A lasting tribute to a colleague and friend

A new quiet room has been opened at a Lincolnshire hospital in lasting memory of a Lincolnshire nurse who died from cancer. 

Thanks to charitable funding, Sarah’s room was opened within the Emergency Medical Short Stay ward at Lincoln County Hospital earlier in the year as a lasting memory to Ward Sister, Sarah Loughton, who worked tirelessly as a nurse at Lincoln County Hospital for 24 years before she died in 2023 from cancer. 

Sarah worked on many wards at Lincoln County Hospital and dedicated her time to caring for patients and supporting staff. From the moment she joined as a student nurse in 1999, to her time as a newly qualified nurse on Leslie Melville Ward in 2002 and her work on Medical Emergency Assessment Unit, (MEAU), Frailty Ward, Lancaster Ward, Clayton Ward and finally her return to MEAU as Ward Sister in September 2022, Sarah was an inspiration to many. 

Ward Sister, Kimberley Neville said: “Sarah always felt we needed a space where patients, relatives and staff could retreat to and take some time out away from the busy ward environment. Her nature was always calm and compassionate, so it is very fitting the room embodies this and can be used s with as many people as possible.”  

The finishing touch is the colourful mural which brightens one of the walls and was painted by Maia Cahill, who arrived as a newly qualified nurse on MEAU the same time as Sarah was appointed Ward Sister. 

 Sarah’s husband Stewart was delighted when he heard the room was being created and the family played a big part in the designs. He said:

"The room is extremely important to our family. It is a fitting tribute to Sarah on a ward she loved working on, and it is a great way to keep her name and legacy alive. It is nice to know that the room is being used in a way Sarah wanted it to be. We would like to thank Kimberley, her team and Maia for their continued help and support throughout and of course, for the amazing mural!’ 

United Lincolnshire Hospital’s Charity manager, Ben Petts said: “It has been lovely to see this project come to fruition and recognise the invaluable contribution Sarah made to the hospital.   

“It is only with support from people like Stewart that the charity is able to provide additional equipment and services to Lincolnshire’s hospitals that will benefit patients and staff.”