British Society for Haematology. Listening. Learning. Leading British Society for Haematology. Listening. Learning. Leading
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Annual Scientific Meeting
BSH 60th Anniversary
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Reflections on the pandemic

Our 60 at 60 anniversary exhibition was conceived as a way for members and the broader haematology community to share items and stories relating to the history of the specialty, illustrating how far equipment and procedures have advanced. However, the impact of Covid-19 in 2020 necessitated changes to all our lives - both professional and personal - at a speed not experienced previously and we felt it appropriate to include within the anniversary exhibition some reflection on the pandemic.

We commissioned the poet Dan Simpson to create a series of poems to reflect some of the changes and challenges faced by those working in haematology during this time. Dan worked closely with our members to understand their experiences of grief, stress, exhaustion, and loss, as well as learning about their strength and resilience as they adapted to changing circumstances.

Volunteers from our Communications Committee bring the poems to life in the following videos. 

Each poem is available as a poster to download and display at work or at home.

Inside

 

Download a poster of the full poem.

In Clinic

 

Download a poster of the full poem.

At Home

 

Download a poster of the full poem.

The poet

Dan Simpson was recently poet-in-residence at Imperial College London, collaborating with researchers on artistic projects and engaging the wider community of the University, as well as Glastonbury Festival poet-in-residence. He has delivered commissions for a wide variety of organisations and institutions, including the National Trust, St Albans Cathedral, the European Commission and the National Museum of Scotland.

Dan explains his approach to the commission:

'This commission from the BSH felt like an honour and a responsibility: not only to represent the important work the Society has done for the past 60 years, but to reflect on the particular effort of haematology professionals over the pandemic. I knew I needed to learn about the science, but also hear from the people working in the field to truly understand the specialty. I learned how key this discipline is, and was moved by the compassion, skills, and knowledge of the professionals I spoke to - to them, I am incredibly grateful. They deeply informed and shaped the poems - and by taking on the job of performing them, I hope the pieces connect with their peers.'

 

Share your reflections

 

We invite you to share your thoughts and reflections on the pandemic and how it has affected you. Please use the dedicated submission form to submit your story.