Miracle girl Jodie Duffin presents £20,000 cheque to her medical team
JODIE DUFFIN, the young girl from Morden who was the victim of a hit and run accident in June, returned to the hospital where she recovered from her injuries on Saturday 11 December 2004 to present a £20,000 cheque to her medical team.
Jodie, aged 12, was joined by her parents Mandie and Bob Duffin. Together, they presented the cheque to matron Carol Kennelly, consultant Linda Murdoch and other members of the medical team from the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at St George’s Hospital.
The donation follows a public appeal for the unit set up by Jodie’s parents.
The hospital will use the money to upgrade six ventilators on the unit, which cares for around 400 children a year. With new software and hardware, the working life of the machines will be extended by up to ten years and help the specialist teams on PICU provide even better care for children like Jodie who are admitted with severe injuries and illnesses.
Receiving the cheque, consultant Linda Murdoch said:
“Jodie has made an amazing recovery from her injuries and it is hard to believe she is the same girl who we treated so many months ago.
“The donation is very generous and we would like to thank Jodie, her parents Mandie and Bob, and everyone who has given to the appeal.
“Rest assured we will be putting the money to very good use.
“The six ventilators we have in the unit are due for an upgrade. With new software and components, the machines will help hundreds more children, like Jodie, who need specialist care and treatment.”
Six months after their daughter’s accident, Mandie and Bob Duffin continue to fight for greater road safety awareness within schools, traffic calming measures in the area where their daughter was knocked down and stronger sentences for driving offences.
