A hospital room has been named in honour of an Oswaldtwistle midwife, who died of a rare brain condition last year.
A heartfelt ceremony took place at Burnley General Hospital, celebrating the renaming of a room on the central birth suite in honour of Marysia Swiatczak.
The newly named Daisy Suite, used for twin and pre-term births, commemorates Marysia's 20 years of dedicated service before she died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). The disease is described as a rare and fatal condition that affects the brain. It causes brain damage that worsens rapidly over time.
Chosen for its special connection to Marysia, Daisy being her birth flower and a symbol of love, beauty, and fertility, the Daisy Suite was officially unveiled by Marysia’s husband, Joe, and her children, Dominic, Harry, and Alisha.
They revealed a plaque in her memory, joined by chief nurse Pete Murphy and head of midwifery Tracy Thompson from East Lancashire Hospitals Trust.
Lisa Wareing-Ellis, a midwife involved in the project, spoke after the ceremony: “Marysia would be overwhelmed that a room has been named in her memory.
“We all really miss Marysia. She was deeply respected and loved, not only by everyone here at Lancashire Women’s and Newborn Centre but also by the hundreds of families she supported over the last two decades.
“The Daisy Suite is a truly fitting tribute to such a wonderful person.”
The ceremony was a poignant reminder of Marysia's lasting impact on both her colleagues and the countless families she cared for throughout her career.
Last year, Marysia’s husband, Joseph Swiatczak, embarked on a fundraising mission to create a lasting tribute to her memory. He raised funds for a memorial bench and donated £1,000 to East Lancashire Hospice, where Marysia stayed for 12 weeks.
Marysia's devotion to her role as a midwife was described as unparalleled, making her an inspiring leader in the birth suite.
Her love for her job and the families she served was so profound that, even after her initial retirement, she returned to the birth suite at Burnley General Teaching Hospital as a healthcare assistant.
Symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Initial neurological symptoms
Initial neurological symptoms of sporadic CJD can include:
- difficulty walking caused by problems with balance and co-ordination
- slurred speech
- numbness or pins and needles in different parts of the body
- dizziness
- vision problems, such as double vision
- hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't really there
Initial psychological symptoms
Initial psychological symptoms of variant CJD can include:
- severe depression
- withdrawal from family, friends and the world around you
- anxiety
- irritability
- difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
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