Autistic teenager writing thank you cards to as many NHS staff as possible

An autistic teenager is sending thank you letters to as many medical doctors and nurses as he can for all their life-saving work throughout the pandemic.

Patrick Joyce’s mom mentioned writing the cards will ease his nervousness about coronavirus.

‘He wants to write to as many people as he can,’ Indra Joyce mentioned.

‘He just wants to help them not be as sad, and to know that he supports them and appreciates what they are doing because too many people are dying.’

She added: ‘The cost of a stamp is peanuts compared to the benefits it will bring both to my son and to the letters’ recipients.’

After a traumatic start, Patrick, from Glasgow, was recognized with varied cognitive disabilities, together with international developmental delay (GDD) and autism.

‘Patrick is 17, but due to GDD he is more like a seven to eight-year-old,’ Ms Joyce mentioned.

‘But all through all his struggles and difficulties, he has at all times been sweet-natured, and he will get upset when individuals are unhappy and desires to hug them to make it higher.

‘This has made lockdown particularly laborious, as he is over-social – everyone seems to be his pal.

‘He loves to learn and write, and have become obsessive about Covid statistics, which raised his nervousness significantly.

‘After the umpteenth time of telling me how sad he was for the doctors and nurses who were caring for all the people who were dying, I suggested he write to tell them, to help them feel better.’

Ms Joyce mentioned Patrick, who she cares for full-time since his father died in 2014, ‘wanted to write to everyone’ and requested her to put up to her Twitter account, @Indra68, to request NHS employees’ names and hospital addresses.

Various NHS employees replied publicly to Ms Joyce’s put up, with one nurse saying ‘it would make our day’ for her hospital’s ICU staff to obtain a card.

Patrick, a passionate Everton fan, will write just a few cards every day so he doesn’t tire out.

‘Anything that can ease his anxiety and make him happy makes me happy,’ his mum added.

If you would love to share the title and handle of a well being employee so Patrick can ship them a card, you can ship Ms Joyce a direct message through Twitter with her deal with @Indra68.

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