Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s (WWL) Three Wishes Charity and Orrell Ward have received incredible donations in memory of a young man from Wigan.
George Adair was 25 years old when he sadly died from bowel cancer whilst he was under the care of Orrell Ward at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, in October last year. As George was a much-loved and popular colleague at Sofology in Golborne, his workmates, alongside his close family and friends, wanted to give something back as a thank you for the care he and his family received on the ward during a very difficult time.
George’s mum, Rachel came back to Orrell Ward to give her personal thanks and said: “The staff were amazing with us. We knew that George would be looked after until the very end. The support we received was what we needed.”
One month after George’s death, the challenge was set to climb Silver How in the Lake District to keep George’s memory alive. Sofology colleagues, past and present, who had a connection to George, did him proud with a three-hour hike to the summit, raising funds for WWL’s Three Wishes Charity in the process.
The community got together and exceeded their initial target of £500 by raising £3,200 with an extra donation of £1,000 from Sofology! Not only will the money raised support vital funds for WWL’s Surgical Division, George’s colleagues, family and friends have also donated three recliner chairs for patient use on Orrell Ward bringing the total donation amount to almost £10,000.
Helen Ball, Ward Leader on Orrell Ward said: “The recliner chairs are huge for us. Something as little as a change of scenery on the ward such as a comfy chair can make a huge impact on the patient’s day. Especially if the patient is with us for a long time, these chairs will be perfect.”
The generous donation and recliner chairs were gifted to the ward this week by George’s colleagues, Danielle Taylor, Chloe Lloyd, Owen Heyes and Pete Daly.
They were welcomed with a special thank you from staff on Orrell Ward and Three Wishes Manager, Johanna Howarth, who thanked them for their donation, adding: “Donations in memory of a patient are always difficult, and we appreciate that we were their first thought when they wanted to set themselves a challenge in memory of George. This group of people have helped our Three Wishes Charity a lot and this money will be vital in improving the patient experience.”
- There are many ways you can make a donation to support the Trust's charitable activities. Further information on how to do this is available here.