Tributes have been paid to hundreds of local people who have lost their lives to Covid-19 with a doctor, retired hospital worker, bus driver, council worker and paramedic among those named.

Croydon has been one of those worst hit in the capital having the most people; 1,310 tested for coronavirus jointly with Brent, which compares to 152,840 testing positive overall in the UK.

The death toll has continued to rise with over 264 deaths recorded by Croydon Health Services NHS Trust with 127 more in Croydon’s care homes.

More than 500 people have recovered out of more than 850 patients who have been admitted to Croydon University hospital since the start of the outbreak.

The Thornton Heath hospital had to increase its critical care capacity to cope with the crisis which has seen nearly four times its normal demand.

Those who have recovered include Johty Kesavan, 51 who had spent weeks in intensive care at Croydon University Hospital battling the virus. She became the first patient to be discharged from the unit on (April 14) and staff filmed her walking out on her own to a round of applause.

The latest figures were published in a document outlining the trustees response to the pandemic which were discussed at a virtual meeting.

In the update, chief executive of the trust Matthew Kershaw (pictured with hospital staff) writes: “It is testament to the levels of care, attention and expertise of our clinical teams that more than half of these have overcome their own personal battles with this terrible disease.

“Sadly, despite the very best efforts of our staff this is not always within our gift.”

He adds: “Sadly, we have also lost some of our own colleagues and volunteers across Croydon. Our thoughts and condolences are with all of the families affected at this very difficult time.”

Last month Sky News visited wards at the hospital once used for looking after elderly orthopaedic patients which are now filled with those suffering from the virus.

Pictures showed some of the stricken coughing and wheezing into oxygen bags, and these were the less serious coronavirus patients with half of the hospital devoted to caring for patients hit hard by the virus.

Sky reported that of those who have been admitted, about a quarter hadn’t survived – and that has had taken its toll on the staff who are battling against their own fears over the disease.

Chief nurse Elaine Clancy told Sky: “Patients are understandably frightened, staff are frightened as well…frightened that they can’t automatically make patients better, they can’t make this better…and they’re frightened for themselves, their loved ones and their colleagues.”

Every single person who is discharged is treated like a lottery winner explained ward leader Marion Spence: “We cheer them on… if this was a football field, it would be filled with people cheering.
We give them a good clap and cheer them on… and even on the phone, we tell the relatives ‘It’s good news… she’s coming home!'”

The reporter spoke to Pamela Mills, who was sitting attached to an oxygen mask next to her hospital bed and had already been in the hospital for a fortnight. She said: “It sort of goes in sections… if I get up, go to the bathroom and come back, I have to fight for breath for a little while and then it all eases down.

“I seem to go through, sort of like a really horrible day when you think, you know, I just want to go to bed and stay there. And then you get a few days when you’re a bit more light than the dark… you just can’t tell.”

Croydon has been one of those worst hit along with Brent having the most people tested for coronavirus in the capital, both with exactly 1,310 with 152,840 testing positive overall in the UK.

More than 500 people have recovered out of more than 850 patients who have been admitted to Croydon University hospital since the start of the outbreak (as of Monday, April 21) with it having to increase its critical care capacity to cope with the crisis.

Those include Johty Kesavan, 51 who had spent weeks in intensive care at Croydon University Hospital battling the virus.

She became the first patient to be discharged from the unit on (April 14) and staff filmed her walking out on her own to a round of applause.

The latest figures were published in a document outlining the trustees repose to the pandemic set to be discussed  in a virtual meeting on Wednesday (April 29).

In the update, chief executive of the trust Matthew Kershaw (pictured with hospital staff) writes: “It is testament to the levels of care, attention and expertise of our clinical teams that more than half of these have overcome their own personal battles with this terrible disease.

“Sadly, despite the very best efforts of our staff this is not always within our gift.”

He adds: “Sadly, we have also lost some of our own colleagues and volunteers across Croydon. Our thoughts and condolences are with all of the families affected at this very difficult time.”

 

Our frontline heroes

*Mervyn Mally Kennedy, who passed away on April 7, just three days after his 67th birthday, moved to Croydon from Zimbabwe in 1999.

Mr Kennedy was based at Thornton Heath bus depot for 16 years and leaves behind, three daughters and seven grandchildren.

His daughter Penny Palmer, 33, a paediatric nurse at Lewisham Hospital, remembers him as a “family oriented man” who was always working to provide for them.

As a “proud and independent” man, Mr Kennedy refused to attend A&E until he the illness left him struggling to breathe.

Ms Palmer and her sisters said their final goodbyes to their beloved father on the phone on April 6.

“He never wanted people to worry about him,” she said, “He always wanted to reassure people that he was OK. We did really lose a gem.”

Ms Palmer has set up a Go Fund Me appeal to raise £5,000 to pay for her father’s funeral costs and plans to donate any extra money to providing non NHS essential workers with personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

*Croydon GP Dr Krishan Arora – a senior partner at the Violet Lane Medical Practice who had worked in the area for 27 years – passed away on 15 April 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19.

South West London CCG confirmed that Dr Arora, 57, had followed national guidance and self-isolated at home when he developed symptoms. He was not at work in the time before he died.

It is believed that Dr Arora, who studied at the University of Cambridge, is the first NHS doctor in Croydon to die from Covid-19. Colleagues, patients and friend have paid tribute to Dr Arora.

Dr Agnelo Fernandes, from the Parchore Medical Centre in Thornton Heath said: “We are all greatly saddened by the death of Dr Krishan Arora. Krish was extremely well liked and worked tirelessly to care for his patients and improve services for everyone in Croydon.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Krish’s family, friends and close colleagues at this difficult time. We will miss him.”

Friends of Dr Arora have also set up a Go Fund Me appeal to raise £6,500 to support his widow with funeral costs.

*Crystal Palace Football Club has paid tribute to one of its match day paramedics after he died from cornavirus.

Ian Reynolds, 53, a committed Unison union rep and Crystal Palace fan, fell ill last month before finally passing away from Covid-19 on April 21.

The paramedic, based at New Addington, dedicated 32 years of his life to the London Ambulance Service.

*The flag at Croydon Town Hall will fly half mast in honour of much-loved council worker who died after contracting coronavirus.

Asha Walrond was a customer service assistant at the Timebridge Centre in New Addington. She passed away on April 21 at Croydon University Hospital.

Tributes