Elderly couple's hospital beds placed side
by side so they can share final hours
together
Beatrice and Bert Whitehead
CREDIT: SUZANNE HALL / SWNS.COM
•
Adam Boult
9 MAY 2017 • 11:26AM The Telegraph
A married couple, one of who is terminally ill, have had their
hospital beds moved together by staff at the Royal Bolton
Hospital so they can spend their final days together.
Beatrice Whitehead, 87, was admitted to hospital four weeks
ago, where she is receiving palliative care for bone cancer.
Her husband Burt, 90, was admitted on a separate ward last
week.
The pair were childhood sweethearts, and married 67 years
ago. They have three children, six grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.
Beatrice and Herbert Whitehead on their wedding day in 1950
CREDIT: SWNS.COM
Their son-in-law Stephen Hall said: “The staff in the two wards
brought them into one ward together. They are lying together
side-by-side.
“They have given Beatrice hours or days. He has perked up a bit
since he came to her side.”
Their daughter described the hospital staff's actions as
“wonderful”, saying: “It’s right the two of them should be
together – she only has a few more days to live.”
The Whitehead's enjoy a glass of prosecco in hospital
CREDIT: SUZANNE HALL / SWNS.COM
A spokesman for Royal Bolton Hospital said: “We take every
step possible to support patients and their relatives when they
are approaching end of life.
"We know how much the little things matter and we do all we
can to get them right. Our staff understood how important it
was for Mr Whitehead to be by his wife’s side at this difficult
time and have made changes on the ward to move them into a
separate bay together.
“Mr Whitehead has been by his wife’s side ever since.”