The family and friends of a late Cardenden man have made a generous donation in his memory to the Intensive Care Unit at the Victoria Hospital.
Craig Abercrombie was admitted to the Victoria Hospital in November 2020 after contracting COVID-19 and was quickly transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). After fighting the virus for a number of weeks, Craig sadly died on Boxing Day aged only 54 years old leaving behind his wife of more than 30 years, Sharon, and the ‘light of his life’, his son Logan.
Craig was a loving family man, well-known for his great sense of humour and would help anyone who needed it.
Despite their heartbreak in losing their loved one, Craig’s friends and family decided to begin fundraising in his memory to thank staff in the ICU for the kindness shown to Craig and the rest of his family during his time in the Unit.
Led by Craig’s good friend, Donald Anderson, and with the support of Craig’s family, a Kilt Walk was organised in his honour with all monies raised going to the unit that cared for him. The Kilt Walk took place on 31st July 2021 in Craig’s home village of Cardenden, with £8,260 raised.
On the donation, Craig’s wife Sharon Abercrombie, said:
“Losing Craig has been devastating and we’re still learning to live our lives without our dearest husband, dad, and friend.
“We wanted to turn the sense of grief that we’re feeling into something positive, and something that would be a fitting tribute to Craig. This donation is our way of saying thank you to every staff member in the ICU, who went above and beyond to try and save him and make him well. The staff working in the Unit are worth their weight in gold, taking the time to listen to us in our darkest moments. The compassion they showed us will never be forgotten.”
The donation has been made to the Fife Health Charity, where it will be used to enhance the care of patients within the ICU and to aid staff education.
Janette Owens is NHS Fife’s Director of Nursing and is a member of the Fife Health Charity’s Board of Trustees. Janette said:
“We want to thank Mr Abercrombie’s family and friends for this very kind and generous donation.
“The staff working in our ICU work incredibly hard, both in caring for those who are most unwell but also in supporting their family and loved ones through what can be the darkest of times.
“The donation they have made in Craig’s honour will be used to help us improve the care we provide to patients, and indeed their loved ones, in the months and years to come.”
[ENDS]
Issued: 31 August 2021
Images:
Image 1 - Director of Nursing, Janette Owens, alongside the friends and family of Craig Abercrombie, and Senior Charge Nurse, Duncan Ford [DOWNLOAD]
Image 2 - Friends and family of Craig Abercrombie [DOWNLOAD]
The Fife Health Charity accepts and distributes all donations given to the wards and departments within NHS Fife.
