"The #hellomynameis campaign helps provide better compassionate care to patients - not just in Leeds, not just in the UK, but around the world."

Tuesday 23rd July 2024 is international #HelloMyNameisDay, which celebrates the campaign to improve the way doctors and nurses speak to patients set up by the late Dr Kate Granger. 

Not knowing names of the people providing you healthcare can make you feel nervous, uncomfortable and lonely and we often forget how powerful names are; only truly noticing in their absence.

This is exactly how Dr Kate Granger felt 11 years ago when she was made uneasy over the unfamiliarity she had with the healthcare professionals giving her treatments whilst she battled terminal cancer.

Kate therefore launched the #HelloMyNameIs campaign to remind healthcare professionals of the profound impact of a simple introduction, and today on #HelloMyNameIsDay we would like to show our support towards Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as they relaunch the campaign.

Introducing oneself to a patient is not just a courtesy, Kate believed, “Introductions are about making a human connection between one human being who is suffering and vulnerable, and another human being who wishes to help.”

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Staff from across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust share their name in different languages:

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2024 marks the ten-year anniversary of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust adopting #HelloMyNameIs. Kate sadly died on 23rd July 2015, and that date is marked as #HelloMyNameisDay since the first anniversary of her death in 2016.

Kate's legacy continues through the ID badges - issued across the trust and here at Leeds Hospitals Charity - that we have continually been able to fund.

A percentage of sales are donated back to Leeds Hospitals Charity to support Leeds Cancer Centre in memory of Kate. Proceeds from the sales of name badges have raised over £120,000 towards a total of £517,000 for causes in Kate's memory: Leeds Hospitals Charity and St Gemma's Hospice.

Kate's husband Chris Pointon, Leeds Hospitals Charity CEO Esther Wakeman, Kelly Daubney from J&A International and Jason Middleton from Abalone Graphics talk about the importance of the campaign: