My mother was admitted to Ward 31 at the Bradford Royal Infirmary on the 31st July 2024 with a suspected stroke, heart attack, and pneumonia. I would like to express my profound gratitude to all the staff on Ward 31 for the care they provided to both my mother and my family.

Someone particularly special, ‘Sister Chen’, saw my family and me through what was one of the worst weeks of my life, to the passing of my mother. From the moment my mother was admitted, Sister Chen was a model of empathy, compassion, and care for all of us. Nothing was too much for Sister Chen; she explained things to us very clearly, often more than once when we needed reassurance.

She was always open and honest about what was happening and managed our expectations on an hourly basis. When there were times I had to leave my mother for food, toilet breaks, Sister Chen would sit with my children, my wife, and talk about the life of my mother, and she showed a genuine level of interest in her. The time Sister Chen spent with us never felt rushed, and we always felt important.

My 90-year-old father also appreciated the time Sister Chen made for him by giving him advice and listening to his concerns about facing the future alone without his wife of over 50 years, and helped him come to terms with what was facing him.

It really did feel that we had a special connection with Sister Chen, though our entire experience with my mother, she worked tirelessly, and her utmost priority was the comfort of my mother. Although this was one of the worst experiences of our lives to lose our mother, I am still comforted by the memories of her final days, which would never have been possible without Sister Chen.