‘I'll never forget that Christmas’: Kildare patient shares good news story about her stay at Naas Hospital

A County Kildare resident has shared a good news story about her stay at Naas General Hospital over the Christmas period.

The resident, who gave her first name as 'Sharon' to the Leinster Leader, explained that on December 23 last, she was advised to go to the Emergency Department as soon as possible, following a visit with her GP.

According to Sharon, she has a complex medical condition, and so she opted to go to Naas General Hospital "in the hope of getting seen quickly and back home within a few hours or at least early on Christmas Eve".

She added: "I was so upset, as one of my adult children had just arrived the day before from abroad, and we had grandparents and my other adult child's girlfriend for Christmas."

Fortunately, for Sharon, her luck began to change for the better: "From the time I entered the Emergency Department, I was met with so much kindness and attention and fast intervention.

"I was under the care of a team of doctors who all worked tirelessly and effortlessly to arrange diagnostics and treatments.

"I spent all day in the Eye and Ear Hospital on Christmas eve, returning to the hospital at around 9pm."

READ NEXT: €9.5m development works completed on this Kildare school

CHRISTMAS PRESSURE

She also spoke of the pressure being faced by the staff during the Christmas period: "The health care assistant who was with me was due to finish at 8pm and had a young child, who was wondering where her Mam was and was she going to get home for Mass and get ready to leave goodies out for Santa and reindeers.

"I was so upset thinking about the young child and how her Christmas Eve traditions were going to be late, as well as the extra pressure on the care assistant with her preparations for her guests arriving Christmas day. However, she assured me that I was her priority and it would all be ok."

Sharon continued: "Arriving back down to Naas at 9pm on Christmas Eve, I was exhausted.

"I was handed the most welcomed pot of tea, sandwich and carrot cake and within ten minutes, who should only arrive? Santa Claus, on the ward!

"The mood was fantastic... the other patients, medical team and night nurses all erupted in laughter and fun and those few minutes set the excitement and atmosphere of Christmas eve. I even asked Santa for a special request to get home for a few hours on Xmas day."

READ NEXT: ‘You couldn't make this up’: Motorist in Kildare who drove with frozen windshield to appear in court

WISH GRANTED

In another good turn of fortune for Sharon, her Christmas wish was granted: "I arrived home at 11am on Christmas Day to spend time with my family

"My husband and adult children had it all under control with dinner prep and table set, etc, but to be honest, we were going to be together and that's all that mattered.

"Over the next few days, I was monitored carefully, sent up and down to Tallaght Hospital for scans, had scans in Naas and had medications adjusted.

"Most days, I was able to get home for a few hours and when I wasn't, the medical team looking after me were able to accommodate my special medical requests."

Finally, Sharon was released on New Year's Eve at around 5pm, and from this point on, she will see her own team in Dublin.

'AN EYE-OPENER'

As she put it: "Christmas 2025 didn't go as planned, especially with all the weeks of preparation, but for me, it was an eye opener on the important things.

"We as a family got to spend lovely time together and appreciate the time even more... anyone that knows me knows that Christmas is my favorite time of year, and with one of my children coming home for the holidays I was super excited.

"In addition, I met so many kind professional staff in Naas hospital and in my ward they pulled out all the stops to make Christmas for all the inpatients a happy experience. 

"We had chocolate cake, lots of great food, plenty of laughs and random acts of kindness from others visiting patients and strangers."

'THANK YOU'

Sharon expressed her gratitude to the staff at Naas General Hospital: "I cannot thank all the staff at Naas General Hospital especially all in the ward for making this a very special Christmas and making me appreciate the wonderful opportunity of spending time with loved ones and making new memories and realizing how lucky as a family we truly are.

"I came to realise over the course of those nine days just how lucky I was.

"Most of the staff and the medical professional had their own stories of how they had family for Christmas, grandchildren waiting on Santa, a welcomed day off, a year of personal ups and downs or the first Christmas without a loved one or having to work the holiday shift, but they remained, cheerful, attentive and put all of us patients needs first.

"It was the simple things like the cup of tea at night or the little chat that made it all the more special. Each patient in the ward made the most of our Christmas experiences and we had many more laughs than tears."

She also said: "I haven't been an inpatient in Naas for over 20 years and have attended and stayed in most of the hospitals private and publicly in Dublin under specialist teams, but on this occasion, Naas General Hospital came up trumps."

"I can't thank you all enough but will light a candle and never forget your care, kindness and attention especially all my medical team and the wonderful staff in Liffey 1.

"I'll never forget this Christmas because it was one of the most magical ever... as a family, we were all able to be together.

"Thank you to all who looked after me, all the staff and patients I met, and also a big shout out to my wonderful husband, our two adult children, my adult child's girlfriend and, of course, our family dog, for taking all the stress out of Christmas at home."

She concluded: "Beautiful blessings come in abundance at the strangest hour... keep up the great work!"

READ NEXT: PHOTOS: Joyful moment as Kildare woman (96) holds great, great grandchild