The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn (QEH) is inviting members of the public, and those that work at the hospital, to remember those who have lost their lives since the start of the pandemic.
People are invited to tie yellow ribbons onto the railings at the front of hospital to remember and reflect as well as to honour the tireless work, acts of kindness and resilience shown by healthcare workers and communities during this unprecedented time.
From Thursday, 6 March to Tuesday, 11 March, yellow ribbons, which serve as a symbol of reflection and solidarity, can be collected from the hospital’s main reception for those who wish to participate in a symbolic act of remembrance.
Alice Webster, Chief Executive of The QEH, said: “It is important to remember and reflect on the last five years and what an incredibly difficult time it was for many. We would like to offer people the chance to come together and remember. They may have lost a loved one or were impacted in some way, as many of us were, by the pandemic.”
The QEH was at the forefront of providing critical care to many patients during the pandemic, including staff members who became patients themselves.
One of those who tragically died in 2020 of COVID-19 was Chrissie Emerson, a beloved healthcare assistant. The hospital’s Emerson unit was named in her honour when it was opened in 2022.
Tim Goble, a healthcare assistant at the Trust, and dad-of-one from South Lynn survived when he was taken ill in April 2020. Tim said: “I was off work unwell with covid and was resting at home but I was taken into hospital by ambulance when a friend noticed I wasn’t responding normally to a conversation I was having with him. I was admitted to a special ‘red’ Emergency Department set up for patients with covid and later transferred to the Critical Care Unit. When I was there, I was placed in an induced coma for a couple of weeks. It was a really scary time, I missed my son but didn’t want to facetime him as didn’t want him to see me unwell. I received the most fantastic care, and I believe my colleagues saved my life.”
Tim made a full recovery and returned to work as a healthcare assistant in the vaccination centre and more recently can be found in the orthopaedic outpatient department. Less than six months after leaving hospital he was back on his feet, refereeing football matches in his spare time.
This Day of Reflection provides an opportunity for the community to join in collective remembrance, showing gratitude for the healthcare workers who gave so much during the pandemic and paying tribute to those who lost their lives.
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Notes to editors; For media enquiries only, please contact Communications Team, media.enquiries@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613216. For all other enquiries, please contact QEH Switchboard on 01553 613613.
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