Friends of healthcare services, charitable funds and associations across the country have for many years been an invaluable part of the development and advancement of healthcare. Through their generous donations and contributions, they have strengthened the service and improved the conditions of both clients and staff. One such supporter is the Guðný Stefáns Memorial Fund, known as the “Gulla Fund,” which was established in 2012 in memory of Guðný Júlíana Ólafsdóttir Stefáns to support the operations of HSN in Fjallabyggð. Recently, HSN in Fjallabyggð held a thank‑you coffee reception in Siglufjörður, where heartfelt gratitude was extended to the fund’s representatives for their invaluable support to healthcare services in the area over the past years.

Guðný Júlíana, or Gulla as she was called, was born at Leyningur in Eyjafjörður in 1929, but she grew up in Akureyri with her foster parents, Stefán and Gíslína, along with four foster siblings. At a young age she fell ill with Akureyri disease and lived with its effects for the rest of her life. At nineteen she moved to Siglufjörður with her fiancé, Friðrik Guðmundsson, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. Friðrik passed away in a fishing accident in 1973. They did not have children. Guðný worked throughout her life as a laborer, including in herring salting and fish processing. During the last fifteen years of her life, she resided at the HSN nursing home in Siglufjörður. She viewed the staff of the institution as part of her family, showed them sincere interest, and followed closely the well‑being of both them and their children.

When she passed away in 2012, at the age of 83, it emerged that she had bequeathed a substantial sum to HSN in Fjallabyggð. This formed the foundation for establishing the Guðný Stefáns Memorial Fund.
Since then, the fund has consistently supported the service with generous grants for the purchase of essential equipment. Among other things, it has financed an X‑ray machine, a vital‑signs monitor for the nurses’ station, a cardiac stress‑test device, infusion pumps, respiratory support equipment, and various items to improve clients’ quality of life—such as headphones for televisions, a shower bench, hospital beds, mattresses, furniture, and an interactive projector for social and cognitive stimulation.

We at HSN are deeply grateful to the board of the Gulla Fund for their warm and generous support over the years. Guðný will always be remembered with respect and gratitude. Their goodwill has made a profound difference for the clients and staff of HSN.