Dr Kate Granger, a geriatrician who raised more than £250,000 for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre and started the #hellomynameis campaign, has died aged 34.
Dr Granger passed away on 23 July, after a five-year battle with cancer. Her husband Chris Pointon Tweeted that she had died ‘peacefully and surrounded by loved ones.’ Dr Granger was diagnosed with a desmoplastic small-round-cell tumour after falling ill in 2011 while on holiday in California.
Dr Granger started the #hellomynameis campaign in 2013, after a stay in hospital where she saw that many doctors and nurses did not introduce themselves while providing care. She created the campaign to encourage healthcare professionals to do more to create a connection with their patients. Writing on the campaign website, she said that she believed this was ‘the first rung on the ladder to providing truly person-centred, compassionate care.’
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said that Dr Granger’s ‘legacy of promoting a more human touch and compassionate care will outlive us all.’
In recognition of her achievements, Dr Granger was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours. Additionally, NHS England created the Kate Granger Awards for Compassionate Care, while the BMJ gave her a special award for her work on the #hellomynameis campaign.