A Harrogate woman has set an ambitious fundraising target after seeing first-hand the vital work done by NHS staff to treat patients with covid.
Victoria Read is hoping to raise £10,000 for Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity after her father contracted the virus and spent three months in hospital.
During that time, he was placed in an induced coma and on a ventilator for three weeks, and was so unwell at one stage in early December that his family were called into the hospital.
“They were incredible. We’ve never had to call on the NHS in that way before and to have it at such a horrible time and the scenario we were in was awful.
“We were in awe of their work and passion and patience and resilience. They never gave up on him, so he never gave up.”
Victoria’s dad was finally well enough to be moved onto a recovery ward on Boxing Day and came home last week. Though she said his road to full recovery will be long, she has already set to work on her aim of raising money for the hospital which saved his life.
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So far, she has shared her plans with friends, who have donated more than £1,000 in just a few days. Current restrictions mean she can’t hold a normal fundraising event, but to keep the campaign going and reach her target, she is working on a number of ideas.
The first is “say it without flowers”, asking people to consider donating the money they might usually spend on Valentine’s Day to the charity. With so many people affected by coronavirus, or relying on the NHS to continue supporting them in other ways despite the pandemic, she hopes support will flood in to recognise the dedication of NHS staff. She said:
“We wrote letters and left WhatsApp messages for my dad, and the nurses played them to him and read to him. Although it’s 24-hour nursing care, they aren’t just looking at oxygen levels and things – they’re also caring for him, washing him and brushing his hair and making sure his beard is trimmed. The dignity they gave him was incredible.”
She added:
“It takes something like this for you to really understand covid and respect it. Some people are being very cynical about it. I would never wish this on anyone, but I don’t think you can really understand it until you’ve been through it.”
Having been forced to cancel her wedding before her dad fell ill, Victoria said 2020 was “the worst year” for her family. She hopes starting an ambitious project will help to make 2021 more positive, even with lockdown restrictions.
To donate to Victoria’s campaign, click here.
