'Exceptional' nurse who fostered 20 children dies from coronavirus
A nurse who fostered 20 children has died after contracting coronavirus.
Julie Penfold, 53, worked at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust in Merseyside.
She had been on a career break due to health issues for about 18 months before her death on Monday, a spokesman for the trust said.
Her husband Nick described her as “an exceptional woman”.
He added: “She loved her job. When she was at school, all she ever talked about was being a nurse.
“She was lovely and never had a bad word to say about anybody and nothing was too much trouble for her.”
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Penfold, known as Jules, had fostered more than 20 children and also had two daughters, a son, an adopted daughter, two step-daughters and 11 grandchildren, as well as a son and daughter who died.
She and her husband would have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year.
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Her husband added: “She was always checking on other people and looked after everyone.
“As a mentor she loved training the younger ones and supported a lot of doctors. She was really well-loved.
“I was really proud of her. She was an exceptional woman.”
He said: “She was just a beautiful woman and everything I lived for. Her death was just such a shock.”
A spokesman for the health trust said Penfold, who had underlying health conditions, was a patient at Arrowe Park Hospital when she died.
A book of condolence is being set up in the chapel at Arrowe Park Hospital and a minute’s silence is being planned in her memory.
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Janelle Holmes, chief executive of Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said: “Words cannot express how saddened we all are to lose a member of our own team to COVID-19.
“This is truly devastating and my thoughts and sympathy are with Julie’s family at this time. She was a valued member of staff who cared so much about others.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up in Julie’s memory.
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