A fundraiser that began following the ‘exceptional care’ a patient received at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn (QEHKL) has now topped £20,000 in donations, with no signs of slowing down.
Maggie Drew’s mother, Moira, was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder, in 2009 and spent a significant amount of time being cared for in the hospital. She died in July 2020, but Maggie’s gratitude for the care her mother received has inspired her to give back and she has now set her sights on backing a new QEHKL Charity appeal.
Maggie has been an unwavering advocate for the hospital, first supporting a dementia care appeal and lately focussing on the hospital’s Critical Care Unit, all in memory of Moira.
The mum of one is now turning her efforts to The QEHKL’s EPIC Moves, Better Lives appeal, designed to improve the hospital experience for patients living with dementia and frailty, continuing the hospital’s reconditioning and exercise therapy programme.
‘Incredibly grateful’
Maggie, from Hunstanton said: “I wanted to give something back to the hospital, because they have been so wonderful in looking after my mum before she passed away. The care she received was exceptional, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support they provided.”
The funding will help to embed the knowledge and skills of the therapists into hospital wards and share these practices Trust-wide, ensuring that all patients can benefit from the therapies.
Each year, The QEH cares for approximately 1,400 patients living with dementia and frailty, and the funds raised by Maggie and others will ensure that they can continue receiving high-quality, tailored care during their time in hospital.
‘Truly inspiring’
Dr. Katie Honney, Clinical Director for Integrated Care of the Older Person and Clinical Lead for the charity appeal, said: “We are eternally grateful to everyone who supports this important campaign and donates to the cause. With the money raised, we will be able to ensure that patients living with dementia and frailty can benefit from exercise therapies while they are being cared for on our wards.”
Samantha Taylor, Charity Manager at The QEHKL, said: “Maggie’s dedication to our hospital is truly inspiring. Her fundraising efforts make a huge difference to the care we can provide to some of the most vulnerable patients. Thanks to her and others who support our appeal, we can continue to enhance the experience for those living with dementia and frailty. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Find out more about EPIC Moves, Better Lives appeal here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/epicmovesappeal.
