07 May 2010
A ward dedicated to caring for elderly patients at St Helier Hospital has received an anonymous £20,000 donation from a friend of a couple who were treated there.
The husband and wife, who have sadly now passed away, both received treatment on A5 ward over recent years. They spoke so highly of the care that they received on the ward, a friend of theirs made a generous donation in their memory.
Ward sister on A5, Pat Mendonsa said: "We’re all absolutely thrilled with the donation. It is such a thoughtful and kind thing to do, and it’s certainly the biggest donation we’ve ever received. We’re all incredibly grateful.
"We really weren’t expecting anything like this – I was speechless when I first heard about it. Obviously, the patients on our ward are our absolute priority and we strive to give them the highest level of care at all times, but I still can’t begin to explain how good it feels to know that we are thought of so fondly.
"We would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to the person who made this donation. It is a wonderful gift that will help us to even further improve the care we’re giving to our patients.
"We’ve thought long and hard about how to put the money to best use, and we realised that we wanted something extraordinary – something that we couldn’t buy with our normal budget. So far, our favourite idea is air conditioning. The ward can get very warm, and we think that would be a great way to further improve the experience our patients have during their stay in hospital.
"It’s not finalised yet, so our plans may still change, but we will definitely be spending the money wisely."
The donation was originally made to the St Helier Hospital League of Friends, with the wish that all of the money goes straight to A5. Chairman of the League of Friends, Val Brundle, said: "On behalf of the League of Friends and the patients and staff on A5, I would like to say a huge thank you to the person who donated this remarkable amount of money.
"Every penny donated to our hospitals makes a difference to our patients and their loved ones. If you would like to make a donation, whether to the Trust as a whole or a specific department – whether it’s 20 pence or 20 pounds, every last copper coin counts.
