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A year after we ensured she could go home for Christmas – Kate is back as Santa’s little helper at Queen’s

Kate and staff on Sahara B

Kate with staff on Sahara B ward

Queen’s Hospital benefitted from an extra volunteer to help bring festive cheer to our patients on Christmas Day – former patient Kate Baker, who spent the run-up to Christmas last year recovering from surgery on a benign brain tumour.

Kate, 36, arrived bright and early on Christmas morning, bringing cake as an extra thank you to our staff who looked after her. She spent the day handing out presents to patients, serving Christmas lunch and helping out on reception, all on Sahara B ward, where she was cared for last year.

She said: “At the lowest moment of my life I found myself surrounded by some of the most wonderful and caring people you could ever meet. I saw a place where there are no egos, everyone pulls together as a team and the patient is the centre of everything they do.

“So while it was great that I got to go home for Christmas last year to spend it with my family, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wished I could have one more day to really tell them how grateful I was.”

Kate, mum to four-year-old Max, has spent the year showing how grateful she was for the life-saving care she received by raising £1,500 for our charity by taking part in several running events, including the Birmingham Half Marathon in October.

While she’s taken a break from running for now, her 2018 plans do include raising more funds for the ward where she was cared for.

Kate, who lives in Colchester, spent six days on Sahara B ward in 2016, following surgery to remove the tumour, and was discharged on Christmas Eve – just in time to spend Christmas with her family.

After spending Christmas Day bringing festive cheer to other patients this year, she went home to spend the evening with Max and her parents.

Maria Curtin, our Senior Sister on Sahara B ward, said: “It was absolutely lovely that Kate came to volunteer with us on Christmas Day, and the staff were delighted that she brought cake of course!

“It’s wonderful to see how well she is now and I’m sure it helped to bring a bit of festive cheer to patients who had to spend Christmas Day with us. We know it’s not ideal to be in hospital over Christmas, so our staff and volunteers work hard to make it as festive as possible.”

To find out more about Kate’s fundraising, or to donate; visit her JustGiving page.

 

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