Relatives will now be able to spend time with patients being treated at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in a new room which has been created in memory of a charity supporter from Castle Acre.
Christine Somerville Bretten, 75, sadly passed away on February 18 this year at the hospital following a battle with cancer.
Mrs Bretten’s husband David, along with daughters Claire McDermid and Sally Reid, officially opened the Somerville Room on Stanhoe Ward on Monday, November 27, which would have been the couple’s 54th wedding anniversary. The couple’s third daughter Rachel Howard, who lives in Scotland, was not able to attend the ceremony.
Mrs McDermid is hoping that relatives and patients on Stanhoe will now be able to take comfort from the room, during difficult times.
She said: “The day I was told my mum had cancer was the worst day of my life. I was taken into an examination room to receive this news.
“We wanted to create a room where other families could receive and process difficult news in a quiet setting. But we also hope that the room is used for more positive occasions and allow families to spend precious time together.
“My mother was beautiful, very caring lady with a wicked sense of humour. She also volunteered for the NSPCC and we think she would have been extremely pleased with this room.
“We wanted the room to be positive and somewhere hopeful for families to come.”
Thanks to the generosity of Mrs Bretten’s family, a former bathroom has been converted into the relatives’ room for Stanhoe.
The room has been decorated in some of Mrs Bretten’s favourite colours plus it also contains a number of landscape photographs which were taken by the former nurse.
In officially opening the room, Mrs Reid said: “We have brought the essence of Mum into this room. It is so nice to think that we can carry on our Mother’s memory.”
Mrs Bretten had originated from Kent but had lived in the surrounding villages of King’s Lynn for the majority of her life.
Deputy Chief Nurse Valerie Newton thanked Mr Bretten and his family for their support to the hospital.
She said: “This generous donation will make a big difference to our patients and families. This will provide a pleasant setting for families to spend time away from the main ward environment.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Bretten family for this wonderful room, which will be used by West Norfolk families in the years to come.”
—ENDS—
Pictured are: Deputy Chief Nurse Val Newton, Ward Manager Lucy Utting, David Bretton, Sally Reid and Claire McDermid (Photo: Victoria Fear)
David Bretton with daughters Sally Reid and Claire McDermid within the new room (Photo: Victoria Fear)
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