Hospital visitors receive recognition

“She took a turn for the worse and ended up critically ill in hospital and then needing a heart and lung transplant. Lungs were transplanted as a last hope but an infection took over a few weeks after and she did not survive.”

Sivan, whose family are Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue members, said that although she did not carry the gene, the deaths within her family had inspired her to raise money for “better research into the condition” and to prevent others from “from dying so young”.

NONAGENARIAN SADIE Langsman was one of four people honoured at the conference of Jewish Visiting, where hospital chaplains and visitors network and receive training.

A volunteer for more than 25 years at Whipps Cross Hospital in East London, she stopped visiting only recently after a second hip replacement operation.

Others recognised by the United Synagogue co-ordinated service included Robin Woolf, who has been visiting patients for 23 years, latterly as chaplain, and Richard Dreifuss, a volunteer for 14 years.

The fourth award was in memory of Stephen Hyman, who visited patients in North London hospitals.