STAFF at Warrington Hospital lined the hospital estate earlier today to say a last farewell to departed colleague Jo (Joselito) Habab, who died after a long battle with Covid-19.
At the request of Jo’s family staff were invited to line the route as the funeral cortege arrived at the hospital and made a circuit of the hospital before pausing at the main entrance.
Staff applauded Jo and his family for several minutes before the procession left for the Sacred Heart Church.
Simon Constable, Chief Executive led the tribute with the Trust’s Chairman Steve McGuirk CBE DL.
He said “We were honoured to have this last opportunity to say farewell to our dear colleague and to show our united support for Jo’s widow Michelle and son Dylan.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them and Jo’s wider family, friends and of course his colleagues in Clinical Education and Trauma and Orthopaedics. His loss has affected us deeply but we will ensure that he is never forgotten at WHH.”
Jo’s colleagues have set up a Go Fund Me fundraiser for his family, which has raised almst £13,000 to help them through these difficult times.
Donations can be made at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-joe-habab-a-true-nhs-hero
Jo joined the Trust almost 18 years ago having trained as a nurse in his native Manila, Philippines. He achieved his NMC registration in 2003 and was a staff nurse in Trauma & Orthopaedics until 2011. He became a clinical nurse educator in 2011 during which time he was awarded Employee of the Month. Jo was recently promoted to Orthopaedic Trauma Nurse Co-ordinator but before becoming ill, Jo was back in a key clinical education and training role keeping others safe by doing PPE training and FIT testing for face masks. He was an exemplary nurse and role model and fiercely proud of being both a nurse and a member of the WHH Family. He will be very sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him.
He sadly died after a lengthy battle with COVID-19 at Whiston Hospital on Wednesday, May 20.
