A Belfast doctor is the brains behind a fantastic video to help kids understand why hospital staff now have to wear personal protective equipment, or PPE as it is more widely known.
Every wee voice featured is that of a child fighting cancer or leukaemia with the help of the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
The story was written and designed by Doctor Lyndsey Thompson who works in Paediatric haematology/oncology and was produced by the Belfast Trust.
The 36-year-old paediatrician told Belfast Live: "Over the past year or two we have been working on a few videos for patients within our unit for things like going to theatre and lumbar punctures.
"PPE is quite different for them all at the minute so we wanted to do something to help them get used to it and take some of the fear away from it. Doing animations like that can be a good way of making it less threatening for them."
From a seat belt, to rain coat and wellies in the rain; sun cream and hats for hot days to shin guards for football and a bicycle helmet - they explain that it's all PPE.
The short video outlines why it protection equipment is now needed in medical settings because of Coronavirus - and what that looks like.
Dr Thompson, who has been treating kids for 13 years, said while those in the cancer unit are used to medical surroundings, they were still confused by the way staff dressed initially.
"Our patients know us all very well because they are inpatients all the time or they are up seeing us every week," she added.
"At first, whenever we appeared with everything on they definitely looked confused and then as soon as they heard our voice they just seemed to take it nearly in their stride.
"For our patients it was a little bit easier because they knew it was us underneath it all but I can imagine that a lot of children who either haven't been to hospital much or never been up before, were completely panicked and scared by seeing people dressed [in PPE]."
As for the video, she said it has gone down very well with the seven patients who took part and other children who have seen it.
"Seven of our patients have been involved in it and they have been so proud of giving their wee voice," she added.
"Friends, relatives and other wee patients from our unit have all watched it and I think they all feel like it's a child friendly, non threatening way to explore what PPE is.
"I found it an enjoyable wee project to do and it was lovely having my patients involved in it as well. One of them is only three and it's not the easiest thing for them to do - they all did so well."
A Belfast Trust spokesperson said: "The characters are voiced by patients from the Children’s Cancer Unit in RBHSC. They are aged from 3-14yrs, from across Northern Ireland, and have all received treatment for cancer or leukaemia at Belfast Trust.
"Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a common sight at the minute, but PPE can be difficult to explain to a child.
"This animated video helps explain the importance of PPE to children by comparing it to other forms of daily protection. Thank you to everyone involved."
