Lorna’s memory lives on after Queen’s present nursing award

Lorna’s memory lives on after Queen’s present nursing award

17 May 2017

QUEEN’S University has presented the first ever award to honour the memory of a former Downpatrick health professional who was held in high esteem by her colleagues.

Mrs Lorna Telford — who lost her brave battle with cancer in September 2014 — was an assistant director with the South Eastern Health Trust and highly regarded by her peers in the field of safe and effective care.

Eight months after her passing aged just 49, the Trust launched a bi-annual award in Lorna’s name recognising care and compassion in nursing and midwifery. The first Lorna Telford Care and Compassion Award was presented two years ago and the most recent one handed over last week.

Now Queen’s University has awarded the first Lorna Telford Palliative Care Award to Lynsey Wilgaus, a final year children’s nursing student. The ceremony took place last Friday which was also International Nurse’s Day. 

The university prize of £100 will initially be presented annually for the next 10 years to the student who produces the best 500-word article on a palliative care issue. The winner was selected by a team of assessors drawn from the South Eastern Trust and academic staff at Queen’s.

The university prize was established in Lorna’s memory by her husband David, daughters Emma and Evie and the South Eastern Health Trust.

In addition to her unwavering dedication to her family, particularly her daughters, Lorna was committed to her professional life and was focused on ensuring excellent patient care within the South Eastern Trust where she was highly regarded.

During last week’s presentation at Queen’s, Professor Donna Fitzsimons, head of the university’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, thanked Lorna’s husband David and daughters Emma and Evie for being in attendance.

“Lorna was a nurse of great renown,” said Professor Fitzsimons. “She was very focused on quality and improving the patient’s experience through quality improvement initiatives. It is lovely to have this new award launched in her name and we thank Lorna’s family for sharing their time with us. The awards presented by donors are for people who really have a special place in our hearts.”

Dr Marian Traynor, Director of Education at Queen’s, said the annual nursing achievement awards are a “reminder of all that is good in the nursing profession” and said she was pleased the Telford family could attend the ceremony.

She said Lorna was recognised for making a positive difference to quality and safety of patient care before asking Emma and Evie to present Lynsey with her award.

Lorna’s husband and daughters are delighted her contribution to patients and health service standards is being recognised by both Queen’s University and the South Eastern Trust.

They say take great comfort from the many kind words said about Lorna who was a very committed health professional, putting patients at the centre of everything she did.

The family added: “We are delighted Lorna’s memory lives on through these two awards. Lorna continually went the extra mile in her job, working hard to drive up patient standards and care. We hope the awards in her name will inspire the recipients to aspire to the high standards she set, always putting patients first.

“The kind words of so many people reveal how highly Lorna was thought of. Her many former colleagues and indeed others whom she came into contact with hold her memory dear, valuing the impact and influence she made on individuals and the professions of nursing and midwifery. Lorna has been described as a role model for the professions and someone who had a relentless focus on compassionate patient care and pursuit of high quality standards. We are delighted her memory lives on through these two awards.”