Earlier this month, Allan Whittle and his wife, Sheila, traveled from the United Kingdom to Alberta to visit their son in Lethbridge. During their visit, Allan Whittle collapsed due to medical complications caused by the change in altitude. When arranging their travel itinerary, their son Paul had purchased travel insurance, but after his father became ill the insurance company refused to pay and claimed they had not been given a full disclosure of his health status.
Whittle could access free-health care in the United Kingdom, but because of his medical condition he missed his return flight, a cost the insurance company also refused to pay.
Upon hearing about Whittle's situation, the nurses at Unit 4B at the Chinook Regional Hospital decided that they needed to do something to help this patient in need.
"His attitude so was positive and inspiring, we felt we needed to do something else to help and give him a boost," said UNA Local 120 member and Registered Nurse Devonee Jensen. Jensen and her Unit 4B colleague LPN Candace Cockerill organized a bake sale to raise funds for Whittle.
"All of Unit 4B at the Chinook Hospital was involved in the bake sale. Everyone from transition to respiratory was involved, it was so positive," said Devonee Jensen.
The nurses' initiative raised around $2100 to help Whittle with the costs of returning to the United Kingdom.
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