Tears flow as final goodbyes said for Dr Ruban

Dubbo clinicians and hospital staff and the wider community yesterday gathered to remember paediatric registrar Nagaruban Arumugam who died in a car accident on June 22.

Dr Arumugam’s grieving widow, parents, sister, parents-in-law and other relations and friends travelled to join the esteemed doctor’s Dubbo friends for the tribute.

The memorial service was fittingly held in the garden of the Dubbo Base Hospital children’s ward.

Dr Arumugam’s colleagues and friends, Dr Naren Nadanachandran and Dr Siah Kim, presided over the service, with an arrangement of white flowers and a photo of the doctor on display nearby.

Praise for Dr Arumugam flowed as freely as the tears.

Paediatric nurse Jodie said she remembered the first day in January “Ruban” walked into the ward with his big smile.

He had a happy “hey” for everyone, she said.

“He graciously put up with our teasing and we found he had a great sense of humour,” she said.

Special-care nursery nurse Tracey came close to tears and was comforted by nurse Emma as she told the gathering about their “guiding light”.

“Ruban’s excellent clinical skills were not overshadowed by his outstanding personality,” she said.

Maternity staff had the chance to write a message and one staff member wrote a poem, which were read during the service.

“Dear Ruban, may you touch the babies’ souls in heaven as you did on earth,” one message said.

Head of paediatrics Dr Dominic Fitzgerald thanked Ruban’s widow Akalya for sharing her husband with them.

“Ruban always gave us his best and was determined we’d have it,” he said.

Staff hugged and talked to each other in comfort at the end of the service and people lined up to write a message in a book for Dr Arumugam’s family to take with them.

Dr Nadanachandran said his friend’s photograph would be placed on the wall of the paediatric department and a tree would be planted in memory of Dr Arumugam in the garden.

faye.wheeler@ruralpress.com

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