[O]ver £600 has been donated to the Solway Respiratory Team based in Wigton Community Hospital as a thank you for the outstanding, compassionate care they provide.
A late patient’s wife, Dee Turner, donated the money to show her appreciation for the excellent care her husband Edward received from the team. Gail James, Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Specialist Respiratory Nurse at Wigton Community Hospital, cared for Edward for over four years.
£300 was raised at Edward’s funeral and the Wigton Hospital League of Friends matched this amount so that a pulse oximeter could be purchased for the team. This is a simple to use non-invasive piece of equipment that measures a person’s oxygen levels, particularly helpful for those with respiratory conditions.
Dee explained why she raised the money: “My husband received excellent care from Gail, and he enjoyed attending the pulmonary rehabilitation classes too; the girls always made him feel welcome. He always said that if he were to pass away he would want money to be raised for the team to show his appreciation for the care and treatment he received.”
Gail said: “I would like to say a huge thanks to Dee and all the family as well as the Wigton Hospital League of Friends for their very kind donations. The purchase of the new pulse oximeter with ear lobe probe will be of great help and benefit our respiratory patients when assessing them in the community.
“Eddie will be missed; it’s difficult when you have a patient on your caseload for so long, you get to know them really well along with their family, this is heightened for me as it’s just me in the Solway team.”
Dee wanted to ensure the money was raised for something that the Gail needed, currently there is only one pulse oximeter which needs to be kept at the hospital; the purchase of the new one means that it can be used on visits in the community.
Eveline Dugdale, Wigton League of Friends commented: “We are very pleased that the money we have donated has been spent on something specific which will benefit the team.”
