Tributes as health boss loses battle with cancer (From Worcester News)

Tributes as health boss loses battle with cancer

9:30pm Sunday 5th August 2012 in News By James Connell

A POPULAR woman who was passionate about patient care and bringing a new radiotherapy unit to Worcester has died following a battle with cancer.

Eve Meredith, aged 69, of Cottage Lane, Bromsgrove, died at the Alexandra Hospital after her health deteriorated rapidly following a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Around 180 people from across the country attended her funeral at Redditch Crematorium on Tuesday, July 24, following her death on Sunday, July 8.

Her husband of 45 years, Tony Meredith, aged 69, said: “She has always had a passionate interest in the National Health Service.

“She was a very strong advocate for it and believed in the good work it did.

“Worcester is in the process of building its own radiotherapy unit. I know her ambition was to see the new radiotherapy unit at Worcester open.

“Everyone has to go out of county for radiotherapy but she wanted facilities for the people who live in the county.

“She was very forthright about patients’ needs. She saw the radiotherapy unit as a marvellous opportunity to make things as comfortable as possible for people undergoing radiotherapy, and for the people of the county suffering from cancer.”

Mrs Meredith, who had a career as a secretary and a broker, is perhaps best know for her involvement in patient groups, including as a patient representative for the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust and her work with the Worcestershire Local Involvement Network (LINk), where she was a member of the committee and the treasurer.

When she became an elected shadow governor for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust she stood down from LINk with others because of concerns it could cause a conflict of interest.

She was later chairman of Redditch and Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group, the group of GPs and other health professionals who are now in the process of taking over control of NHS budgets, only giving up activities towards the end of her life.

Mrs Meredith had to travel out of county for her own radiotherapy treatment, so was well-placed to understand what other people were going through and the importance of good care closer to home.

Mrs Meredith loved travelling all over the world, gardening and socialising.

Mr Meredith said: “She was very outgoing, some might say outspoken.

“She would have been overwhelmed by the number of tributes. She had no idea the affect she had on people.

“She would have been thrilled.”

Tributes were also paid by Ann Montague-Smith, chairman of LINk, who said: “She was very determined. If there was something that needed sorting out, she would make sure that happened. We were all very fond of her and she will be missed.”

A minute’s silence was held in honour of Mrs Meredith’s achievements during the last meeting of the acute hospitals trust in Worcester.