Watching Geordie Hospital from afar, by Fiona Hale Me and Laura (my daughter) have been loving the Channel 4 TV programme Geordie Hospital. It's like watching home! I was born in Tynemouth, grew up in Cramlington, and as an adult lived in Whitley Bay. Laura, now aged 15, grew up in Whitley Bay until she was 11, when we moved to London to be closer to my partner's family. As a family, we have had a lot of care from the Freeman and the RVI over the years, and we are very grateful to them. My mum had her liver transplant at the Freeman. I used to go to the liver clinic there before it moved to the CRESTA at the General. I also had radiotherapy for breast cancer at the Freeman. Me, my mum and my brother have all been outpatients at the RVI, and my mum and brother have also spent time there as inpatients. We have also spent a lot of time at the Freeman as part of LIVErNORTH. We've been there for LIVErNORTH meetings, Christmas dinners, Carol Services, and helping on the tombola stall at the Autumn Fair. It is brilliant to sit in our at in London and watch these places that are so familiar to us, and the amazing people who work in the Newcastle hospitals, including one or two we have met at LIVErNORTH meetings and talks. It's a lovely, warm feeling. What do I love most about Geordie Hospital? Getting a peek into different bits of hospital life. I have loved hearing the chat between staff, seeing the women who make nurses uniforms, the gorgeous therapy dog, the
laughs with the patients, the crack with the people on the fruit stall. Hearing Geordie accents and little snippets about local places, roads, trafc … Seeing the Freeman chaplaincy, and thinking about the LIVErNORTH Book of Remembrance in the Chapel, where we have a dedication to my mum on her liver transplant anniversary. Remembering the LIVErNORTH Carol Services organised by Nigel Goodfellow with help from my mum (Tilly Hale). I read at one or two of these services, and Laura performed in a nativity scene as a tiny tot, and read when she got a bit older. Laura loved the Christingles made of oranges with sweets stuck into them with cocktail sticks and a red ribbon wrapped round them – though she wasn't keen on the sweets themselves (oh her face when she tried one!). Seeing surgeons Jeremy French and Colin Wilson in theatre and on ward rounds. They have both spoken many times at LIVErNORTH meetings, and it's absolutely fascinating to see them at work on TV. I don't think the Freeman canteen has appeared in the programme yet, but maybe it will? I really miss the LIVErNORTH Christmas dinner in the canteen, with the lovely staff, great food, brilliant company, and an always amazing quiz (thank you Joan and John!) and armfuls of tombola prizes. So thank you Geordie Hospital for allowing my family these warm, happy moments sitting in London and watching these special places and people! And even bigger thank you to everyone who works in the wonderful NHS hospitals of the North East.
LIVErNEWS No. 78 ~ 20 ~ Spring 2022
