Vivid red hearts line the hallway along the entrance to the chapel at Tallaght University Hospital. Each one represents a life lost to Covid-19.
The pastoral team, headed up by Chaplain John Kelly, sends the family of the deceased their own special heart which was placed in the hands of their loved one before they passed away.
Family members are not always present when a relative dies, so Fr John and his colleagues often step in to make sure there is someone present at the end. "We don't bring an agenda to the patient's bedside.
We offer a supportive listening ear," he explains about his role. "We work with people of all faiths and traditions, religious beliefs and those who have none, because holistic health must include spiritual health,"