The Renfrew Victoria Hospital, inspired by ancient Irish history have adopted the inclusive End-of-Life Symbol originally introduced by The Irish Hospice Foundation. This universal Symbol is not associated with any one religion or belief system.
The three stranded white spiral represents the interconnected cycle of life: birth, life and death. The white outer circle represents continuity, infinity and completion. Purple is the background colour as it is associated with nobility, solemnity and spirituality.
The Renfrew Victoria Hospital has adopted this End-of-Life symbol from the Irish Hospice Foundation and Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HFH) to honour and respect the significance of each patient and family during this most challenging time.
Our use of the End-of-Life Symbol in a healthcare setting is to indicate that a person is dying or has passed. This symbol will make staff and visitors aware that this should be a quiet, tranquil area, respecting families that are grieving, to approach cautiously before entering, referring to the nursing station if they are uncertain.
The Symbol will be placed on the door of the individual’s room only with the permission of the patient and their family. If, at any stage, displaying the Symbol is a matter of concern, the wishes of the dying person/bereaved family will be respected.
“To live in hearts we leave behind…is not to die” Thomas Campbell