Hello my name is...Dr Gnorma the Gnome: Leeds supermarket chain backs campaign started by West Yorkshire doctor

Meet Dr Gnorma Gnome.
Chris Pointon with Gnorma the GnomeChris Pointon with Gnorma the Gnome
Chris Pointon with Gnorma the Gnome

She’ll soon be promoting the global campaign started by inspirational West Yorkshire doctor Kate Granger.

Gnorma, who will raise awareness of the #hellomynameis campaign, will be on sale at Asda stores in Spring thanks to a link-up with Dr Granger’s husband Chris Pointon.

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He works at Asda House in Leeds and the company has provided long-standing support for him and Dr Granger.

Chris Pointon with Gnorma the GnomeChris Pointon with Gnorma the Gnome
Chris Pointon with Gnorma the Gnome

Last year, the supermarket chain asked customers which garden gnomes they’d like to see in 2017 and Dr Gnorma Gnome was one of the suggestions.

The Asda buying team decided to use Gnorma to support their colleague Chris and promote #hellomynameis, which aims to ensure health workers introduce themselves to their patients.

Dr Granger, who died from cancer last July aged 34, wanted to improve care after her own experiences of being a patient and saw this as a way of boosting compassion.

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Her husband, who is continuing to campaign for #hellomynameis, said: “Doctor Gnorma is another example of the amazing support the campaign receives on an ongoing basis since Kate passed away last year. This will form part of keeping the campaign going and continue to improve compassionate care in healthcare across the world.

Dr Kate GrangerDr Kate Granger
Dr Kate Granger

“We’ve had a huge amount of interest from people all over the country and across the globe wanting to buy Gnorma. She will be great in raising awareness.”

Since the #hellomynameis drive was launched, health bodies across the country have taken it on board and it has been supported by high-profile celebrities and politicians.

Chris added: “This is Kate’s legacy and something that will live on forever.

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“The person that inspires me the most in the world is Kate. She isn’t remembered as the person that died young – she is remembered as the person who’s fundamentally changed global healthcare for other people.”

Dr Gnorma the GnomeDr Gnorma the Gnome
Dr Gnorma the Gnome

A spokeswoman for Asda said: “Dr Gnorma is wearing the #hellomynameis badge on her coat and we will direct customers to the hellomynameis.org.uk website via the price ticket when she goes on sale at the end of April.”

Dr Gnorma will be priced at £20.

* A ‘MOAN’ led to Dr Kate Granger’s global #hellomynameis movement.

She on her blog: “I had been moaning to Chris about the lack of introductions from the healthcare staff looking after me. Being the practical optimist that Chris is, he simply told me to ‘stop whinging darling and if it is that important to you, do something about it.’ So we did.” Since then, the campaign has been supported all over the world and #hellomynameis has been clicked a billion times.