Nick Clegg Officially Opens Ward P3
Monday 2nd November 2009
Nick Clegg, Sheffield MP and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, visited the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in October, to officially open the recently refurbished Ward P3. Professor Alejandro Madrigal, Scientific Director and President of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Dr Antonio Pagliuca, President of the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, were also in attendance and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
All three joined patients, staff and supporters, to celebrate the success of the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal, which raised £420,000 to provide new equipment for the haematology unit and much-needed additional isolation rooms. Chair Elizabeth Jones and Head of Fundraising Emma Dickens thanked everyone for their continued support and invaluable contribution to the appeal.
The charity would also like to thank all of you out there who contributed to our appeal, whether that was through donation of money, your time or efforts. Without your help, this project simply would not have been as successful in such a short space of time. Your contributions have made a significant difference to the lives of patients suffering from leukaemia and other blood disorders.
We do continue to accept donations for the appeal to help fund further projects within the unit. If you are interested in making a donation or would like to find out more, please contact Fundraiser Isla Denoon on 0114 226 3415 or at isla.denoon@shct.nhs.uk
Marigold Ball
Friday 30th October 2009
12 ladies from Sheffield have come together with the aim of raising funds for the Teenage and Young Persons Unit on Ward P3 at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. The Unit cares for teenagers and young adults (aged 16 to 24) with leukaemia and other blood disorders.
The 12 ladies, who named themselves the ‘Disparate Housewives’, first set about fundraising for the unit by producing a 2010 calendar. This cheeky calendar contains a comedy sketch and risqué caption for each month, with the ladies themselves featuring as the models. From this came the associated Christmas card featuring Miss December.
Then came the big one, the Marigold Ball! This prestigious black tie event brought together Sheffield’s finest at Baldwin’s Omega on Psalter Lane in late October. There was an auction, silent auction, marigold competition and raffle, with over 100 fantastic prizes on offer. BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rony Robinson conducted the auction, with lots including a canteen of cutlery donated by Carrs of Sheffield and a diamond bracelet donated by UK Bullion.
The event proved to be a great success with everyone in attendance enjoying a terrific night out. Special thanks go to Clare and David Shepherd who led the whole event. £17,000 was raised in total for the unit, in memory of Clare and David’s daughter Sam and fellow patient Neil Gardiner.
Future events are now in the very early planning stages, so please keep yourself updated by visiting the Disparate Housewives website at www.disparatehousewives.co.uk
Raising Funds for Young People with Leukaemia
Tuesday 20th October 2009
Family and friends of Neil Gardiner raised over £1,600 at what has become an Annual Charity Cricket Sixes event in his memory, at The Ivanhoe Hotel in Sprotbrough.
The full day event on Sunday 13th September saw seven teams of six, including ex RAF colleagues of Neil, the Scopie Sloggers, come runners up to his friends team, The Badgers, who won the Neil Gardiner Trophy. Other attractions included a very popular barbeque, supplied and cooked by Jon French, and a raffle with many donated prizes.
The cricket match is part of continuing fundraising for the new Teenage and Young Persons Unit in the Haematology Department at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, by Neil’s parents Jim and Susan Gardiner and their family and friends. Jim said:
“The support for the cricket and other events is fantastic. We would like to thank Jon for the food and everyone who donated raffle prizes and money. These events have become very popular and we want it to continue so that we can carry on the work started by Neil.
“Neil was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in July 2004 aged 22 and was a patient on Ward P3 at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, undergoing two bone marrow transplants before losing his battle with the disease in November 2007. During his stay in hospital, he and a fellow patient Sam Shepherd talked to doctors and consultants about developing a unit where young people, from 16 to 25 years, diagnosed with leukaemia and other blood disorders, could be treated in an environment more appropriate to their age and needs. This is now happening thanks to Neil and Sam, and is going to make other young patients’ stay in hospital happier and easier to bear.”
The Teenage and Young Persons Unit is quite different to the typical hospital environment. Young patients on the unit, who often have to stay in hospital for long periods of time, will have free access to computers with internet access, DVD players and PlayStations, were involved in the planning and design of the unit to ensure that their needs were fully met. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, with patients receiving care and emotional support from a team of experienced staff, as well as the invaluable support and reassurance from fellow patients of a similar age. This helps young people share experiences at this important and challenging time of their lives, which helps improve their stay in hospital.
Fundraiser Carol Denton, said:
“Sadly, neither Neil nor Sam survived to see the official opening of the new Unit. Their contribution was immense. The Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorder Appeal generated £420,000 to help refurbish ward P3. Subsequent support for the new Teenage and Young Persons Unit raised a further £50,000, with more donations from fundraising events still coming in. We cannot thank enough, supporters like the Gardiners and their family and friends. We couldn’t have done it without them and of course, the need continues so we can keep this facility at a standard far in excess of anything the NHS could supply. These young patients deserve no less.”
If you would like to make a donation or raise funds for the Teenage and Young Persons Unit, please contact Carol Denton on 0114 226 3517 or at carol.denton@shct.nhs.uk
Sheffield Woman to Scale Mount Kilimanjaro for Leukaemia
Tuesday 8th September 2009
Liz Benton, 34, will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa on 20th September, in order to raise money for Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust’s fund for the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
Liz currently lives in Barnes, London, but ties to her former home city remain strong, as both of her parents currently reside in Crosspool.
The inspiration for Liz’s charity trek came from her Mum, Doreen Best, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, despite successfully beating lymphoma last year. Although her prognosis is good, Doreen will undergo further intensive treatment at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
If Liz achieves her fundraising target of £500, her employer, Royal Bank of Scotland, will match the amount, resulting in a £1,000 donation for the hospital charity.
Standing tall at 5900 metres high, Kilimanjaro certainly poses a physically demanding feat, but Liz is determined to succeed and has been busy dancing and stair walking in preparation for the 10 day trek. Although slightly nervous about the task ahead, Liz says: “If Chris Moyles can do it, then so can I!"
If you would like to support Liz and raise money for the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal, please call 0114 271 1351 or visit www.justgiving.com/lizbest/ where you can make a secure online donation.
Printing Money to Help Leukaemia Ward
Wednesday 6th May 2009
Local print company Northend have given Sheffield hospitals an unusual donation, a £5,500 note! Staff at the company used their design and print skills to produce the giant note, as an amusing alterative to the normal presentation cheque.
Over the past year staff at the company have organised a number of events including a rubber duck race and a custard pie fight, to raise money for the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal. Their efforts have been supported in every aspect by the Management Team.
Handing over the £5,500 note, Northend’s Production Manager, Roger Oldfield, said: “As a Sheffield company, we are delighted to support such a worthwhile local cause. It has been a great team effort to raise the funds.”
Receiving the money on behalf of the Appeal, Nick Perks, Director of Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust, said: “Northend is the charity’s regular print supplier and they always give us a friendly and professional service. Last year they offered to raise £5,000 for the Appeal and we now know that they deliver on their fundraising promises too.”
The money raised by Northend will be used to purchase an additional CADD-PCA pump for use on Ward P3 at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. This portable device helps patients to manage the level of pain relief that they need.
Dr Josh Wright, Consultant Haematologist at the hospital, said: “Pain control is a major issue for patients, including those who have recently undergone a bone marrow transplant. We know that this technology gives patients both effective pain relief and a degree of personal control.”
Over the past 18 months, the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal has raised more than £420,000 for Ward P3 at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. The funds raised have paid for enhancements to the recently refurbished ward, including an additional en-suite isolation room, individual entertainment systems for each bedside, and a dedicated unit for teenage patients.
Life and Likeness
Friday 1st May 2009
Stephen Norris took a calculated gamble and won, when he successfully bid for a Bing Jones portrait package at the Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust Las Vegas Ball, which was held in aid of the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorder Appeal.
Mr Norris, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, retired after 25 years at the Northern General Hospital, where he treated patients with wrist and hand disorders (soft tissue injury and work related upper limb disorder). He is now in private practice at Thornbury Hospital in Sheffield.
Mr Norris, a supporter of the leukaemia appeal, attended the ball and was delighted to have the successful bid for the portrait package. He said: “It is a great pleasure to help raise funds for Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust and for such a worthwhile local cause.
“The portrait package was very kindly donated by Bing Jones (56), an art graduate who combines his artistic life with his work as a medic with the National Blood Service.
A professional portrait painter with many major portrait commissions to his credit, Bing's work with the National Blood Service involves collecting bone marrow stem cells for bone marrow transplants, making him a keen supporter of the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
Bing, who has previously designed a Christmas card for the Appeal said: “It is always a massive pleasure painting a colleague and even better to combine this with raising funds for the Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
“The portrait has been included as part of Bing's solo exhibition ‘Life and Likeness’ at Kings College in Cambridge, where it hung amongst a huge range of work, from pen and ink sketches of Bing’s children, to official oil on canvas portraits of doctors and academics.
Delighted to receive the portrait, Mr Norris continued: “I am absolutely delighted with the portrait, which has been greatly admired by family and friends. Sitting for Bing was most enjoyable’.
If you would like to support the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorder Appeal, or would like to find out more, please contact Carol Denton at carol.denton@shct.nhs.uk or on 0114 226 3517. For further information or to commission a portrait by Bing Jones contact www.bingjones.co.uk or e-mail bing@bingjones.co.uk
Blues Brothers and James Brown Nights Help Support Cancer Patients
Wednesday 28th January 2009
The care of cancer patients affected by Leukaemia and other blood disorders will continue to improve, thanks to Libby Mathieson’s fundraising efforts for Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust.
Libby Mathieson, 32, landlady of the Punch Bowl Pub in Gleadless, holds regular charity nights in order to raise money for the Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal. Previous events so far have included a Halloween fancy dress party, a Carling FA Cup night and several prize raffles. Collection tins are also kept on the bar for customers to give personal donations.
Libby began fundraising after the sad loss of one of her regular customers, Liam Surgeon, who passed away in 2007 from Leukaemia aged just 22. Libby wanted to support the Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal to keep the memory of Liam alive and to help other young people and their families who are currently living with the disease.
Since she began, Libby and her customers have helped raise over £1,000 for the Appeal, with future planned events ensuring this amount will reach even higher. On Friday 30th January the Punch Bowl will be hosting a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, James Brown and on Tuesday 27th February a Blues Brothers tribute night. The money raised from both events will be donated to the Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
For more information on upcoming events at the Punch Bowl or to get involved with fundraising for the appeal, please contact Carol Fields on 0114 226 3517.