Pool-ing Together for Patients

A hospital ward has been given a morale boost thanks to a surprise donation of pool equipment, after a chance conversation between friends turned into a box of brand-new cues arriving at the bedside.

Darren Higgins is currently in hospital awaiting a heart transplant and says he could be there for six to eight months or more, with some patients on the ward already waiting over a year.

Speaking to Gef, Darren described life on the ward as ‘a tough situation for everyone’, with patients dealing with serious health conditions, long stays away from family, and the daily uncertainty that comes with waiting for life-changing treatment.

So when he discovered there was a pool table available on the ward, it quickly became a welcome distraction.

However, he said the equipment available was in need of an upgrade.

‘The pool table itself wasn’t too bad, but the cues were the type you’d get with a child’s toy pool table and weren’t very easy to use,’ he said.

During a conversation with his friend Greg Cowell, Darren mentioned the issue in passing. not expecting anything to come of it.

Greg, who runs Oak House Gaming Supplies and Services, along with Bob’s Bar, supplies pool and gaming equipment locally. A few days later, a large box arrived at the hospital.

Inside was a set of high-quality pool cues and other equipment for patients to use on the ward.

Darren said the impact was immediate.

‘It’s honestly made a great difference and people on the ward have become much more eager to meet up in the pool room each night for a few games,’ he said.

‘For me personally, it’s been nice to get out of the little private cubicle that I’m now living in and have a chat and a laugh with the friends I’ve made on the ward.’

He added that the simple gesture had helped lift spirits at a difficult time.

‘It’s brought people together at a time when morale can be quite low.’

Darren said he and Greg both play in the same Douglas pool league, but wanted to highlight the gesture as something done ‘purely out of kindness with no expectation of anything in return’.

A small box of pool cues may not sound like much, but on a long-stay hospital ward, it’s proving to be a very welcome break from t`he daily routine (see what we did there?).