Mystery stick message appears outside Canberra hospital window
A woman on an extended stay in hospital has shared a thoughtful message posted by a stranger outside her window.
Sharon Kensell has been in Canberra’s Calvary Bruce Private Hospital for nearly a month undergoing “extensive surgery”.
She told Yahoo News Australia she was having a “bad day” last week when she noticed a message written by a “thoughtful artist”.
Ms Kensell shared the photo on Facebook.
“There is a photo below that shows a message written out in sticks on the ground saying ‘Be Well Soon’,” she wrote.
“I have had an extended hospital stay and it totally made my day seeing this.
“I know it wasn’t meant for me but it certainly put a smile on my face.”
Ms Kensell believes the message was made by a person from Hyson Green, which is the hospital’s mental health unit.
She told Yahoo News Australia the message has “changed over time”.
“It was most recently fixed up by a staff member after a truck went through and messed it up,” Ms Kensell.
“Several staff members have also shared that it has cheered them up at times too.
“Often patients are encouraged to get up and walk down the hall to see it.”
She added “part of the healing and recovery process is keeping positive”.
Another woman claims when she was staying at Calvary Bruce, it read, “be kind, love”.
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Ms Kensell’s post has since been liked more than 1200 times.
“How beautiful. It really doesn't take much to show kindness, and compassion for others,” one woman wrote.
“Love this. Get well soon.”
Michelle Garner, the director of clinical services at Calvary Bruce, told Yahoo News the person responsible for the original message remains a mystery.
She added it’s maintained on a fire trail.
Fire trails are used as access points for back-burning and fire management operations in bushland areas.
“A nurse sometimes goes out and fixes it up when trucks drive through it,” she said.
“We’re not sure who the original person is behind it but it’s a lovely gesture and it’s doing a lot of good.”
It’s not known how long the message has been outside the hospital but Ms Gardner believes it’s been there for “several weeks”.
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