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Stephen Hawking’s ventilator has been donated to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge to help treat patients with coronavirus.
The physicist, who had motor neuron disease, died in 2018, at age 76.
Her daughter Lucy Hawking said: “Our father received brilliant, dedicated and compassionate medical care from Royal Papworth and Addenbrooke Hospitals in Cambridge.
“As a ventilated patient, Royal Papworth was incredibly important to my father and helped him through very difficult times.
“We realized that he would be at the forefront of the Covid-19 epidemic and we got in touch with some of our old friends to ask if we could help.
“After our father passed away, we returned all of the medical equipment he used that belonged to the NHS, but there were a few items he bought for himself.
“We are now passing them on to the NHS in hopes that they will help in the fight against Covid-19.
“As a family, the NHS has always played a very important role in our lives.
“We are fully aware of the dedication and commitment of the NHS staff to helping people in need.
“Right now, we would ask everyone to support NHS staff in every way possible.
“We urge people to take social distancing seriously.
“We all need to do our part, whatever it is.”
Royal Papworth Hospital has expanded its critical care department to more than double its usual size due to the increasing number of admissions for coronavirus.
It has received additional supplies from NHS ventilators but, after a check by the hospital’s clinical engineering team, has added the Hawking family-donated ventilator to its fleet.
Dr. Mike Davies, clinical director of respiratory medicine at Papworth, said: “It was wonderful to hear from the Hawking family again and we are very grateful to donate this equipment.
“We are now extremely busy caring for seriously ill patients with Covid-19, and the support we are receiving from patients, their families and the local community means a lot.”
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