Evelina CRF, Seal

Patients coming to Seal all have allergies to something. The clinicians are here to help, to better understand the problem and to find solutions.

Typically, patients will do a lot of waiting around during their visits, all the while confined (for clinical reasons) to their beds.

Boredom, anxiety, dread, fear – these feelings can all too easily creep in. Patients might also go through nausea and vomiting.

It’s sometimes a very tough experience.

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Seals, illustrated by Kiriko Kubo, swim joyfully around the room – across walls, the ceiling, through weeds, and onto bedheads.

The effect is playful, grand, and uplifting – less like a cold, clinical space, and more a dazzling children’s palace, where children feel special and their struggle is respected and recognised.

Community is vital here. Families and staff form bonds as they re-meet over the months and years. We integrated a “who’s who” board, which matches photos of staff to their names, helping to make these introductions and reconnections as easy as possible.

The children and families who come here have to be brave. Our work sends a strong signal to them that says: “You’re special, and you can do this. We’ve got you.”