Health research team welcomes generous donation in memory of Lynne Drummond

Hywel Dda University Health Board wishes to thank the Drummond family for their donation of £5,100 to the Research and Development Department at Prince Philip Hospital, raised in memory of the late Mrs Lynne Drummond.

Lynne, previously a nurse for three decades, sadly lost her life to COVID-19 at Prince Philip Hospital, age 73, just five days before she was due to receive her first vaccination.

This contribution in her honour has been donated to the COVID-19 research fund based at the Llanelli hospital, led by Professor Keir Lewis.

“My grandmother was an extraordinary woman. The most selfless, larger than life and loving individual I have ever met. I am currently studying to become a nurse, and she was my main inspiration. She was and still is the centre and the glue that holds our family together. She is missed and loved so much by so many,” said her granddaughter, Abbie Drummond.

Lynne completed her nursing training at Morriston Hospital and became a registered nurse in 1969. She then moved to the old Llanelli General Hospital where she spent the next 14 years. Following this, Lynne rose from Sister to Senior Nurse Manager of the new Endoscopy and Day Care Unit at Prince Philip Hospital.

After her retirement in 1998 she was appointed as a member of the Community Health Council to the Carmarthenshire Health Authority in 2000 by the then Welsh Health Secretary Jane Hutt. She was then elected as deputy chairman until 2006.

“When my grandmother was in hospital, she was approached by Professor Keir Lewis to donate blood to his research into COVID-19, she was more than willing to contribute. When she unfortunately passed away in January, as a family we knew that we needed to give back to the impeccable care that she received.”

The money donated will contribute to the mapping of clinical data across a number of COVID-19 research projects. One of which is the Biobank project, that Lynne herself donated samples towards. This project aims to examine why some people’s immune systems behave so differently to others to the virus. Furthermore, research into faster tests and drugs will also benefit from the donation.

Professor Keir Lewis, who is respiratory lead at Hywel Dda UHB, and was Lynne’s consultant upon her admission said: “When Lynne came in, she was very supportive of the service. As an ex nurse she understood the importance of clinical research. She remained positive and brave throughout and was always willing to help.

The money that was raised by her family has had a big effect in enabling us to enhance and speed up the clinical projects within the Research and Development Department.”

Lynne leaves behind her husband of 50 years, Jim, as well as three sons Andrew, Robert and Ian and her five grandchildren Hannah, Abbie, Rhiannon, Holly and Rhys.

“I would like to give a special thanks to Abbie and Jim Drummond, who both came to visit our unit to see the research centres, despite their loss, and to the whole family on their efforts. Their bravery and friendliness has gone a very long way,” added Prof Lewis.