Patients say thank you to hospital staff

FORMER patients of Beaumont Hospital were given the opportunity recently to pass on thanks to members of staff they believe went the extra mile in helping them regain their health and wellbeing.

At the Honour Your Heroes’ Day the patients spoke briefly about the circumstances that brought them to the hospital and then presented an award to the person or team of their choice.

Nicola Dunne, from Raheny, was one of the local patients who thanked one of the nurses. In March 2016, Nicola and her husband Robbie were one month away from the birth of their second child when Nicola was diagnosed with breast cancer. She found a growth in her right breast which she brought to the attention of her GP and was quickly referred to Beaumont Hospital’s Breast Clinic.

“I had convinced myself that what I felt was pregnancy related and I wasn’t concerned,” says Nicola.

“I had no familial history, I was 36, fit and was feeling reasonably well, albeit a little tired given I was in the third trimester of pregnancy.”

Everything changed in a moment when Nicola and her husband received news that what she had been feeling was a cancerous tumour.

As the diagnosis was explained to her, Nicola remembers feeling shock, disbelief and then terror as she thought of her new baby and her 18-month-old-daughter at home.

Nicola recalls that the multi-disciplinary team had discussed a treatment plan for her which immediately kicked in following the delivery of the couple’s baby son in April.

Shortly afterwards she underwent surgery for a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy.

It has not been all plain sailing for Nicola who experienced a local recurrence of breast cancer in January 2018, which she describes a being a major setback.

“Again the team in Beaumont were there for me and I was given the full regimen of care and attention,” she says.

Fast forward to the present day and Nicola is feeling well, enjoying family life and is back at work as a lawyer in a busy legal department.

Her experience has given her a newly found appreciation for life and a respect for her health. She credits the staff at Beaumont Hospital for their care and dedication to patient care.

On ‘Honour Your Heroes’ day, Nicola thanked Anne Staunton, Breast Nurse Specialist.

“Anne was there when I needed her, saying the right things, rationalising my fears, helping me to be practical and to take each day as it came,” she says.

“I am naturally inclined to seek out all the facts and research as much information as I can find (often times this is not beneficial and well beyond my knowledge!).

”I trust Anne because I know she has so much experience and she genuinely cares.

“She has been a phenomenal support to me, and I am not sure how I would have gotten through all of it without her. 

“What is special about Anne is that notwithstanding her ever-increasing number of patients, she always had time for me and never made me feel like I was a burden.

“She is so supportive and ready to help and by nature is a smiling, cheerful, positive person – which are wonderful qualities for someone working in such a serious and sensitive discipline. 

“I can’t thank Anne enough – it takes a special kind of person to show that level of care and dedication and Anne deserves recognition for that.”

Northside woman Jodie Regazzoli (23) also thanked a staff member on the day.  Ms Regazzoli was struck by a car after getting off a bus on her way to work in Swords Pavilions in 2018. She was given little chance of survival.  She suffered traumatic head and multiple physical injuries and was in ITU for seven months.

She has made a fantastic full physical recovery following what for others would have been debilitating injuries.

Ms Regazzoli thanked Natasha Moran, Health Care Assistant and the team of Richmond Ward.

Paddy Delaney, managing director, Beaumont Hospital Foundation, said many of those who shared their personal accounts have had to fight long and hard on the road to their recovery.

“But with the support of Beaumont and its staff, they have made a return to health and indeed, many of them have gone on to fundraise for improved patient care at Beaumont Hospital,” he said.

To find out more about Beaumont Hospital Foundation, see www.beaumontfundraising.ie