Grateful patient donation to North Shore Hospital
Richard sadly passed away and the family have been working their way through their healing process together, part of which has been to donate a special gift to the staff who provided them with so much comfort and care during Richard’s hospital stay.
The Lumsden family donated funds to provide every ICU staff member with a personalised fleece jumper to keep them cosy and warm while they care for their patients and their families. This donation was such a special and unique way to show appreciation for our staff and we are so grateful.
Below is a letter from Marcia and Richard’s family sharing their story and the experience of having a loved one cared for in North Shore Hospital ICU, which led them to make this very special donation.
‘As a team, we are so grateful to Marcia, Richard and their family for this amazing gift to our staff. We have been so moved by their generosity as a family’
Tommy Knight, Registered Nurse, ICU
“Dad was admitted to the ICU late on a Friday evening. ICU, three letters that can knock the breath right out of you, but it is here in the ICU where you truly realise the incredible work that our healthcare staff does. Not only are they managing the technical work of bringing a broken body back from the brink, there is the huge emotional support that goes into not only the patient but the family too.
From the first day I walked into Dad’s room and met Tommy, I breathed a little easier. As a family, we felt supported from day one, the team went above and beyond, whether it be waking us in the family room when dad was up from a nap or JC coming to chat with us as he ended his shift. Most importantly, Dad felt he was in excellent hands. He was a cheeky bugger and always aimed to make people laugh even in the most trying of times, so being able to have a little banter with you all really helped to keep his spirits up.
Mum overheard Tommy having a conversation regarding you all chipping in to get team fleeces for the cooler months and as soon as she told Dad, it was settled, this is how he could repay you in some small way.
With your care Dad could be moved to the CCU, (which provided a whole new audience for him). Unfortunately, while he tried so bloody hard to stay with us, we lost him in the early hours of June 7th.
That morning is still a blur, still doesn’t quite feel real but I remember it was one of the ICU doctors who came to speak to us as a family about what had happened. From start to finish your team was there for us as a family and we cannot thank you enough.
I wish I could remember everyone’s name we dealt with over those weeks, but please know we are forever grateful for each and every one of you who helped care for Dad and our family so beautifully.
You all do such an incredible job that is so often underappreciated so we are glad to have been able to carry out Dad’s gift of warmth to you all.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
– Marcia and Richard Lumsden and family.
Dad saw day in and out how hard you all worked and wanted to find a way in which to thank you.
At Well Foundation, we help to facilitate gifts to the hospital and to ensure that patients and their whānau have a pathway to show their appreciation in these special ways.
To learn more about this or to discuss how you can show your thanks, please get in touch with us.
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