feeling very sad to see COVID-19 death statistics and he could not stop looking at them. He also thought about the impact of these news reports on the frontline workers. He was then suggested by his mother to write letters to health workers. Few of the health workers respond to his letters which make him feel that he has made a difference. 

Health workers thank Paddy for his gesture

Chloe Dacosta, staff nurse in recovery said that it is a stressful time for everyone throughout the pandemic and these little acts of kindness help them to continue their work. She said that it really means a lot and also reminds them that they are together fighting COVID-19. Pat Cruickshanks, charge nurse within ICU said that they are busy with COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 patients and gestures like these help them to work. She said that they all are grateful to Paddy and they would at some point like to thank Paddy in person. 

Paddy will soon be starting 6th year at secondary school and despite his complex needs, he hopes to one day work in hospital. Paddy every day writes 50 personalised messages to hospital staff. Dr Barbara Crooks, a consultant anaesthetist at the GRI, who helped to co-ordinate the huge task of getting names together for Paddy to write the cards, said that this was a tremendous effort from Paddy to write individual letters.