Debbie’s tribute to the surgeon who saved her husband’s life
Posted on: 21 Mar 2025
When Debbie’s husband Wayne faced a diagnosis of a brain tumour in 2008 the couple faced the unimaginable. The diagnosis was devastating, but it was the life-saving surgery performed by Consultant Neurosurgeon Mr Surajit Basu at Queens Medical Centre (QMC) that gave Wayne a second chance at life. Ever since that moment, Debbie and Wayne have been filled with gratitude for the exceptional care Wayne received and Debbie was inspired to give back.
Determined to honour the surgeon who saved her husband's life, Debbie set out to raise money for the Neurosurgery Ward at QMC. She wanted to do something special to show her appreciation for Mr. Basu and the entire team so organised a charity music event featuring two live bands and sold her own handcrafted ‘Basu bags’, named after Mr. Basu, which has seen her raise £2,181.50.
Debbie explained, "We can’t thank QMC enough for everything they did for Wayne. Since then, several members of our family have been treated there, and we just wanted to find a way to give back to the people who saved his life.
“The Neurosurgery Ward has meant so much to us, and we will always be grateful for the incredible work they do."
To celebrate Debbie’s amazing fundraising achievement, her and Wayne were reunited with Mr. Basu for a cheque presentation at QMC where they were able to express their gratitude in person to the man who had given Wayne a second chance at life.
Mr. Basu was touched by the donation and explained how the funds raised would help train future surgeons: “Nothing is more heartwarming than seeing a previous patient doing so well, and hearing about how we have been able to make a difference to their lives. We are so grateful for the money that Debbie and Wayne have raised; we plan to us it to buy a simulation project which will be located within the Neurosurgery Library to help teach future generations of surgeons. The new equipment will allow them to try out operations before actually doing them in real life”.
Beyond his work as a neurosurgeon, Mr. Basu is also a talented photographer. He uses his passion for photography to support the hospital by turning his nature photos, shot in his own back garden, into greetings cards, which are sold to raise more funds for Nottingham Hospitals Charity.
Nottingham Neurosurgeon uses love of photography to create charity cards for Nottingham hospitals.
Debbie’s fundraising efforts have made a lasting impact, ensuring that Nottingham’s NHS hospitals can continue to provide life-changing care to patients and families. At Nottingham Hospitals Charity, we are incredibly grateful to patients and their families who, like Debbie and Wayne, choose to raise funds as a way to say thank you and give back for the care they received.
If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to help! You can take part in an event, organise your own activity, set up a regular donation or choose to leave a gift in your Will. Whatever you decide, you can choose which area of Nottingham’s NHS hospitals you’d like your funds to support.