Sep 2021
Generous donation for family room at Henry Cornish Intermediate Care Unit
After being touched by the dedicated and empathetic end of life care his wife Frances received at the Henry Cornish Intermediate Care Unit (ICU), Bloxham resident Joseph Brown decided to make a generous donation in Frances’ memory to enable the unit to create a family room.
Part of Henry Cornish Care Centre, the ICU provides specialised rehabilitation to people leaving hospital and helps them adjust after surgery, supporting them before they return home. Frances stayed twice at the Henry Cornish ICU after hospital stays in late 2020.
ICU Unit Lead, Ivana Susic, said: “Frances and Joe’s relationship was wonderful to see during her time with us. Each day when Joe was able to visit he would bring sandwiches and biscuits that he and Frances would enjoy with a cup of tea. The glow on Frances’ face when he arrived said it all.”
Joe added: “I always felt okay leaving her in the carers’ hands. I knew she was well looked after there.”
The family atmosphere at Henry Cornish is a source of pride to Ivana and her team. She said: “Every person we care for becomes special to us and part of our family here at Henry Cornish. Every loss is felt strongly by the whole team, and it was no different when Frances sadly passed away. She was a lovely lady and we were privileged to have cared for her.”
So touched was Joe by the team’s dedication that he decided to make a generous donation to the ICU in Frances’ memory.
He said: “They did so much for us as a family, it seems only right I give something back to them.”
In-keeping with the family values at Henry Cornish, Ivana and the team at the unit have decided to use the donation to create a family room called ‘Frances’ Room’, designed for use by visiting family members as a quiet space where they can sit in peace, have refreshments, talk privately, or even stay overnight if required.
Ivana explained: “It is often an emotional time for family members during their visits. We are delighted to be able to provide a peaceful space where families can feel freer to relax and have a bit of time to themselves if they like. Sometimes simply having a cup of tea with loved ones at their own pace and away from the busy unit can mean the world to a family member, as does knowing they can be close by and stay over if they need to.”
Frances’ Room is under construction and Ivana and the team look forward to opening it for use by family members in the coming months.