August 27, 2026 - 171 views
A Derbyshire grandmother with chronic heart failure has praised staff at Glan Clwyd Hospital after their support allowed her to enjoy a holiday in North Wales with her grandchildren.
Anita Wright, from Clay Cross, had been desperate to spend time with her family in North Wales earlier this year, but faced a major obstacle.
The 60-something grandmother lives with severe chronic heart failure following four cardiac events, leaving her heart functioning at only around 25 per cent of its capacity.
She requires regular intravenous treatment to manage fluid build-up caused by her condition – normally attending hospital for around four hours, three times a week.
Without access to that treatment while away from home, a family holiday would have been extremely difficult.
But Anita's heart failure nurse in Derbyshire, Mandy Duquemin, contacted Wayne Tomlinson, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Lead Heart Failure Nurse at Glan Clwyd Hospital, to see whether arrangements could be made.
Rather than allowing the geographical boundary between health boards to become a barrier, Mr Tomlinson agreed that Anita could receive her treatment at Glan Clwyd while she was visiting North Wales.
She attended the hospital's Same Day Emergency Care unit twice during her week-long stay, with each treatment lasting at least four hours.
For Anita, those hospital visits were a small price to pay for precious time with her family.
“It meant the world to me,” she said.
“At Christmas they told me I wouldn’t see February. I said, ‘No, I'm going to see my little grandson turn two’.
“It’s about building memories for him, because I know I'm on borrowed time.”
She said being able to get away from the routine of living with a serious illness was particularly important.
“I know this is it. We're coming towards the end – and to be able to go away and just have some time where you don't have to think about it.
“Yes, I had to go into your facility twice, but it was nothing out of the ordinary for me or my family. But it did mean absolutely everything, not only to me but to my family.”
Anita's heart problems began around 20 years ago when she suffered her first heart attack. She has since experienced four cardiac events and undergone various treatments.
At one point she was considered for a heart transplant in Manchester, but was ultimately told she would not survive the operation.
Her condition later resulted in significant fluid retention as her heart struggled to pump effectively.
Around 18 months ago, Anita became one of the patients receiving a new drug at a high dose which has helped manage her condition.
She continues to require regular IV infusions at her local hospital in Derbyshire.
Despite the seriousness of her condition, Anita remains grateful for the care she has received throughout her illness.
“Chesterfield saved my life and Clay Cross gave me life back,” she said.
“The service Glan Clwyd Hospital gave me allowed me to go away with my grandchildren. It meant the world to me.”
The arrangement was made possible through cooperation between Anita's usual healthcare team and clinicians in North Wales.
Mandy Duquemin said she had not expected the request to be accepted.
“In all honesty I expected my request to be declined,” she said.
“This is one of the best examples of collaborative working for the benefit of a patient I have ever seen in my time as a heart failure nurse.
“In the NHS we expect to be met with red tape and barriers to care outside boundaries. This is a shining example of compassionate care which deserves recognition.”
Wayne Tomlinson said the treatment involved more than one person or department, with colleagues across cardiology and Same Day Emergency Care working together.
“While I was the main contact via email, multiple colleagues within our cardiology team and SDEC collaborated to help provide Anita’s treatment,” he said.
“Echoing what Mandy said, I want to thank everyone who helped and supported Anita, to allow her to have this precious time with her family in North Wales.”
The case provides an example of how cooperation between different parts of the NHS can make a significant difference to an individual patient.
For Anita, the outcome was much more personal – the chance to spend time with her grandchildren and create memories that she feared she might never have the opportunity to make.
