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Nevill Hall's Diabetes Unit Unveils the 'Wendy Bowen Education Room'

On Wednesday 7th May, the Diabetes Unit at Nevill Hall proudly opened the ‘Wendy Bowen Education Room’ – a brand new staff education space dedicated to patient, Wendy Bowen, made possible thanks to local community funding.

Commemorating the occasion with a special event, the hospital’s Diabetes team celebrated together and were joined by those whose donations contributed to the facility - the Bowen family, who are patrons of the Wendy Bowen Trust, and members of the League of Friends charity.

Wendy Bowen was a patient who lived with Type 1 diabetes during a time where understanding of the condition wasn’t as advanced or as commonplace as it is now. The money donated by the Wendy Bowen Trust, established by the family in her name, will help to provide necessary resources for both staff and patient education. The League of Friends, a voluntary organisation that raises funds and provides support for local hospitals, kindly donated a projector, furniture, and a television for the unit.

These generous donations, along with the hard work of the Diabetes team, have helped make the education room a reality.

Colin, Wendy Bowen’s brother, said: “My mum and dad were the ones who suggested starting off the Wendy Bowen Trust. They came to the team here and wanted to do something for Diabetes care. We hope the fund will go on for years to come and it will help lots of other people. We’re fortunate to have had a lot of support. It’s just an amazing thing to do really.”

Yvonne, Wendy’s Sister-in-Law, said: “We’d just like to thank them all for all they’ve achieved here, it’s been great. We’re very proud to see it come to fruition.”

Since obtaining a dedicated clinical space for Diabetes care in Nevill Hall Hospital back in 2021, the hospital’s Diabetes team has worked tirelessly to transform the area into a comprehensive service hub for local patients, providing holistic support all in one location. In addition to outpatient appointments with the Diabetes Team, patients can now access retinal screenings, as well as dietetics, podiatry, and other essential services within the same unit.

Lynne, Diabetes Specialist Nurse, said: “It’s made it much easier to all be in one place doing the same thing. We’ve been developing this since 2021 and are so proud to have now established it. The centre has not only improved patient care and satisfaction but has also improved staffs’ ability to work collaboratively, with the team now able to work cohesively from a single location.

The whole team are looking forward to improving their service into the future as they continue on this very exciting journey.