Widower nominates nutritionist for Daily Echo award (From This is Hampshire)

Widower nominates nutritionist for Daily Echo award

8:40am Saturday 21st November 2009

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HER expert tuition helped Paul Harris look after his wife during her final precious months.

Now he has nominated nutritionist nurse Zillah Leach, who works at Southampton General Hospital, for a Daily Echo Hospital Heroes award.

Zillah taught Paul how to use a Hickman line – a soft plastic tube inserted into a vein – enabling him to give his wife Lynne nutrients and liquid at home.

He said: “Zillah’s instructions were so precise and she monitored me to make sure I was doing the job okay.

“I put my learning so quickly down to Zillah’s brilliant tuition.”

Retired Ford worker Paul, 64, of Townhill Park, cared for his wife Lynne after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. She underwent surgery earlier this year and after that Paul learned how to use the Hickman line.

“Zillah knew how grateful my wife and I both were. She was so sympathetic and her bedside manner was so good,” said Paul, who has four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He is also full of praise for the local district nurse team led by Claire O’Brian.

Sadly Lynne, who previously worked at Debenhams, died last month, at the age of 62.

Zillah, who works at the hospital’s department of nutrition and dietetics, said: “It’s a team effort and it’s a real honour to be nominated by such a lovely man. He took everything on board really quickly.”

Daily Echo readers can nominate anyone employed by Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Southampton General Hospital, the Princess Anne Hospital and Countess Mountbatten House, as well as some services at the Royal South Hants Hospital.

The overall winner will be decided by a panel of Daily Echo judges. The closing date for entries is December 11.

• To nominate someone, call Clare Kennedy on 023 8042 4500, email clare.kennedy@dailyecho. co.uk or write to Clare Kennedy, Newsdesk, Southern Daily Echo, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton, SO16 9JX.