‘I’M SCARED OF DYING AND LEAVING BEHIND MY WIFE AND BOYS’
SURGEON SHARES HIS GREATEST CORONAVIRUS FEAR AS YOUNGSTERS PEN THEIR SUPPORT FOR HERO MEDICS
IT is important to keep celebrating the NHS heroes who are working tirelessly every day fighting Covid19.
Despite having a young family to look after Neeraj Bhasin is still working hard to care for his patients and is putting himself at risk every day.
Neeraj is medical director and a consultant vascular surgeon at the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS
Foundation Trust, which runs Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
Neeraj said he and other hospital workers had been touched by public reaction to the efforts of staff and added: “The outpouring of support for the NHS has been overwhelming and I cannot articulate how humbling, emotional and inspiring it has been.
“As one of millions of NHS workers I know we have got this and it’s just what we do.
“However, I will be open and honest and say I am scared of dying and leaving behind my wife and boys.
“I say that for my colleagues, we need to take a breath and not immerse ourselves as we always do and consider ourselves in this.
“We need to consider our mental wellbeing and we all must use the local Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and national initiatives to look after ourselves.”
The last few weeks have also been a difficult time for many families across Yorkshire particularly for children of key workers.
Three-year-old Imogen from Huddersfield has been celebrating her NHS hero, her mother Katie.
Proud grandmother Ali Cremona shared a photo of her granddaughter Imogen and a drawing she did of her hero mum.
Ali said: “This is my granddaughter Imogen who is super proud of her mummy who is a radiographer.”
Ten-year-old Evie’s mum Helen is a radiographer at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and her dad James is a cardiology services manager at Calderdale Royal Hospital.
Evie wrote a poem (right) to thank her parents and lift the spirits of all the NHS heroes.
Emma Kovaleski, from the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity, said: “As part of her home activities, now her local school is closed, Evie wrote this poem thanking all the wonderful NHS staff.
“It is challenging balancing work, parenting and home-schooling young children however when you work on the front line, as Helen and James do, the challenges are even greater.
“At Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust we have an approach called one culture of care.
“This is our way of looking out for each other at the Trust, making sure our staff are supported.
“In the times we are facing now, this approach could not be more vital.
“We are also so grateful for the support we have received over the past few weeks, and cannot thank the community enough for helping us by saying thank you.”
■■You can say thanks to your NHS heroes and show them exactly how much they mean to the nation by taking part in the NHS Heroes campaign. Go to www. thanksamillionnhs.co.uk