Remembering James Hewitt
Posted: Friday, 20th April 2012
OUR colleague James Hewitt , who was a Senior Lecturer working within the Department of Nursing at MMU, sadly died on the 21st March. He was aged just 41.
He had worked within the pre-registration nursing team since 2003 having joined us from practice where he had been a cardiac specialist nurse.
James was a fun-loving and very unique individual who was sadly diagnosed with a brain tumour quite soon after starting work here. Despite his ongoing treatment he continued to maintain his commitments within the team and gave 100% of himself when he was here.
He had a quirky nature and the students liked being taught by him as he always seemed to bring humour to every session he delivered.
Stand up comedy
He had an active life outside of work performing stand up comedy on the major circuits including the Edinburgh Festival. He was also very athletic and had run several major events including the London Marathon. He ran the English half marathon in September last year and ran the Bupa Manchester 10k event each year raising lots of money for charity.
James was completing his MA in Academic Practice and sadly was only a few weeks from completing when he was told his tumour had extended. He had presented his dissertation at a national Nurse Education conference last year in Cambridge where he won second prize for his poster.
The nursing team and pre-registration students arranged fundraising events holding ‘Wear Something Red Days’ in James’s honour as he was a big Manchester United fan. Staff and students across the faculty got involved coming to university wearing red and held events ranging from cake sales to sponsored runs and netball shoots.
The combined events raised £1875 which will be given to James’s family so they can have a break together sometime in the future.
Sadly missed
James was a much loved and respected member of the nursing team and he will be sadly missed by both staff and students. James leave a wife Julia, son Zak and daughter Jasmine and our thoughts are with them at this time.
Jacqui Gladwin, Principal Lecturer, Department of Nursing