Jude Clark [right] gives gift packages to Wairarapa Hospital staff, with duty nurse manager Sue Presow. PHOTO/HELEN HOLT
A real estate agent is going the extra mile to thank Wairarapa nurses.
Jude Clark has been a regular at Wairarapa Hospital with a terminally ill family member since late last year.
She decided in June that she wanted to do something to show appreciation for the nurses.
“We’ve been in and out of this hospital. I’ve seen how hard they work, and I wanted to say thank you.
“The nurses pull together, even when they’re working with limited staff.
She said the more she talked about it with friends, the more she wanted to acknowledge the Hospital’s nursing staff.
“We need our nurses. We couldn’t manage without this hospital.
Clark approached friends and local businesses around Masterton.
“I put it out to everyone I knew in Wairarapa.
“I went on the radio and talked about how I wanted to give back.
She asked for a $30 donation, the cost of each gift pack, and then paid the rest.
“One person said she couldn’t give $30 but offered to help out in other ways.”
The combined efforts from locals put together 300 gift packages and 200 vouchers to spend as the person wished.
Clark delivered the care packs to district and palliative care nurses yesterday.
“This is just a few goodies, and a chance to say thank you.
“A lot of the nurses didn’t want the care packages but they said it was so nice to be thought of and appreciated by the community.”
She planned to deliver the rest to Wairarapa Hospital today.
Due to Wairarapa Hospital’s visitor restrictions, nurse Sue Presow will deliver them on her behalf.
Presow said working in a hospital had become stressful, with staff sickness and flu.
“Hopefully it’s just a month until the end of the flu season. There have been two months of this already with no end in sight.”
