"An exceptional nurse"
20 Dec Archive
Previously the Chelsea Children’s Hospital Charity, we re-launched as The Children’s Surgery Foundation in 2019 to reflect the national scope of our work today. The story below is from our days as the Chelsea Children’s Hospital Charity.
Here's a lovely story to warm your heart this Christmas. This is an email that was sent to us by mum Anjie Bowen, who's happy to share it.
"My 3-year-old daughter Rosie was recently on Neptune and Apollo wards after having emergency surgery to remove an abdominal cyst. The nurses on both wards were outstanding and absolutely wonderful. I have sent a large box of chocolates to each ward and Rosie made them cards.
"There was a nurse on Neptune who was absolutely exceptional. She reassured us, comforted Rosie and helped her to make a Christmas list just before Rosie went into the operating theatre, to take everyone’s mind off what was about to happen. I would like to buy her a Christmas present as a token of our appreciation but I only have her first name as Sophie.
"I have also made a donation to the charity and will be bringing a gift for Rosie’s fantastic surgeon Mr Clark at her follow up appointment in January.
"I can’t express how grateful I am for the way Rosie was cared for when we found ourselves so unexpectedly in a desperately traumatic situation. Myself, my husband and Rosie’s three big sisters are so grateful to you all and so happy to have her home."
You'll be pleased to hear that we tracked down nurse Sophie Jarvis and passed her details on to Anjie. Sophie says, "The card and present I received were so lovely, both from Mummy and Rosie! It really touched me. It brings you back to why you come in to nursing; to make a potentially scary experience into one where both patients and family feel supported and cared for, and can maybe even enjoy themselves! It turns out that the tortoise Rosie asked for (on the Christmas list we wrote together) arrived early and they've called it Sophie! Thank you again for putting them in touch with me."
