Joint Award for Hospital Volunteers

12 July 2004

Two students who give up their time to help staff in a hospital ward have been awarded the Dr Damian Kershaw Award.

Fleur Bone and Bethan Williams, both 17, were nominated for the award by staff on the orthopaedic and trauma ward F3 at West Suffolk Hospital, where they volunteer one evening a week.

They help hospital staff each week by talking to patients, helping them complete their hospital  menu cards, re-arranging flowers, and other non-nursing assistance to patients and staff.

Fleur and Bethan both attend Culford School in Bury St Edmunds.  Fleur intends to go into medicine and Bethan anticipates doing a degree course before deciding whether to specialise in medicine at a later date.

This is only the second time the award has been given. It recognises the achievements of those volunteers between the ages of 16 and 30 who during the course of their voluntary work have displayed special qualities.

Veronica Worrall, Chairman of West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust, presented the award on Thursday July 8th. She said: “ We decided this year to make a joint award because staff felt unable to choose between these two wonderful girls. Both Fleur and Bethan were nominated for their commitment, enthusiasm, helpfulness and caring attitude.”

Fleur and Bethan were each presented with £100 in book tokens together with a certificate of achievement.

Notes:

Dr Damian Kershaw Award

Damian Kershaw volunteered at the West Suffolk Hospital in 1989 for about 18 months whilst still at school.  He went on to gain a medical degree from the Royal London Hospital and subsequently became a surgeon in the Royal Navy. It was Damian’s ultimate aim to become a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services doctor, and in order to achieve this ambition he started training as a Consultant Anaesthetist at Southampton City Hospital in August 2000.

Tragically, he died suddenly in May 2001 at the age of 28. The award in his name is intended to recognise his achievements and act as an inspiration to other local young people.

The award is sponsored by Damian’s mother Jackie, the Trust, and the Friends of West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust.