It just means so much to us – being able to see for ourselves how a legacy donation can make such a difference to patients and staff at this hospital.”
The family of former Walsall Manor Hospital patient, Bhagabhai Lallubhai Patel, whose last wishes were for the net proceeds of his and his wife’s home to be donated to help others following their deaths, have paid an emotional visit to the teams that have benefited from his generosity.
Mr Patel died in August 2021, and the 92-year-old had been a strong supporter of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, working with its Well Wishers charity to see how he might be able to leave a legacy. Prior to this, he made a £15,000 donation in memory of his wife Sitaben and this was used to buy six High Flow Nasal Therapy machines. These are used to reduce the need for intubation and ventilation, therefore avoiding Intensive Care admission and helped to save many lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the sale of the couple’s home, a donation of just under £130,000 was made to Walsall Healthcare and this has been used to buy five pieces of equipment to enhance patients’ care and improve their experience.
Mr Patel’s family visited the hospital last week to see an OPT machine in Outpatients, Endoscope in Endoscopy, Novosure and Myosure in Gynaecology and an MRI compatible infusion pump station on the Intensive Care Unit.
The family said: “This visit just means so much to us because we’ve been able to see for ourselves how a legacy donation can make such a difference to patients and staff at this hospital.
“We have heard how these pieces of equipment have, in some cases, helped reduce waiting times for results, or helped to make procedures more comfortable for them for example. And to see the teams so enthusiastic about being able to bring about these improvements was also powerful – and emotional for us.
“Mr Patel was determined he wanted to do something good for others after his and his wife’s death and he would definitely approve of how Well Wishers has spent the legacy. It was just as they wished and we think if other families could see the impact such a donation can make, they would want to do the same.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to see us on our visit, it was important for us to see that we honoured their wishes as intended.”
Laura Graham, Divisional Director of Operations, Women’s, Children’s and Clinical Support Services at Walsall Healthcare, said it had been an honour to meet Mr Patel’s family.
“We are tremendously grateful for the legacy donation, and it was an honour to meet the family and give them a real sense of how significant such a kind gesture has been for our Trust,” she said.
“He sounds like a wonderfully caring and compassionate gentleman – thinking of the wider community in this way.”
Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager, has been working with Mr Patel’s family for the last few years to ensure his wishes were carried out.
She added: “I was privileged to meet Mr Patel a few years ago when he visited to tell us he wanted to make a donation in his wife’s memory. He was determined that others should benefit in some way and was incredibly open and honest about how he wanted this to be done, following his own death.
“We all said Mr Patel would be proud of how we made this happen and his selflessness also shows how legacy donations can help to transform patient care and the working environment for staff.”