Jane has been the heart and soul of the theatre team at the Spire Regency Hospital. Such a joyful person and an outstanding scrub nurse. She leaves 3 fabulous daughters, while her husband Simon is still in hospital, slowly recovering from Covid. Her passing away is still affecting everyone who has worked with her and who knew her outside work. On my regular bike rides I've written a farewell letter to Jane in my head (see below), but also decided to raise funds for her family. I will ride my bike all the way from Macclesfield to Anglesey and back, 215 miles overall and all of that in one long and gruelling day. Weather permitting this will go ahead on Saturday 1st of May. It will be an emotional day in celebration of Jane, who will never be forgotten by those who knew her.

Letter to Jane:

Dear Jane

You left your life so early. I didn’t even know you were ill, in Hospital, fighting for your life. When the phone call came on Sunday afternoon, I was shocked, devastated. How could it be? After all we’ve been working together for 12 years at the Spire Regency. You came to the UK from the Seychelles bringing with you positive energy and sunshine in bucket loads. As a scrub nurse you were great, you always made sure theatre lists were running well, organising everything in the background while cracking filthy jokes and cajoling everyone (including the surgeon) to get on with the job so we could all go home in time. We had so many laughs. You were the invisible glue, that held the team together.

You lived in a part of the country where people call each other Duck and you nicknamed me as your Crispy Duck; I wore the name as a badge of honour.

It’s been hard since for everyone. I talk to people at work and our voices become shaky as we reminisce about you, there are emotional hugs. I see the silent tears in the tea break. On the surface it’s business as usual, but underneath it’s far from that. So many factors to stir the emotions. You left the job you loved under difficult circumstances just a few weeks before you fell ill. There was no opportunity to say goodbye, to have a hug, to have a party. The few lines exchanged on Facebook hardly did the situation justice. I hear you had your Covid jab 2 days before falling ill. I hear your husband fell ill before you and is still in Hospital. I feel for your children and find it difficult to express in words the pain and sorrow I’m feeling for them.

I often wonder whether this is real. I walk through the supermarket and see a woman that looks like you from the distance, but then realise that it can’t be you. I went on your Facebook page to see whether there are signs of life but was greeted with the same old posts and a deafening silence. But in my memories, you’re still the same, the most positive, energetic, wonderful, and bubbly colleague around. I will miss the Friday afternoons with you.

My thoughts and prayers go to your children who must be in an awful situation and your husband who I believe is still in Hospital.

With love from your Crispy Duck

Rest in Peace Jane Barnsley