MAKE IT COUNT Barts Charity supporter magazine
Issue 4 – Winter/Spring 2018
“ From that moment my life changed…”
Why one teenage girl kayaked 100 miles
IN THIS ISSUE... Fighting cancer at St Bartholomew’s P6 A time for reflection P12 Latest challenges P15
Hello! …and a warm welcome. At the end of last year we’d only recently launched Make it Count, and we were also at the start of a new chapter for Barts Charity. This included a commitment to fund more research, equipment, care, community initiatives – increasing annual funding towards the £30m mark. This was in recognition of the huge benefits and impact that could be achieved, not just immediately within the hospitals we support, but further afield too. A lot has happened since then, and on page 14 you can read an update from our Chief Executive, Fiona. This time of year is a natural time for reflection – on the past year, the next year, and absent friends. We’d like to spare a thought for people going through a difficult time, whether it’s in our hospitals or wider community. Every personal story we come across here in the charity is incredibly powerful and very moving, and on page 12 we share a glimpse of these. Our annual Christmas appeal, Send a Smile with Santa, is supporting children and older patients who will be in hospital during the festive period. By donating, you’ll be helping to Send a Smile to them as well as boosting the care provided by the Children’s and
Older People’s Services in the coming months. Get involved on page 4. In funding news (pages 6-11) you can read about some of the latest projects that you have helped to fund, including neurosurgical innovation, a new maternity unit, and new trauma research. Thank you as always to our Fantastic Fundraisers (page 18) – this includes 14-year-old Lillie, who took on an amazing challenge to support the hospital that cared for her grandad. You can read her story on page 22. We also give you the round-up on our Transform Trauma appeal (pages 16-17), our latest challenges (page 15), and more. We hope you enjoy reading – please do get in touch on mic@bartscharity.org.uk if you have any questions or feedback!
Ben and Rachel, Make it Count editors
A little bit about us…
We fund research, equipment and projects in pursuit of extraordinary healthcare for patients. 02
We’re the dedicated charity for the five hospitals of Barts Health NHS Trust (Mile End, Newham, St Bartholomew’s, The Royal London, and Whipps Cross).
You can support wards, services or research of your choice. You can help us ensure more patients receive healthcare that’s extraordinary.
News in brief
Only got a second? Here’s some news in brief
04 With your help, we’re supporting children and older patients in hospital with our Send a Smile with Santa appeal.
12
We reflect on, and give thanks to, those who choose to give in memory. Here we share some of their moving tributes.
16 15
09 A generous legacy enabled the creation of a new bereavement suite at Whipps Cross.
Run? Cycle? Trek? Skydive? We’ve got a challenge for you…
Over 1,200 people came to our Transform Trauma gig. It was all to help save lives through our Transform Trauma appeal.
P18
Matt cycled from Cornwall to London. He’s one of our Fantastic Fundraisers. 03
Christmas
CHRISTMAS IS THE MOST
WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. LET’S KEEP IT THAT WAY!
#SendaSmile to our youngest and oldest patients and bring the wonders of Christmas to our hospital wards. In the chaos of wrapping, cooking, shopping and decorating it is all too easy to lose the real essence of Christmas. This year, let someone else know you are thinking of them by spreading a little joy. We want to make sure every single child, from newborns to teenagers, and every single older patient – those who may have fewer people to visit them – wakes up with a gift on Christmas morning.
How can I send some Christmas magic? Donate: Visit JustGiving at bit.ly/sendasmile17
Text SMLE22 £5 to 70070, or
Join us for Tops ‘n’ Toes Day! On 8th December, gather friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, pets, and wear a silly hat or a pair of seasonal socks – and donate £2 each to our Send a Smile with Santa appeal 04
Use the postal form on the back of this magazine You can find full details and your own downloadable guide at bartscharity.org.uk/topstoes
Christmas
It was on Christmas Eve 2014 – when she was just seven months old – that Tyraah was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer affecting children. This was a devastating time for the whole family. She has received chemotherapy and other treatment and now regularly visits The Royal London Hospital for check-ups, along with her little sister Mariaah who has the same eye gene. To spend Christmas in hospital could so easily destroy the magic for young children like Tyraah, but with your support, coupled with the help of the Children’s Play Team, we can keep the magic alive. As Jade, Tyraah and Mariaah’s mum, says: “The Play Team are a massive part of our lives. They make Tyraah’s time there fun and easier; my children adore them and the whole team are fantastic.”
Tyraah, now aged 3
Mariaah, Tyraah’s little sister
Your donations will help in so many ways:
£5
could buy a children’s book for parents to read to their prematurely born children when they are unable to hold them
£10
could buy a comfort pack for older people, which includes toiletries, an eye mask and earplugs, and a crossword book
£25 William, at The Royal London Hospital
could help towards the cost of an educational video to ease the distress of children and their families ahead of a hospital visit
For more information, visit bartscharity.org.uk/ Christmas or email: mic@bartscharity.org.uk. 05
Impact of our funding
“I can’t thank the donors enough. They’ve given us the tools to treat more people in more ways and with more success than ever before.” – Dr John Conibear, Consultant Clinical Oncologist.
Saturn delivering stellar results With wonderful support from our community, we’re proud to be playing our part in the fight against cancer. The latest radiotherapy equipment at St Bartholomew’s Hospital has helped – and is helping – to save the lives of hundreds of patients with cancer. Funded in 2010 with support from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, the ‘linear accelerator’ machine – nicknamed ‘Saturn’ – helped create one of the best-equipped radiotherapy centres in the UK. The centre is home to a suite of state-of-the-art equipment which also includes the ‘Cyberknife’ – also funded by us with kind support from the London Freemasons. 06
Costing £1.3m, Saturn is now used to treat around 25 patients every day. Patients with all forms of cancer are treated, including prostate, breast, head, neck and lung cancers. Tumours can be accurately visualised using built-in imaging, meaning X-rays can be precisely targeted, delivering more treatment
Impact of our funding more safely and accurately. As a result, patients have shorter courses of treatment and fewer side effects. One patient spoke of her gratitude following treatment for breast cancer: “It’s a hammer blow to be told you have cancer, but I walk out of here knowing I’ve been cured.”
Predicting organ failure The emergency room may not seem like the easiest place to do research. But for critically-ill trauma patients, it’s crucial. Knowledge of how the body responds to severe trauma – such as road accidents, falls, and violence – is still relatively limited. New research, partfunded by us, is giving clinicians the ability to predict which patients are more likely to develop organ failure after trauma. Organ failure can be a major problem – potentially even fatal – for patients who survive their initial trauma, and there are currently no proven therapies for it.
Saturn: other-worldly innovation 25 patients a day treated for all forms of cancer
The study also found that there is a specific immune response to trauma shortly after injury. Further research is needed, but these findings are promising for the development of targeted treatments to improve survival and recovery for trauma patients.
Over 26,000 radiotherapy sessions delivered since 2010 – and 4,000 in 2016/17 he machine takes into account T the tiniest movements of tumours as patients breathe, delivering the most accurate treatment. This leading technology is giving significant advantages for patients: Shorter courses of treatment Fewer side effects dditional capacity for the A radiotherapy department meaning more patients treated 07
Impact of our funding
The birth of new
maternity facilities There continues to be a steep increase in the number of babies born in East London and the facilities at Whipps Cross are in need of updating. We’re awarding the hospital £6.8 million for a two-year project to improve the experience for mothers and babies by remodelling seven units including the antenatal clinic, labour ward and special care baby unit. The current maternity unit is set across three floors in a completely separate building to the rest of the hospital, often making it impractical for patients, visitors and staff alike. The building is also in desperate need of modernisation, so the project will update the whole structure, making it more practical, welcoming and bright and bringing the 08
facilities up to the same standard as the care offered – and something to rival the best in the country.
Working with the maternity teams at the other Barts Health sites of Newham University Hospital, The Royal London Hospital and the Barts Research Centre for Women’s Health, the project hopes to create the largest centre for women’s health in Europe that will influence maternity strategies both nationally and internationally by involving local mothers in research projects. When the project is completed, the new maternity and neonatal services will be better able to cope with the anticipated increase in birth rate across East London and will provide a vastly improved experience for the area’s expectant mothers.
Impact of our funding
Team talk
A lasting legacy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can come on suddenly and affect people at any age, and ongoing care is vital to manage the mental wellbeing of patients as well as the condition itself.
The news of a loved one’s death, even if not unexpected, can be devastating.
MS patients trial pioneering group clinics
Previously, MS patients met clinical staff for 15-minute check-ups twice a year – patients rarely had time to go through their issues, and staff found themselves repeating the same advice to every patient. A pilot is now underway for MS group clinics. These are regular four-hour-long sessions where a small group of MS patients and clinical staff cover issues in depth with the option of one-on-one clinical consultations.
Thanks to a generous legacy from Doris Fieldwick, bereaved families at Whipps Cross Hospital now have a more comfortable, peaceful and private environment in which to grieve, ask questions and carry out the necessary affairs required at such an emotional time. Mrs Fieldwick wanted her gift to benefit those at Whipps Cross in memory of the care her husband received there in the last few weeks of his life. The new bereavement suite includes a private room where the bereavement officer can speak to families. Artwork is also a key element; an artist was commissioned to ensure art and features are appropriately tranquil. “The new suite is making a significant impact and I would like to thank the charity for their continued support.” – Rosamund Butterfield, Trust Bereavement Lead at Barts Health NHS Trust.
Sessions start with an ice-breaker, then focus on a relevant area such as falls, prevention of urinary tract infections, and general lifestyle issues. The patient feedback has been very positive so far and the team hope to see clinical benefits such as fewer bladder infections too. If the results continue to be positive then a larger trial will be rolled out to see if the clinic could have a wider impact both in Barts Health and further afield. “The clinics are a safe space in which patients – supported and encouraged by their peers – can practise ways of falling and getting back up, developing their confidence.” – Harriet Smith, MS Patient and Facilitator of the MS group clinics.
BEFORE
AFTER 09
Impact of our funding
Managing miscarriage A new training course developed by Dr Helen Parker using Barts Charity funding has won an award for innovation. The course gives communication training to hospital staff who deal with women and their partners who present to the Emergency Department (ED) with signs of miscarriage. Dr Parker is a consultant in the ED and the Medical Lead for Simulation at Newham Hospital and she developed the role-play course in response to some negative feedback from patients. “I firmly believe that our patients have the absolute right to have the best care in these situations,” she said. The course has received overwhelmingly positive feedback – including the “Innovative Simulation Training” award form UCL Partners – and is now being extended to Whipps Cross Hospital as well.
Brain training
How do you inspire would-be neurosurgeons or explain complex procedures to patients, families and the wider public? Brainbook may be the answer. With the help of our funding, the team behind Brainbook have launched the ‘neurosurgical encyclopaedia’ – which primarily uses highly visual and shareable material to make a very complex topic more accessible. An exciting part of Brainbook is the filming of surgical operations to give trainees a first-hand insight into the operating room. This even includes 360° virtual reality videos to enhance the reality for viewers. “We hope to inspire patients, students, healthcare professionals, and neurosurgeons to share their experiences, ideas and opinions. We hope to demystify neurosurgery by sharing what happens in a busy neurosurgical department, and we hope to make neurosurgery less intimidating for medical students.” – Brainbook team. You can see their videos, blogs, and more at realbrainbook.co.uk.
10
Impact of our funding
Game plan
All smiles
Smoking remains a huge public health risk and thanks in part to our funding, an innovative method has been designed to help people quit – a smartphone game called ‘Cigbreak’.
Children in special schools require higher levels of support due to their learning difficulties, complex medical needs or sensory impairments.
An app to help smokers quit
New tooth brushing project for special needs children
Although over 400 ‘stop smoking’ apps exist, this is the first game, and the only one to be developed in collaboration with public health practitioners and smokers. Players must break cigarettes, encouraging them to ‘break the habit’, as they progress on a journey through a garden to a smoke-free finish line. Developed at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Kingston University, the game acts as a distraction to smoking, and has hidden behaviour change techniques. Although still in a trial stage, the feedback so far has been great; it’s been commissioned by five London boroughs, been shortlisted for two awards, and had positive feedback from smokers in focus groups. The game is now available to download from the App Store.
For parents, maintaining their oral health can be challenging. The situation is made worse because the medication that many of the children must take is damaging to their teeth. Thanks to a grant of just over £19,000, the local community dental service has trained a ‘dental champion’ in several East London schools, to help children in their daily tooth brushing. They supplied equipment such as brushes, toothpaste, timers and suction units for children who have difficulty swallowing. This is stored in double decker ‘brush buses’, which are a big hit with the kids.
“The app could have a large public health impact if the NHS were to commission it to everyone. It’s a valid and cost-effective way of delivering smoking cessation” – Elizabeth Edwards, GP and NIHR In-practice fellow at QMUL.
So far, 200 school staff have been trained, and nearly 600 of London’s most vulnerable children have been helped to develop an important life skill and have improved dental health. By having their teeth brushed daily at school, the children are more accepting of their parents doing it at home, which is giving parents some valuable time back. Want more detail? Head to bartscharity.org.uk/news for full stories. 11
Reflection
A time for reflection Something in the changing colours of the leaves, and the closing of the year and start of a new one, inspires reflection. It is at this time of year perhaps more so than any other time that our thoughts turn to those who are no longer with us – whether it’s a recent passing or the enduring memory of loved ones. We’re always especially touched by those who choose to honour the memory of their loved ones by giving a gift that brings a positive change to another person’s life. To think of others at such a difficult time is a truly special thing, and these gifts are particularly meaningful: they are helping to transform the lives of others who are also in difficult situations. Some of our wonderful donors choose to give back to the specific ward or area where their loved one was treated – in recognition of the care and commitment hospital staff showed. Others want to contribute to research to help find cures or improved treatments. That support brings a real and positive change to someone else’s life. Whichever way, it is a moving tribute. Donating in memory is a very personal way of remembering someone and we are truly grateful. Here, recognising the importance and poignancy of these legacies, we’d like to share some moving tributes.
“My husband had a bypass operation in 1985, and again in 2002, both at th e London Chest Ho spital. In 2007 he had a defibrillator inserte d at St Bartholo mew’s. On e ach occasion he had the most caring, professional and ex ceptional tre atme nt and lived for 31 ye ars after his first bypa ss. He died on Septembe r 8th 2015; we ha d been married for 55 ye ars and were very grateful for the extra ye ars we shared. Th ank you very much.”
12
Reflection
“Thank you all brother for car in over th e ye ars g for my all sta . You a rs… Wit re hout yo wouldn’t u a encoura have coped. L ll we gement ove and to you all.”
the to u o for o k y than cared t g n ho anks ayi h s w t f f l r staf ay o e cia d fo “A w al and avid. Sp am an e it D hosp rother his t him.” d n b a l he p my ooner to K d i d Dr they all
Sarah f The . Sarah o a e rn id was bo ered d, the n ie u d R h Fun Sara memb “When d Memorial t she is re ing and ha nn on Hamm e thrilled t love of ru We are all b r e, he se. would lifetim n cau , for e r y s e a o h w h c in ved in her in this g for her h achie e achieved isin a r a r a d S n u f av at of wh what we h proud f o roud and p y.” o mem r
There are many ways you can make a difference: from donations in lieu of flowers at funeral services, channelling your feelings into active fundraising, or simply setting up a tribute fund. We will support you the whole way. You can get in touch with us anytime at appeals@bartscharity.org.uk or 020 7618 1720. 13
CEO’s message
A BIG YEAR This time last year I wrote to you about our plans for 2017 – most notably, our commitment to increase our annual funding towards the £30m mark. I’m pleased to say that together we’re making great progress. At the time of writing (October 2017), we are halfway through our financial year and we’ve funded nearly £15m worth of research and innovation across the hospitals we support. Some of the most exciting projects we’ve been able to fund are those you can read about in the pages of this magazine – neurosurgical innovation, a vastly improved maternity unit at Whipps Cross – and earlier this year new research into women’s health and neurological disorders. It is hugely exciting to be able to play this important role in the advancement of healthcare not just for the people of London but for those further afield in the UK and beyond too. As well as these larger-scale projects, we’re also proud to fund the smaller projects that have more immediate impacts on patients’ lives. Whether it’s bereavement kits for young children, portable DVD players for patients in recovery, or artwork to enliven hospital wards, it’s all helping to make the hospital experience for patients and their families that little bit better. Much of this – and much of what we do – is only possible with the help of people like you, and all those within our wider community. I, and all of us here at the charity, are hugely grateful for everything you do, and every action you take to help us fund more extraordinary healthcare. You are truly helping to transform healthcare and the lives of patients. Thank you so much – and here’s to a big 2018 too.
Fiona Miller Smith, Chief Executive
14
Challenge yourself
E G N E L L A H C ! F L E S R U YO Join us for the Santa Run – or, since Spring will be here before we know it, it’s the perfect time to sign-up for a Spring/Summer challenge as some motivation for the colder and darker months! Join #TeamExtraordinary today and we’ll give you all the support you need to ensure your challenge is a success.
HERE’S WHAT WE’VE GOT COMING UP:
Santa Run
London Marathon
San Sebastian to Barcelona cycle
3rd December 2017
22nd April 2018
You and thousands more Santas on a 5k or 10k run around Victoria Park. What more could you want to get you in the festive spirit?
We’ve allocated our charity places for the 2018 race, but if you’ve been lucky in the public ballot, we’d love to have you on our team!
Hackney Half Marathon
Machu Picchu trek
Skydiving
19th-28th October 2018
on a date of your choice
This amazing trek takes you off the beaten track as you wander through the clouds to the lost city of Machu Picchu.
Take the plunge for a truly exhilarating challenge!
20th May 2018 One of the biggest and best half marathons in the UK, taking you around the Olympic Park and East London.
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
6th-12th May 2018 407 miles across the Pyrenees between France and Spain – a beautiful challenge.
Email mic@bartscharity.org.uk. You can find out more about our events at bartscharity.org.uk. 15
Transform Trauma
TRANSFORM TRAUMA Our £1m appeal to save the lives of critically-ill trauma patients We hear and read about trauma on an almost daily basis. News of car accidents on the radio, reading about spates of stabbings and violence in the newspaper, finding out about a terrorist attack on social media – it’s all, unfortunately, too common. Trauma is the biggest cause of death and disability for people under 40, and it’s a leading killer of all age groups. But what trauma is, how it devastates so many lives, and what we can do about it are all woefully misunderstood. Trauma is physical injury to the body, most commonly caused by road accidents, falls and violence. The tragic incidents we’ve seen in London, Manchester and further afield this year have shone a spotlight on trauma on a mass scale, and the importance of lifesaving treatment from specialist trauma teams. Our Transform Trauma appeal aims to save the lives and improve the recoveries of people affected by such tragic events – events that can happen to anyone, anytime. Research is key to unlocking the ability to save the lives 16
of people affected by catastrophic trauma injuries. And, for those that do survive, to ensuring they can recover as fully as possible – because the effects of trauma injuries are far from over once the patient leaves hospital. We’re on a mission to raise £1 million to fund research and innovation to do just this. We’ve already seen what trauma research can achieve: in the last five years, there’s been a 50% increase in trauma survival in London alone. But incidences of trauma are on the rise; it’s a worldwide health crisis. On our doorstep is the unique, world-leading Centre for Trauma Sciences, where research takes place that is put into practice at The Royal London Hospital’s Major Trauma Centre as well as all major trauma centres across the UK. The problem is that their work is crucial, but desperately under-funded. We want to change that. Their work has the potential to save and transform lives locally, nationally, and globally. With the help of our community, we can save lives. We can Transform Trauma.
Transform Trauma
Survivor stories
Six trauma survivors kindly – and bravely – shared their stories with us to raise awareness of the devastation that trauma can cause.
Campbell fell 25ft from a balcony and suffered severe brain injury and a personality change
Vicky was trapped on
a rollercoaster when her carriage hit another carriage; she needed her leg amputated
Grace was
Marcus suffered a serious motorcycle accident and was paralysed from the chest down Ella tripped while out running; the fall dislocated her knee which severed an artery, and she needed her leg amputated
involved in a car accident, breaking 28 bones and suffering a whole host of other injuries
Professor Green: Trauma ambassador
Transform Trauma in the media c
he Sunday Mirror and Mirror Online T are supporting the appeal
c
rofessor Green and lead trauma P researcher Professor Brohi appeared on ITV’s This Morning
c
rofessor Brohi and trauma survivor P Vicky talked Transform Trauma on BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire
c
The Sun covered the appeal
c
m+ people are talking about 3 #TransformTrauma on social media
We’re excited to have the rapper and documentary maker Professor Green as the ambassador for our appeal. He’s a double-trauma survivor himself, having been stabbed in 2009 and hit by a car four years later. He was treated at The Royal London. He’s showing his support, speaking out about past experiences with trauma and the importance of our appeal. And in September he played a packed-out headline show in London in aid of Transform Trauma.
HOW to support the appeal
Head to JustGiving at bit.ly/transformtrauma Or text TRMA24 £5 to 70070 Give #1Hour of your time – find out more at bartscharity.org.uk/1hour 17
Thank you
Here are just some of the inspiring people doing extraordinary things.
David David had open Bike from heart surgery at Lo ndon to St Bartholomew’s Cambridge after suffering from a heart condition nicknamed ‘The Widow Maker’. Already a keen cyclist, he decided to bike from London to Cambridge to raise money for the hospitals and help other patients in the same situation.
£1,010
Katy A year after finishing treatment for breast cancer, Katy challenged herself to swim 1,000 lengths to raise £1,000. Katy smashed her target and has donated the funds to breast cancer research at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. 18
Claire, Louise and Janice Staff at Newham Hospital have raised money Hackney Half towards toiletry bags marathons for visitors to the older people’s wards – including toothbrushes, soap and notes on how to get around the hospital. They fundraised by holding a bake sale and Claire also ran the Hackney half marathon!
£364
Thank you
Nadia
Nadia (pictured below, Garden party second from right) was treated at Whipps Cross for breast cancer and wanted to help future patients so she organised a garden party which raised £3,300! She also creates and donates pretty ‘drain bags’ which cover up the unsightly bags that women are given to collect excess fluid following surgery.
£3,300
Richard Richard (pictured below, left) was treated by the trauma team at The Royal London Hospital after being caught up in the London Bridge attacks. He and his friends are raising funds for the trauma ward by organising a series of events including and counting! an under 14s football tournament.
£9,460
Keith Freemason Keith organised a night of dinner and dancing to raise money for staff on the neurological ward that provided life-saving care to his wife Barbara after a fall. The event was attended by many of the hospital staff who were delighted to see the progress Barbara had made.
Matt It took Matt 24 hours to cycle from Cornwall to London – he took on the fundraising challenge for The Royal London and St Bartholomew’s after his friend collapsed and was treated for a cardiac arrest there.
£1,868 A huge THANK YOU to everyone doing something to help us reach more patients. You can get involved too at bartscharity.org.uk/getinvolved. 19
Volunteers
! S R E E T N U L O V D E WE NE Could you spare a little time? We need volunteers across all Barts Health sites – Newham, St Bartholomew’s, The Royal London, Whipps Cross.
Volunteering for us is a great way to learn new skills, meet new people and make a huge difference to the hospitals in your community. Our volunteers help us do more for the patients we support. Minutes, hours, days, months – however much time you can give, you’ll be doing something extraordinary and helping us to reach more people.
So if you want to: Help a great cause Have fun Meet people Improve your CV Learn new skills
…Get in touch today! Call Simon on 020 7618 1730, or email mic@bartscharity.org.uk. 20
Phoebe’s
QA &
Phoebe started volunteering with Barts Charity early last year. We spoke to her about her role and what motivated her to get involved:
What first attracted you to volunteering? I started volunteering with Barts Charity in early 2016. My boyfriend Dave trained as a radiotherapist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and had just got a job there when he was involved in road accident in Farringdon. The trauma team at The Royal London did everything they could to help him, so I wanted to do something to help in return.
Did you have any concerns before you began? Mainly I was worried I wouldn’t be ‘helpful’ (especially in things I wasn’t experienced in before, such as approaching local businesses
Upcoming events for event sponsorship opportunities), and on a practical level learning the hospital layout! However, I was (and still am) very well supported by the charity’s community team.
What does the role entail? I visit St Bartholomew’s once a week to distribute the charity’s leaflets and magazines (maybe even the one you are reading!) in waiting areas and wards. I also chat to staff to keep them updated about any events, fundraising and applying for funding. In addition, when required I help out with bake sales and other events both within and outside the hospitals.
What is your favourite part of it? I see my time volunteering as an enjoyable weekly break from my studies that has allowed me to meet some lovely people. In addition, I’ve had the chance to attend festivals running an information stall alongside the sexual health testing service partially funded by the charity.
Any other comments you want to add to anyone who might be thinking about volunteering? A few hours a week can be very rewarding, particularly if you have a personal connection to the hospitals. There may even be a fetching purple hoodie in it for you!
ur diary
Dates for yo
Barts Health NHS Trust and St Joseph’s Hospice Annual Service of Remembrance St Paul’s Cathedral m 29th October 2017, 6p
Santa Run
Victoria Park 3rd Decembe r,
9am
Tops ‘n’ Toes D a
y
Everywhere! 8th Decembe r (see pages 45 for details)
Festival of Ca ro
ls
St Bartholom ew’s the Gre at 14th Decem ber 2017, 5:45 pm
Key challenge events
Your own in aid of events, from bake-offs to quiz nights, any day of your choice!
s
see p15 for date
To find out more about any of these events, please email
mic@bartscharity.org.uk 21
Supporter story
Why I support Barts Charity: Lillie Lillie Mitchell Hogan is not your average 14-year-old. While most teenagers kick back and enjoy their summer holidays, she took on 4am starts, 4ft waves and thunderstorms to kayak 100 miles, and fundraise for the hospital that saved her Grandad, James.
22
Supporter story James was taken ill in January and after driving himself to A&E, doctors informed him that he was suffering a heart attack. Rapidly developing complications meant he needed to be transferred for surgery at the Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew’s Hospital. The heart attack naturally had a big impact on his family, especially 14-year-old Lillie. She describes the news as “…the scariest thing I had ever heard. From that moment on my life changed and I quickly realised how easy it could’ve been to lose him.” Lillie wanted to repay the hospital that had helped her Grandad and set herself a challenge where she could use her passion and skill at kayaking; a 100-mile kayak in the sea in her hometown Southend, which would make her the youngest person to cover that distance. She wanted to raise as much money as possible for the Barts Heart Centre because, she said, “Every girl, no matter how old they are, needs their Grandad in their life.” With the help of her coach Norman and mother Natalie, Lillie trained for months for the solo kayak and the hazards it could produce, like capsizing and tidal forces. As if preparing for the challenge was not enough, Lillie’s training to be a lifeguard at the kayak club, undertaking a Duke of Edinburgh award and studying a three-year GCSE course! Her mum says: “As parents we’re always proud of her; she works so hard!”
James was there to celebrate her crossing the finish line. Earlier this year he had the unique opportunity of meeting the team who saved his life (pictured). He said: “I can’t thank the staff enough for fixing me and making it possible for me to see Lillie crossing the finish line.” Lillie has raised over £700 so far, with all funds going to the Barts Hearts Centre where James was treated. In her Mum Natalie’s words: “She is truly amazing and has worked so hard to complete this challenge.” When asked if she wants to be professional kayaker in future, she said: “I wanted to be a vet but since Grandad’s heart attack I’m thinking of becoming a doctor instead.” We can’t thank Lillie and her family enough for the support they have given us. If Lillie’s inspired you to take on a challenge – or if you’d like to share a story of your own – please get in touch: mic@barts.charity.org.uk. 23
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Phone
3 Payment details □ I enclose a cheque (please make cheques payable to Barts Charity, and please don’t send cash in the post) □ Please charge my debit card/credit card/Maestro/Amex Name on the card Card number Issue number
Security number
Start date
End date
/
/
□ I would like to make a regular donation and request a standing order form
4 Gift Aid Boost your donation by 25p for every £1 you donate – at no extra cost to you. □ I’d like to Gift Aid my donation and any donations I make in the future or have made in the past
four years to Barts Charity.
Signature I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year, it is my responsibility to pay any difference.
Date D D / M M / Y Y Y Y Gift Aid information: Gift Aid is reclaimed by the charity from the tax you pay for the current tax year (6 April to 5 April). For every £1 you donate Barts Charity can claim 25p from HMRC. Your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer. Please notify Barts Charity if you: want to cancel your declaration, change your name or home address, no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.
Please return this form to us at: Barts Charity, 12 Cock Lane, London EC1A 9BU □ I’d like to sign up to receive monthly e-news □ Please send me the next issue of Make it Count to my address above □ I don’t want to receive any further information from Barts Charity
Registered charity no. 212563