Princess Alexandra Hospital employee Jamie Bedson leaves entire will to 23-year workplace

Jamie Bedson recently turned 60 and drafted his will. He has left his entire estate to where he has worked for 23 years.

Jamie Bedson says the decision to leave everything to the hospital where he has worked for 23 years was an easy one for him. Picture: Nigel Hallett

A veteran health worker will leave his entire estate to the Princess Alexandra Research Foundation to fund medical breakthroughs and initiatives to brighten patients’ lives.

Jamie Bedson is a medical records administrator who turned 60 in June. He has decided to leave everything to the place he has worked for 23 years.

“It’s more of a community and family here,” Mr Bedson said.

“I’m on my own, I’m not married, the friends I have are well looked after and I wanted to give the money to somewhere where it could do some good and somewhere I could trust.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of people around the hospital and a lot of people have decided or are thinking about leaving something to the PA.

“Apparently the streets are made of gold in heaven, so money is no good to you up there.”

Jamie Bedson (second from right) with Princess Alexandra Hospital nurses Koichi Ito, Nancy Kaviza and Jalpaben Patel. Photo: Nigel Hallett.

Mr Bedson said he will leave his superannuation, savings, and car to the PA foundation

“They explained to me where the money would go and how it would help people and I thought this is great and this is where I want to leave my estate,” he said.

“I know through working here for so long the hurting people I see, times are tough and people can’t afford things.

“There’s enough money there to look after quite a few people, I believe. I’ll know at least I will have done something good before I leave.”

Mr Bedson’s decision coincides with the Princess Alexandra Research Foundation’s annual Giving Day fundraiser on Thursday. All donations – up to $10,000 – received on Giving Day will be doubled thanks to the generosity of matching donors.

This year, for the first time, people can make donations to support patients and services at all Metro South hospitals – QEII Jubilee, Redland, Logan and Beaudesert hospitals.

Donations can be used across all Metro South hospital departments such as spinal injury rehabilitation, breast cancer research, or giving patient treatment areas a makeover.

Foundation chief executive Damian Topp said $260,000 was raised last year on Giving Day.

“People who choose to make a gift of any size and remember an organisation after they’re gone is pretty humbling,” he said.

“It means we will be able to keep investing in our medical research and medical support at the hospital far beyond our own lifetimes.”