Jenny McGee, the New Zealand nurse who cared for Boris Johnson at St Thomas’ Hospital, has been ‘blown away’ by his public recognition of her efforts.
Her brother, who spoke to her before she made her way to another night shift at the hospital, said: “We are all very proud of Jen, not just in the support she gave Boris – but what she has been doing helping everyday people. Whilst she is blown away by Boris’s recognition, she is just really pleased to see the public recognition for the amazing work the NHS is doing – that made her really proud.”
The Prime Minister took to Twitter just hours after leaving hospital to post a video message praising two particular nurses, including Ms. McGee, for watching over his bedside in intensive care for 48 hours “when things could have gone either way.”
Johnson told how he now had first-hand experience of seeing the pressures that the NHS is under and had witnessed the “personal courage not just of the doctors and nurses but of everyone.”
Giving special thanks to Jenny and the other nurse, Luis Pitarma, from Portugal, who cared for him, the PM revealed how it was their care and intervention that was the “reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen.”
He said: “That is how I also know that across the country, 24 hours a day, for every second of every hour, there are hundreds of thousands of NHS staff who are acting with the same care and thought and precision as Jenny and Luis. That is why we will defeat this coronavirus and defeat it together. We will win because our NHS is the beating heart of this country. It is the best of this country. It is unconquerable. It is powered by love.”
Ms. McGee has also been praised by her former teachers at Verdon College in Invercargill, who have disclosed that she “always wanted to be a nurse.”
They said: “Thanks Jenny for your courage, outstanding work and the example you have provided for everyone at this difficult time. Your old school community is so proud of you.”
Luis Pitarma, the other nurse who the PM has credited for helping to save his life, has also been praised for his efforts by the Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
A statement on the presidential website said: “President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has already personally thanked the nurse Luis Pitarma, and also thanks the commitment of all Portuguese health professionals who in Portugal and around the world are providing decisive help in the fight to the pandemic.”
Downing Street has confirmed that the Prime Minister will not be returning to work immediately on doctor’s orders but will instead be heading to his country residence in Buckinghamshire to recover and recuperate from the virus fully.
Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds has since tweeted her thanks to the staff at St Thomas’ Hospital saying: “I will never, ever be able to repay you, and I will never stop thanking you. Thank you also to everyone who sent such kind messages of support. Today I’m feeling incredibly lucky.”
I know and watched over three weeks how dedicated most nurses are, I saw them care for my husband, one nurse to one patient 12 years ago, sadly my husband was not one who would live, but I will never ever forget and be thankful for all the care he received.