Patient born on May Day at ‘Mayday Hospital’ gets ‘heart’ felt 50th birthday surprise
Two quick-thinking staff at Croydon University Hospital helped to make Lucy King’s milestone birthday a memorable one, after finding out she’d been born in the same place some 50 years earlier.
After booking a time with Lucy to come in for an assessment Karen Clancy and Farah Leontiou, Pathway Coordinators in the Hospital’s Croydon Heart Centre, spotted that her appointment would coincide with her 50th birthday.
Thanks to their quick thinking and kindness, when she then arrived for her appointment, Lucy was regaled with singing from clinicians and support staff at the hospital, a birthday card and even a quick (socially distanced!) celebration.
Lucy, from Coulsdon, said:
“It was such a brilliant surprise to have a birthday card appear and for the hospital staff to help me celebrate my 50th with a song.
“Given the lockdown, I’d expected a very quiet birthday in. Needing heart care wasn’t what I hoped for either, but the team put me at ease and everything went well.
“I had my quick party, and then I even got to ‘dine out’ – with my husband Adam in the hospital’s Costa Coffee!
“It’s one of the most thoughtful things ever and not something I’ll ever forget. I’d like to say a huge thanks to Farah, Karen and the rest of the cardiology team."
Karen said:
“Farah and I have both reached 50 very recently. I honestly think that’s why it leapt out at us. The big five-o. It’s not one you forget!
“Years ago, the Hospital was called Mayday. Knowing that Lucy was born in Mayday on May Day and came back to us exactly 50 years later, we couldn’t let it go unnoticed!”
Farah added:
“A lot of people have to stay indoors at the moment and aren’t able to celebrate with their friends and family the way that they normally would, so we wanted to make sure that Lucy had a day to remember! She was terrific and made our day.”
As Pathway Coordinators, Karen and Farah work in the Diagnostics Booking Team of the Hospital’s Croydon Heart Centre, supporting patients and the Cardiac Physiologists and helping set out patients’ care in the best way for them.
Pictures:
1) Lucy with her card.
2) Karen (left) and Farah received thankyou cards from the NHS Trust’s chief executive Matthew Kershaw (centre), recognising their kindness.