Gillian Calder and Jenni Reekie have raised more than £12,000 to support the Burns Unit at Queens Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi through fundraising events including ceilidhs, race nights and raffles.
They have also shipped a range of medical equipment, dressings and bandages, physio equipment, hand gels, soaps, mattresses, walking frames and clothes and toys for the paediatric patients to the unit, which cares for both adult and paediatric patients.
Both were presented with the silver award for the Global Citizen Award in this year’s prestigious NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Chairman Awards, which celebrates all that is great about the NHS.
The Scottish NHS Board recognises staff who give their time and expertise to volunteering across the world. That spirit of internationalism is captured with this award and celebrates the immense scale and breadth of activities and support NHS staff make to tackling poverty, injustice and gross inequality.
Their nomination was made by Stuart Watson, consultant plastic surgeon at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, for their remarkable work in supporting the Burns Unit at Queens Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.
They have also taught courses for the nurses, physios and doctors in the unit, developed close relationships with the staff and contributed to a huge transformation in the care of both adult and paediatric burns patients in Malawi.
Mr Watson said: “They are both highly compassionate people who have contributed materially to a huge transformation in the care of burns patients in Malawi over the last four years.
“They make huge efforts to fundraise and use many clinical and personal skills to support the project as well their commitment to their work at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
“I was delighted to nominate them for their phenomenal support to the Burns Unit in Blantyre.”
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