Theresa Etheridge-Clarke, Registered Nurse

Teresa would regularly say to us, "This is what I am here for," but she seemed to do so with such care and diligence. What Teresa also did above and beyond her job was to not only look after my father-in-law in such a brilliant way but also look after our family. Her priority was always him, but she also made such a huge difference to the rest of us. There was his wife, two sons, brother, sister-in-law, and me all around his bedside. She made us all feel so welcome and meant to be there. Never once did we feel in the way, even when she needed to get to him, she did it in such a kind way so as not to interrupt us too much. She also built a relationship with us, asking about our children/grandchildren and other family members. Teresa was so kind and caring - ensuring we were all taken care of, too. She brought food and drinks and encouraged us to take breaks if needed and to look after ourselves and each other. I had to leave briefly to sort out my children, and she had a chat to make sure I was calm enough to drive. There were also times when she chatted with us, bringing some lightness to what was a devastating time for us all. I cannot express what a difference Teresa made to those terrible hours, but as a family, we have spoken so many times about how amazing she was and what a difference it made. I also want to mention that throughout all this, while looking after my father-in-law and all of our family, she also had a student with her. She was so respectful to us when explaining things to the student, but she was also so knowledgeable and happy to teach.