A tribute
Hilary's long nursing career began in 1960 at Worcester Royal Infirmary (WRI) as a Cadet nurse, aged 16 years. After qualification as S.R.N. and marriage to Graham in 1966, she travelled with Graham, a Naval Officer, to many postings in the U.K. and Hong Kong. She gained further nursing experience and her Midwifery qualification at this time.
Hilary returned to WRI nearing the end of her career working in the Elderly Care wards. She was a competent and caring nurse, always alert to the needs of patients, prepared to stand up for them and find answers to their problems. This sympathetic awareness of needs often resulted in her joining committees and working to produce results.
One committee was Worcester Royal Infirmary Nurses' League which she joined in 2001, becoming Secretary in 2003. This was a challenging period at times as the WRI closed in 2002.
In 2009, despite accepting a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease with fortitude, Hilary was instrumental in the fundraising marathon which resulted in the installation of a stained glass window in the Jenny Lind Chapel on the City Campus of University of Worcester (the site of the former WRI).
Her 14 years as Secretary will be remembered by League members with gratitude for her dedication to all aspects of nursing care. In addition, Hilary's caring personality extended to becoming involved in her local church community and, following her MND diagnosis together with Graham, fundraising and generally promoting the MND Association.
Hilary volunteered at both the George Marshall Medical Museum and The Infirmary, and she will be sadly missed.
