'A mother to everyone': Beloved Walsall nurse dies of cardiac arrest after recently retiring
A much-loved senior nurse, affectionately known as “Mother” because of her compassion towards staff and patients, has died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Mira Satumba, aged 67, had only recently retired from her job as a dedicated nurse in Ward 16 at Walsall Manor Hospital when she passed away on July 16.
Colleague Paige Sylvester, a clinical support worker at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "We would describe Mira as dedicated and hard-working – she had time for everybody. We can’t believe that she is no longer with us."
Mira came to the UK from the Philippines in 2000 and worked at Walsall Healthcare for 23 years, living near the Manor Hospital.
She left her family in the Philippines to build a career for herself, and Paige said her colleagues became her "work family".
"She was one in a trillion to us all," added Paige.
Mira leaves behind her daughter, 44-year-old Maria Victoria Deleon, whose mum died on her current visit to England.
She also leaves three grandchildren, aged 23, 17 and 16, and a one-year-old great grandson back in the Philippines.
"She was a loving, forgiving mother but she was also one of a kind – she was a mother to everyone," Maria Victoria said.
"She was also a wonderful grandmother too. She was very hardworking and was well loved by all of her colleagues."
A minute’s silence was held on Ward 16 for staff to remember Mira and support is being offered to them through the Chaplaincy Spiritual Care Team.
A hearse carrying Mira was due to pull outside the ambulance area at the staff entrance of Walsall Manor Hospital at 3.25pm on Monday. Trust chaplain Edd Stock will conduct a short service there to allow colleagues to pay their respects.
The funeral is being held at 9am on Tuesday at St Mary’s the Mount Roman Catholic Church on Glebe Street, and then at Sandwell Crematorium.
