The household of a person who handed away aged simply 29 have donated greater than £4,500 to the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Joseph McGowan was trying ahead to his thirtieth birthday when he suffered a cardiac arrest and was transferred to the intensive care unit of the Paisley hospital in January.
However his household had been later delivered the heartbreaking information that their beloved son and brother wouldn't survive.
This week, Joseph’s mother and father joined his two sons in handing over a cheque for £4,709 to groups on the hospital who they are saying “had been so good to us”.
Joseph’s boys – four-year-old Ronin and Isaac, two – took half within the small ceremony on the RAH in order that, in future, they might have some particular reminiscences of their dad to look again on.
Joseph’s mum AnneMarie McGowan mentioned: “Joseph’s dad and I spent 11 days with him earlier than he died.
“The care our son obtained was fantastic, I’ll always remember what they did for him. There was a nurse by his facet on a regular basis, they usually had been so good to us, so understanding.”
Joseph was initially taken to Inverclyde Royal Hospital after falling in poor health in Port Glasgow however was transferred to the RAH the place AnneMarie and Joseph’s dad, John Ross, endured days of fear as ICU workers assessed his situation.
Nonetheless, after per week, the couple obtained the horrible information that their son wouldn't recuperate and that from then on he would obtain end-of-life care.
Anne Marie added: “The workers in our hospitals don’t get sufficient credit score. They did a lot for Joseph that we simply can’t thank them sufficient.
“We’d wish to thank Dr Patrick MacGoey, marketing consultant usually surgical procedure and intensive care drugs, who was so sort to us when he instructed us that Joseph wouldn’t make it, and who organized for him to be moved to Ward 24, and all of the workers on that ward.
“However we’d particularly wish to thank Dr David Grey, marketing consultant in palliative care, and the end-of-life workforce – and all of the others who helped us.
“We’ll always remember them – and we simply wish to be certain Ronin and Isaac always remember them too.”
AnneMarie and John Ross had been so grateful for the care the RAH gave to Joseph that they determined to lift cash for the hospital.
“At his funeral, we requested that individuals didn’t ship flowers, however as an alternative donated cash to the hospital,” she mentioned. “We raised £505 which we’ve already handed over.
“However that was solely the start. A short while later, 9 of Joseph’s pals walked the West Highland to lift much more cash, and I’m so proud that they raised almost £3,000.”
Joseph’s brother Jamie and AnneMarie’s pal Eleanor Leitch then organized a charity celebration in reminiscence of Joseph.
The occasion was held on the Hibernian Corridor in Port Glasgow, Joseph’s house city in June, the identical month he ought to have marked his thirtieth birthday.
“So many individuals got here,” AnneMarie mentioned. “I’m so grateful to Jamie and Eleanor, and to our pal Carine Hagan who baked a beautiful cake for the occasion.
“In reality, I’d wish to thank everybody who donated raffle prizes and made the night time so successful, and all of the individuals who dipped their palms into their pockets and gave cash for the hospital.”
And the friends of honour had been little Ronin and Isaac, who had been allowed to remain up late to go to the occasion.
“We felt it was essential that the boys went,” mentioned AnneMarie. “By being on the occasion they had been in a position to say pleased birthday to their daddy.”
In reality, Ronin and Isaac had been the primary purpose why the household needed to make such an enormous factor of handing over the cheque to the RAH, and to make it public.
AnneMarie added: “The boys don’t actually perceive what’s occurred. All they know is that their daddy is in heaven.
“They’re so younger that they gained’t bear in mind any of this, however we wish them to know in regards to the individuals on the hospital who helped their daddy – and about everybody who helped the hospital in return.
“We hope the photographs we’ve taken at this time will assist us do this.”
After accepting the donation, which shall be shared between the ICU, Ward 24 and the palliative care workforce, John Hunter, senior cost nurse on the RAH ICU, thanked the McGowans for his or her generosity.
He mentioned: “I used to be delighted to simply accept this beneficiant donation on behalf of the groups that cared for Joseph and so happy that we may very well be a part of one thing so particular that Isaac and Ronin will bear in mind.
“I believe healthcare professionals generally really feel a bit awkward in the case of accepting donations however we humbly settle for that households usually want to do that in recognition of our service and in reminiscence of family members which might be not with us.
“My honest thanks exit to the McGowan household and all their pals who helped to lift this magnificent donation.”
The workforce who walked the West Highland Approach in reminiscence of Joseph had been his dad John Ross, John McIntyre, John McKenzie, Ian Millar, Denis Piggott, Billy Stirling, Andrew McMaster, Sandy Burke, and driver and good pal Jim Darrah, who transported all people’s baggage between stops.
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