Cancer centre staff going the extra miles to support patient care and comfort
They say charity begins at home but for dedicated staff at Swansea’s very own cancer centre it begins in their place of work.
Grateful patients, families and friends regularly donate to the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital, which provides lifesaving treatment including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy.
These donations are put towards patient care and comfort, along with additional specialist equipment and training. They also support groundbreaking research to help deliver the best care to patients.
Main photo above shows (l-r): Jonathan Helbrow, Sarah Dawtry, Kate Ashton, Stuart Foyle, Elliot Caparros, Russell Banner, Daniah Thomas, Martin Rolles and Claire Bartholomew.
But staff don’t just sit back and wait for others to donate. They organise numerous fundraisers too and take part in a variety of events – including this year’s Admiral Swansea Bay 10k in September.
They are raising money for an exciting new fundraising appeal organised by Swansea Bay Health Charity, the health board’s official charity, to celebrate the South West Wales Cancer Centre’s 20th anniversary.
While details of that will be announced soon, the team of runners have already set up a fundraising page to support the anniversary appeal.
Oncology Service Manager Kate Ashton, who will be among the SWWCC contingent, said: “At the moment, 16 of us have signed up for 10k but we’re hoping to have 20 – 20 runners for 20 years of the cancer centre.
“Some of us were already runners but everyone decided to muck in and support it because they felt it was something they wanted to do.
“We get a lot of donations from our wonderful patients, their families, their friends, their employers and others.
“But staff do a lot of fundraising too. We have a core group who organise fundraising events. We don’t just sit back and wait for people to donate. We’re doing it ourselves as well.”
The Admiral Swansea Bay 10k will return for its 43rd race on 15th September with a start time of 11am.
Running with Kate on the day will be consultant clinical oncologists Delia Pudney, Craig Barrington, Martin Rolles and Russell Banner, also the SWWCC’s Clinical Director; consultant medical oncologist David Watkins; specialist registrars Daniah Thomas and Claire Bartholomew; specialist grade, oncology, Paul Gopurathingal.
Also, radiotherapy research fellow Jonathan Helbrow; assistant divisional manager, cancer services, Sarah Dawtry; quality improvement radiographer Stuart Foyle; and superintendent radiographer Elliot Caparros.
Kate said: “We’re going to be out in force for the Swansea Bay 10k, all in matching running tops. We’re hoping people will give us a cheer and a lot of support along the way.”
Please follow this link if you want to support the South West Wales Cancer Centre’s 10k team.
Swansea Bay Health Charity is the official charity of Swansea Bay University Health Board.
With your help the charity raises money for pioneering research, cutting-edge equipment, enhancing buildings and spaces, patient and family wellbeing and staff training which are not covered by core NHS funding.
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