10 February 2009
Celebrations marking the centenary of Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, part of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, kicked off in style last week.
A sea of familiar faces, including former and current members of staff gathered at the hospital, which is based at St Helier Hospital, on Thursday 29 January to celebrate the service, which opened as a children's infirmary one hundred years ago to the day.
Guests at the event took the chance to catch up with old friends and colleagues they hadn't seen for up to 30 years, while enjoying cake and refreshments.
Senior nurse Sue Collis said: "It was a really enjoyable day, and everything went fantastically. Throughout the afternoon you could hear people gasping as they met up with people that they hadn't seen for 20 or 30 years.
"There was such an incredible atmosphere in the hospital - it was like a family reunion in many ways. Nurses form very close friendships while they are here, so despite the fact they haven't seen each other for decades, their bonds are still strong. It was very moving to watch.
"The Friends of Queen Mary's were also at the centenary launch. The friends work tirelessly to raise funds for essential equipment in the hospital and many of those volunteers have been doing so for 40 years. It was great to see everyone get involved."
Among the 200 guests, were former nurses and old friends, Helena Daniels and Linda Meehan. The two met when they began training together at the hospital in 1962 and continued to work together at the hospital for 30 years.
Mrs Daniels said: "It is so wonderful to come back after all these years. We worked here for a very long time and were very close to our colleagues. It's great to see so many of them.
"Working at the hospital was very hard sometimes and we didn't have anything like the facilities they have now - but we did have a lot of fun too. There was a great spirit among the nurses that worked here at that time because we lived and worked here. As soon as we turned 18, we were dropped off at the gates by our parents and lived on-site. From that moment on, we were a team."
Dr Rim El-Rifai, Clinical Director of Women and Children's services, said: "Queen Mary's Hospital has certainly changed and evolved over the past 100 years. The fact that our staff and local people are still very proud of its existence speaks volumes about the service and our achievements over the years.
"I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to the success of the hospital - not just the staff and volunteers, but the patients and families that have made our job a little bit easier and a whole lot brighter."
With more centenary events planned for the summer, Sue Collis is getting ready to begin the hard work all over again. She said: "It was hard work getting this event organised, but it was absolutely worth every minute. This reunion meant so much to many of our former nurses, and hearing their stories about Queen Mary's made it all worthwhile."
Queen Mary's Hospital for Children opened in Carshalton in 1909. Originally known as the Children's Infirmary, the hospital was built to relieve pressure on London hospitals. At the beginning of the century, malnutrition and poor sanitation were often the cause of diseases and doctors recommended plenty of fresh air and sunshine as a cure. It was decided that a country hospital would be an ideal place for sick children to recover. The hospital grew over time, until in 1993, it was transferred onto the site of St Helier Hospital.
Upcoming events for the centenary include a summer fete, which is due to take place on Saturday, August 22. On the same day, an exhibition of old photographs and artifacts from the hospital will open in the Honeywood Museum in Carshalton.
