On Sunday 25th July 2021 Julia Almond very sadly passed away. During the last 18 years of her life she has received the very best care from the staff at the Borders General Hospital (BGH), Melrose. Over the years she has had numerous prolonged stays at the BGH due to the fact that she suffered from many inter-related health conditions and on every occasion she was treated with great care, compassion and concern, none more so than when she suffered a serious stroke in June 2019.

Following the stroke Julia had to remain as an in-patient at the BGH's Ward 11 Stroke Unit for over a month until she recovered sufficiently to return home. She benefitted greatly from the re-furbished unit and the dedication of the staff. Julia's family are sure that she would not have recovered as well as she did had it not been for the staff and facilities available. This ensured that she was able to enjoy the last two years of her life and have a quality of life far better than initially anticipated.

Therefore we would invite anyone who wished to make a donation in memory of Julia, and in lieu of flowers, to support this fantastic cause and donate money to Ward 11, Stroke Unit, at the BGH. Every penny donated will be passed directly to Ward 11 to be utilised in better equipping the ward, in the future, and to enhance the facilities available for patients and their families. Money will be passed to "The Difference" (the fundraising name of the Borders Health Board Endowment Funds) BHBEF - Fund 8 - which is the fund specifically designated to be used by the stroke unit.