Bringing the forest to the hospital

NATURE has powerful healing properties and being immersed in a green setting can provide a psychological boost that can accelerate recovery. While many professionals acknowledge these effects, a hospital in Oslo, Norway has developed a real hospital room, particularly for children, where they can be surrounded by trees and wildlife.

In Norway, a charitable foundation offers an area of tranquility to patients undergoing long-term treatment.

Within the site are shelters surrounded by nature, where patients can meet with their loved ones and, for a few hours, forget the burden of their disease.

Supporting children affected by cancer

In the world, up to 160,000 children are affected by cancer each year.

And as many families' futures left dangling. Hospital stays are often long, and treatments can be quite harsh, whereas entertainment is limited.

In Oslo, Håvard Hernes tries to offer new horizons to these children, with a place which breaks with the hospital rooms' monotony. His initiative began in 2015, after his daughter herself developed cancer.

Since then, she has recovered, but Håvard Hernes keeps on helping sick children with "Frisluftssykehuset," which could be translated as "open air hospital."

It is now a foundation which builds and provides cabins at the edge of the forest for long-term care units.

An important psychological benefit for patients

The psychologist of the Oslo University Hospital observed that these places have major psychological benefits.

They give families the chance to come together again, in a different setting from the hospital.

Laughing is easier in this kind of place, as well as developing the "inner strength" needed for remission.

The foundation received the support of the Norwegian government and hopes to soon build five more cabins.

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