TVs brighten hospital stay in memory of husband

Patients on the critical care unit at Sandwell Hospital will have their stay made more bearable with a donation in memory of an ex-patient.

Gaynor Coombs-Price, of Wednesbury, donated two flat screen TVs in memory of her beloved husband, Peter, who sadly passed away on the unit in November.

Peter had pulmonary fibrosis and was treated on the unit twice, before succumbing to his illness. At his funeral donations were requested instead of flowers, and Gaynor kindly decided to use the money to help other patients stopping on the ward.

Gaynor said: “The care that Peter received here was fantastic. We decided to get the TVs, as well as sweets and chocolates for the staff, to say thank you, and it is just what he would have wanted.”

All of the staff on the unit remembered Peter very fondly and were thrilled with the donations. Gaynor, who works in the Joint Discharge Team on the Sandwell site, also had brass plaques made in memory of her husband that will be fitted to the TVs.

Janet Cushnie, Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “These TVs will be a real lifeline to our patients. Patients in a critical care setting nowadays are awake and able to sit up, so the TVs will help alleviate boredom. We are really grateful for the donations and it was a lovely gesture by Gaynor.”