A NORTH East hospital has received a generous donation from the family of a man who died from Covid there.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has thanked the family of Colin Sutheran, 60, after fundraising the extraordinary amount of £5,036.

Kirsty Wass and her husband David, from Hartlepool, were determined to raise the funds for the ITU service at University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton after Kirsty’s father died while the team cared for him in May 2021.

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The Northern Echo: Fundraiser Kirsty Wass and Tom Bingham, senior clinical matron for ITUFundraiser Kirsty Wass and Tom Bingham, senior clinical matron for ITU

She said: “Dad tested positive the day before he was due to have his vaccine.

“It was just awful. Everyone at the hospital did their best but he couldn’t be saved.

“I was fixated on raising £5,000 for the unit and wouldn’t stop until I hit the target! We did a charity evening at a social club, raffles and some friends even did sponsored swims.

“I’m really pleased we raised this in my Dad’s name because we know it’ll help the ITU team care for other people like my father.”

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Mrs Wass, a mother of two daughters, six and one, continues to run the business she shared with her father, a children’s clothing boutique called Thea’s Wardrobe in Hartlepool town centre. 

Mr Sutheran is survived by his wife Sue. 

Speaking about the impact of her father's death, Mrs Wass added: “We’re getting mum through it.

"It’s so sad, they were looking forward to enjoying a nice retirement, but we’re looking after her and doing what we can.”

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Tom Bingham, senior clinical matron for ITU, said: “We’re so grateful to Kirsty, her family and friends for this incredible fundraising.

“We can hardly believe that Kirsty and her family have used their loss and grief to help others like this. It’s just so kind and we can’t thank them enough.”

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