Senior Chaplain Romana on supporting Muslim patients and families at GOSH
27 Feb 2025, 10:14 a.m.
Senior Chaplain Romana started at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) as a volunteer in the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team in 2009.
She provides holistic support to patients, families and staff members in the hospital. “People don’t see us as a label. They feel quite safe to say what they want to say,” she says.
Romana plays a significant role in providing compassionate care for patients and families with diverse religious beliefs, particularly Muslim patients and their families.
Every year, the GOSH Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team, which is funded by GOSH Charity, marks the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Romana tells us more about her work at GOSH and how her team mark the festival.
A day-in-the life of a chaplain
Prior to joining GOSH, Romana worked in psychology, counselling therapy and systematic family therapy, before taking a course in healthcare chaplaincy.
She volunteered at GOSH for about 18 months before joining the team as a part-time staff member. She was then promoted to senior chaplain. This year marks her fourteenth year at the hospital.
“The GOSH community has changed very much. We have a very diverse community who come through our doors now, so the need for a Muslim chaplain was there,” she says.
Her work is incredibly varied, and Romana says she approaches it with no expectations about what the day will look like.
“Each day I do a round of the wards just to check in with nurses and with psychosocial teams and attending the meetings. This helps provide the whole picture,” she says.
“You will have some structure, but things can crash very suddenly. You might have a very sad case just coming in and the wards call ‘please can you come and support this family’ and we will be a part of hard discussions with a family.”
"Our role is to journey with them. We don't have to find the right words. We don't have to fix things, because nobody can fix their situation. Our role is to sit in that presence, to comfort them, to hear them, and to support them with the day to day."
Spiritual support around the clock
The Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team at GOSH operate on a 24/7 basis, ensuring support is always available to families. Every ward in the hospital receives spiritual care.
“We work 24/7. I work 10 nights every month, and we work shifts to ensure there is always night cover. Death does not have any timing, and it is part of our commitment to our patients and families to always be there to support them.”
The Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team provide emotional and spiritual support to families facing difficult decisions such as end-of-life care.
“Our role is to journey with them. We don't have to find the right words. We don't have to fix things, because nobody can fix their situation. Our role is to sit in that presence, to comfort them, to hear them, and to support them with the day to day.
“They just need to feel your presence. Can I make this situation better? No. Can I just say, ‘don't worry’ or ‘things will get better’? I can't, because we don't know. I can't give them the wrong hope. But I also cannot take hope away from them.”
Providing care for Muslim families
Each member of the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care team plays a crucial role in providing support tailored to the diverse needs of the hospital’s patients and families.
“While my role as a senior chaplain involves overall support and coordination, our Muslim imam, female Muslim chaplain and I provide specific guidance and care for Muslim families,” Romana says.
“We sit in the heart of London, so our demographic of Muslim patients is high. On a daily basis, I see around 70 to 80 Muslim patients and their families. The majority of Muslim families like to declare their faith when their child is being admitted to hospital so they can access their faith needs.
“Somebody who understands the theology is important. They need to see a face who can understand either their culture or their language or their faith.”
Marking Ramadan at GOSH
“Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds great significance in Islam as it marks the month during which the Quran was believed to have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad,” Romana says.
“During Ramadan, we support Muslim families, recognising the importance of the festival. Many patients’ families will be fasting. We make sure that parents either receive a meal voucher or provide a pack of dates so that they can break their fast. Since every child and parent is unique, we try to evaluate parental support individually.”
The Muslim Prayer Room in the hospital, funded by GOSH Charity, is made available throughout Ramadan.
“It provides a peaceful room for prayer, but also for reading the Quran quietly, and a place for people who are fasting to break their fast with water or dates. Jummah Friday prayers are held in the Muslim prayer room,” Romana says.
“Christmas is for all, Eid is for all, because every child is important. And GOSH is not about faith denominations. Every single child deserves to celebrate a festival.
“Even though it's a hospital setting, we try as much as we can to make sure children can celebrate as they would be doing outside the hospital.”
Donate your Sadaqah
Your act of kindness this Ramadan could help more families at GOSH.
Give Sadaqah to GOSH Charity today, and together we’ll help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer.
