Walk for Wards: Meet the people fighting to fund London's lifesaving hospitals
Walk for Wards: Meet the people fighting to fund London's lifesaving hospitals
22 June 2017
Hundreds of hospital staff and supporters are set to show their appreciation at Walk for Wards on Sunday 9 July.
The event is expected to raise tens of thousands of pounds for healthcare projects at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust's five west London hospitals - Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary’s, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and Western Eye.
Collectively, the walkers are due to cover more than 500 miles during the walk – the same distance as marching from Big Ben to John O’Groats.
Thankful patients and hospital staff have come forward in their droves to take part in the challenge, sharing dramatic stories of the outstanding medical care they received in their hour of need. Here are just a few of them:
‘Cancer care saved my father’s life’For the last 18 years, Tim O’Sullivan’s father, Terry, has lived with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma – a blood disease that attacks lymph nodes all over the body. The disease recently become more aggressive and Terry has required intensive chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.
Tim is bidding to run the entirety of the five-mile course, raising money for the team who treated his father at Hammersmith Hospital.
“The hospital and cancer day care unit have been amazing in their care towards my Dad over the past few months,” he said.
“From the donations given at previous charity events, the hospital has been able to invest in new equipment and facilities to help those in need just like my Dad.
“Without these donations from the general public, the journey we have been on would have been 10 times harder with even more challenges to face.”
‘Dedicated staff look after patients’ mental health’
Celestine Buluma is a mental health nurse based at Charing Cross Hospital. One of a team of 11 specialists, his work spans several wards, providing support for any patient experiencing mental health issues or dementia.
For Celestine, Walk for Wards is a chance to celebrate the importance of good mental health in hospital while raising money to support the team’s work.
“Patients come into the hospital with physical problems or issues, but there are often mental health issues too,” he said.
“The truth is that we are financially restricted in terms of what we can do for patients, but we can offer our support on a one-to-one basis.”
‘We are walking for thermometers’
Members of staff at Hammersmith Hospital’s chemotherapy day unit have teamed up with their patients in a bid to raise more than £1,500 for cancer care at Walk for Wards.
The 10-strong team will put the money towards a 'thermometer fund', enabling each patient to be given a thermometer to monitor their symptoms at home.
“We are getting better at treating cancer but it’s also becoming more and more expensive for patients,” nurse practitioner Lizzy Nkolobe explained.
“The disease can cause them to have ‘low bloods’, which predisposes them to infection. The cheapest and easiest way to check this is to check temperature with a thermometer. Every patient should have one.”
Imperial Health Charity’s Walk for Wards takes place on Sunday 9 July, starting and finishing at Merchant Square in Paddington. Participants can choose to walk either a two-mile or five-mile route.
Last year’s event raised more than £20,000 to help the charity fund dozens of projects for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, including major redevelopments, clinical research and initiatives to improve the patient experience.
For more information about Walk for Wards and to sign up for the event, visit www.imperialcharity.org.uk/walkforwards
The entry fee is £10 for adults and £5 for NHS staff, children (aged five to 17) and concessions. Under-fives can walk for free.
There is no minimum sponsorship. However, the charity will match fund the first 100 people that sign up to take part in the walk up to the value of £100.
