Emma’s oldest son, Dan, was taken into Bassetlaw Hospital when he was just seven months old with what would later be diagnosed as severe bilateral urinary reflux – a urinary tract infection that is very rare in boys. Dan had to stay on anti-biotics for four years after the diagnosis and go for annual scans to check for signs of infection until he was 14 years old.
Dan is now 25 and a 6’7 gentle giant, as described by his mum, who has played rugby at a high level, and is currently training for his first strong man competition.
Emma is taking part in this challenge to give something back to those who helped both her and Dan through an incredibly tricky time. She spoke about how she had been finding the challenge so far: “The runs are between 2k and 5k every day. On the first day of April, I was full of enthusiasm, thinking yes, I can do this, but over the weekend my speed dropped and I was really disappointed. However, I then had an epiphany moment and thought that timing doesn’t matter, the fact that I am out there running a mile and a half every day for an amazing cause is what counts, and that in itself for someone who is not a runner is an achievement.
“If I think back to the 25-year-old me, sitting by a cot on the Children’s ward, and how I was then, my body then can do things that it can’t do now, however there was no way that I could have run every day of a month. I did not run at all, my exercise was chasing after a toddler!”
Catherine Burke, Senior Sister on Bassetlaw Children’s Ward, passed on her thanks to Emma. She said: “We are extremely thankful for Emma’s fundraising efforts and for remembering the Unit so long after Dan was last with us. The money raised will be put to fantastic use, allowing us to continue to help children, like Dan, who need our help.”
Emma finished off by reflecting on her experience. She said: “I think when you have a poorly child at whatever age, sometimes you can’t see the way out of it. If anyone can read this story, and they are going through tests or anything like that, I hope they could see this as an example of when things can get better. If you look at Dan, he doesn’t look like a child with a kidney problem or who spent a week in hospital.”
If you would like to support Emma with her amazing fundraising efforts, you can donate via her Just Giving page which can be found here – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emma-salt4. If you have any other questions about how you can get involved with supporting Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, you can contact the Fundraising and Communications Team on 01302 644244 or dbth.charity@nhs.net.
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The Serenity Appeal will ensure the improvement of the maternity bereavement services at the Trust, and make sure that those who require its services receive a gold standard of care. The funding raised through events, such as that done by Brendan and his family, will go towards purchasing a new scanning machine for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), renovating the counselling rooms at Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI) and Bassetlaw, and also be used to create a bereavement room on the Children’s Ward at DRI, entitled ‘The Serenity Suite’.
They will be commencing with the challenge in the week beginning 25 April and are hoping to conquer the three Yorkshire peaks, Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough, in around 12 to 14 hours.
Caren Hudson, the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit Manager at DBTH, is the partner of Brendan, mother to Conor, and mother-in-law to both Emma and Dan. Caren, alongside her daughter and other family members, will be setting up a basecamp in Austwick to provide refreshments and celebratory drinks to the team taking on the challenge, as well as tending to a potential blister or two.
Caren said: “The team are more than happy to support the Serenity Appeal; the heartache of baby loss is never far away, and we all know someone in our lives that experienced this unbearable grief.
“This is close to my own heart, as manager of the EPAU unit we care for women, couples and their families at this sad time. The money raised for the Serenity Appeal will enable us to provide in-house scanning and refurbish the counselling rooms at Doncaster and Bassetlaw; this will have a very positive impact on the quality of the service we provide and create a private, quiet and comfortable room for families to grieve within the hospital.”
Brendan commented on how he, and the team, are feeling about the challenge and why they are taking it on. He said: “We are really excited about doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. The route is 24 miles and has 5200 feet of ascent which will most definitely push us to our limits, but it will all be worth it in the end.
“The members of our team have thankfully never experienced pregnancy loss directly, but know people who have, and Caren’s work has made us all very much aware of how devastating it is for families to experience. We are delighted to be able to support the appeal and do what we can to help in the improvement of the maternity bereavement services across the Trust”.
The Serenity Appeal itself was launched at the start of February, and has so far raised over £25,000. There are a number of ways that you can donate to the appeal, whether you want to make a one-off donation, take part in a sponsored event or create your own fundraising project – please head to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/ for more details.
If you have questions or would like to request more information in regards to this appeal, or for any other charitable project at the Trust, please contact the Charity Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
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The Serenity Appeal will fund the creation of a specialist bereavement suite for Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI), the purchasing of a mobile ultrasound scanner for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), and enable the refurbishments of the two EPAU counselling rooms across both sites. To make all this possible, the Trust needs to raise £150,000 and all the funds generated from the Yorkshire Three Peak Challenge will go towards achieving this target.
The challenge will see the participants take on the mountains Pen-Y-Ghent, Whernside, and Inglebrough, whilst being guided by qualified walking leaders who will ensure the safety of all involved. They will follow the 24-mile route over the mountains, which includes 1585 meters of ascent.
Rhian Morris and Mathew Proctor are the Bereavement Midwives at the Trust, and have lead the push for improvements to the maternity bereavements services at both Hospitals. Rhian said: “We are delighted to announce this challenge and can’t wait for it to get started. It will undoubtedly be tough for all those involved, but we believe that they couldn’t be doing it for a better cause and are sure that it will be a fantastic day.
“The appeal will allow us to bring our bereavement care within maternity up to date and ensure that we offer a gold-standard service to all of our patients. This investment will give these families the opportunity to spend time with their baby and make memories in their own time, something that will be invaluable to them.”
Hayley Milner and Paula Fores both work in EPAU at DBTH and have both signed up to take part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Hayley said: “The funds raised through this appeal will massively help our department and we are very passionate about wanting to personally contribute to the target. We rely on patient feedback to improve our service in EPAU, and we hear a lot from patients who have experienced problems in pregnancy and therefore require a scan. They have to sit in a department with other ladies who are having dating and 20-week scans, which makes them feel uncomfortable.
“Although our contribution will be small towards the £150,000 target, every little helps. By participating in the Three Peaks Challenge we are going to be really pushing ourselves, but we will be doing it for our patients. Any donation is not too small, every £1 helps.”
This challenge is suitable for individuals and teams, but you will need a good level of fitness to take part. You must be at least 16 to participate, and all under 18’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult throughout the duration of the event.
There is a £40 registration fee for all those who join, and the minimum sponsorship is £150. All participants will receive a welcome pack filled with ideas to help you train, as well as advice on how to reach your fundraising target. As an extra bonus, all of those who take on the challenge will receive a special t-shirt to wear on the day.
Training walks, organised by Kuta Outdoors, will also be taking place and further information on these walks, as well as the challenge itself, will be included in the welcome pack sent over.
If you would like to find out more about this project, please head to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/our-events/ or to get more information on the wider appeal, please click on this link https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/.
The Trust will also shortly be releasing details on an upcoming skydiving fundraising event for the Serenity Appeal, which will take place at Skydive Hibaldstow in July. Those who wish to express interest in taking part in this adrenaline fuelled event should contact Sarah Dunning, DBTH’s charity coordinator, on Sarah.Dunning@NHS.net.
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The Serenity Appeal will enable DBTH to bring their bereavement care within maternity up to date, and allow the team to provide those who require their services with a gold standard of care. The money raised through the appeal will be used to purchase a new scanning machine for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), renovate counselling rooms both at DRI and Bassetlaw, as well as create the Serenity Suite itself.
This suite will be a space for families to go if they have experienced a bereavement, and give them the privacy that they require to mourn, and spend time with, their new-born. Howdens’ will be installing the kitchen in the suite, which will give families the opportunity to make refreshments without leaving the room and ensure that they can spend as much time as possible with their child.
Alongside the donation of a kitchen, the Howdens team will also be supporting the appeal by placing fundraising buckets at the depot, giving their staff and customers the opportunity to donate to the appeal as well.
Nicola White, The Howden’s Kirk Sandall Depot Manager, sadly experienced the loss of a child recently and was one of many employees at the depot that wanted to support the appeal. She said: “At Howden’s we had an opportunity to support our local area through charitable donations. Numerous members of the team are connected with the Children’s Ward at DRI in a variety of ways, so for us it was a way of giving back to our local community and supporting a fantastic project.
“This suite will give people that private time to process things, and when you are in that situation yourself its quite difficult to cope as there is a lot going on around you. The appeal touched a lot of our hearts, and we are delighted to be able to help where we can.”
Mathew Proctor, who is one of two bereavement midwives at the Trust, said: “We would like to express our thanks to Howdens Kirk Sandall for donating this kitchen to our Serenity Suite. It will ensure that the room caters to all the needs of those families who require its services, and give them as much time as possible to spend together, as a family.
“The Serenity appeal is an exciting project that will enable us to significantly improve the standard of care that we are able to provide, and ensure that our patients have the best facilities possible. We hope that the improvements made will help families begin their bereaving process in the best manor possible.”
The appeal has got off to a fantastic start, however it still needs support and there are a number of ways that you can donate. Whether you want to make a one-off donation, take part in a sponsored event, or create your own fundraising project – please head to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/ for more details.
If you have questions or would like to request more information in regards to this appeal, or for any other charitable project at the Trust, please contact the Charity Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
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Alison and Erin wanted to help make the Serenity Appeal’s goal of improving bereavement care within maternity a reality. As part of the project, a new bereavement suite, entitled ‘The Serenity Suite’, is being created which will be a shielded and peaceful environment for bereaved parents to create memories with their babies in their own time.
The appeal will also allow the Trust to purchase a new scanning machine for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), as well as enable the renovation of the counselling rooms both at DRI and Bassetlaw.
The 10K that both Alison and Erin completed took place on 28 November, with Alison finishing in 1 hour 16 minutes and Erin, who had to participate with a protective boot on her foot, crossing the finish line 2 hours and 6 minutes after setting off. They decided to keep their JustGiving page open for a couple of weeks after the event itself as they kept on receiving donations, and managed to surpass their initial target of £1000 by £114.25.
Commenting on the run itself, Alison said: “I found the run to be a true competition with myself and felt a real sense of achievement when I crossed the finish line. Every kilometre that I ran reminded me of all those who sponsored us and the importance of the cause we were running for, but I now understand the feeling of ‘hitting the wall and running through it’. I honestly did a little jump at the end – where I found the extra energy I don’t know.
“But my proudest moment was for Erin. She had a boot on her foot and walked her way around the route supported by the volunteers of the event, she never gave up and completed it with tremendous effort. I dare say this was her hardest marathon yet!”
Alison concluded by saying: “The amount we have raised is far more than I anticipated, and we feel absolutely grateful to every single supporter. We read every message that came with those donations and the words of support for us were incredible. We would like to talk further with the bereavement midwives to decide how we want these funds to be used in the new bereavement suite, and to demonstrate how fabulous all the contributions are.”
If you would like to get involved in fundraising for the Serenity Suite project, or for any other project at the Trust, please contact the Communications Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity. To find out more information about the appeal, please visit https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/
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The couple will be taking to the skies on 16 March at Skydive Hibaldstow, jumping from a staggering 15,000 feet to support the appeal.
Lindsey’s sister, Rhian Morris, is a Bereavement Midwife at the Trust, and Lindsey wanted to do what she can to support her sister in the improvement of DBTH’s maternity bereavement services. She said: “I am so proud of my sister and her colleague, Mathew Proctor, for what they have achieved so far and wish to help support them with their vision for the future of how their service should be.”
“My partner and I would like to help raise vital funds for this worthy cause as we know of friends, family members, and colleagues that have suffered the devastation of baby loss. Every penny that we will be fortunate enough to raise will all be invested straight into the maternity bereavement services, to continue to help families of Doncaster and Bassetlaw.”
The appeal will fund the creation of the ‘Serenity Suite’ on the Women’s and Children’s Ward at DRI, which will be a designated space for families to go if they have experienced a bereavement and mourn the loss of their new-born. It will also fund the purchasing of a new scanning machine for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), as well as being used to renovate the counselling rooms both at DRI and Bassetlaw.
Rhian expressed her thanks to the couple, and commented on why this investment is so important. She said: “I’d like to thank Lindsey and Andy for choosing to support our appeal. They are showing true bravery (or madness!) in doing what they are, and I am immensely proud of them both for their fundraising efforts.
“The money raised will be vital in helping to transform the environment and services for our families that face the heartache of losing a baby. This is the one chance that families will have to spend with their baby and make memories, so it is vital we make their stay as comfortable and as homely as possible. This is what the families will remember for the rest of their lives.”
If you would like to donate to Andrew and Lindsey, you can do so through their Just Giving Page – www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lindsey-ward6. However, there are also a number of ways that you can donate to the wider appeal, whether you want to make a one-off donation, take part in a sponsored event, or create your own fundraising project – please head to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/ for more details.
If you have questions or would like to request more information in regards to this appeal, or for any other charitable project at the Trust, please contact the Charity Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
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The donation will support the creation of a bereavement room, entitled ‘The Serenity Suite’, at Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI), the purchasing of a new scanning machine for Bassetlaw Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU), as well as the renovation of counselling rooms both at DRI and Bassetlaw.
Sands United FC have just under 50 members who have all been affected by baby loss, and they wanted to help ensure that their local hospital has the facilities to best support people who may be going through what they, or their close friends, experienced.
John Drury, the founder of Sands United FC Doncaster, commented on why he thought this appeal was so important. He said: “I lost my son in Leeds, and we witnessed first-hand the facilities that they had in place there. We then had our daughter in Doncaster 14 months later and when we were in the hospital having our sessions, we never once saw anything like a bereavement suite. We always wondered if something like this actually existed at DRI.
“As soon as we found out that there was not, we thought this is massive. If we did not have that in Leeds, I can imagine that our grieving would have got off to a very bad start. This project is going to affect a lot more people than just us in the team, it will affect everyone in the future, so we want to do what we can to support in its creation.”
The team managed to raise £7,800 by organising three separate fundraising events.
The first of these, which took place in early September, was called ‘The Yorkshire Football Club Walk’, and was a sponsored walk from Harrogate to Doncaster, with the participants visiting a variety of Yorkshire based football grounds on their way. They passed Elland Road in Leeds, The John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield, both Sheffield football grounds, and others before finishing at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster. Three members of the team, Rob Campbell, Callum Jones-Bowman, and Marc Henson, set out on the 92-mile walk, and they were met by many of the team for the final leg of the journey between Sheffield and Doncaster.
Marc Henson spoke about why he took part in the walk and how he found it. He said: “Fortunately, I haven’t suffered loss, but I play for Sands United on behalf of one of my friends who has and can’t play at the minute. I thought this walk would be something good personally for me to give back, but also for him and the struggles that he has gone through.”
“Mentally and physically the walk was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but completing it was amazing. Yes it might have been painful for me, but it is nothing compared to what the people who play for Sands have gone through.”
The team also partook in a 24-hour sponsored walk around Lakeside in Doncaster, pushing an empty pushchair which had the names of babies who are no longer with us written upon it. This event, alongside the Yorkshire Football Club Walk and a fundraising night at the team’s local pub, raised £7,800 for the appeal.
The Serenity Appeal itself was launched by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospital’s at the start of February, and has so far raised over £20,000. There are a number of ways that you can donate to the appeal, whether you want to make a one-off donation, take part in a sponsored event or create your own fundraising project – please head to https://dbthcharity.co.uk/serenity-appeal/ for more details.
If you have questions or would like to request more information in regards to this appeal, or for any other charitable project at the Trust, please contact the Charity Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
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The Christmas Stars campaign managed to raise over £40,000 last year and offers an opportunity for local companies, community groups, schools and families to sponsor a star to help light up Bassetlaw Hospital, Doncaster Royal Infirmary or Montagu Hospital throughout the festive season whilst also raising vital funds for the Trust for reinvestment in patient care and facilities.
The team at GXO in Doncaster sponsored the medium star last year but have gone one better this time round and have sponsored the largest star available. Gavin Williams, GXO Managing Director, UK & Ireland, spoke about why the company decided to sponsor the star: “We are committed to supporting communities wherever we work nationwide. We are delighted to have this opportunity to help Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals raise funds for their important mission.”
The sponsorship of the star is a continuation of the support that GXO have provided DBTH over the last year. Another example of their fantastic efforts is their creation of a gift tree for the children’s ward at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, which saw 165 individually wrapped gifts being given out to the children on the ward, as well as 10 gift boxes for parents on the neonatal ward.
Alongside this they have held sponsored fancy dress events, collected colouring books, and delivered 135 Easter eggs to the Children’s ward, as well as helped pack the NHS thank you badges that were handed out to all members of staff across the trust.
On the support that GXO has provided, Michael Jones, Training Manager, GXO UK & Ireland, said: “Sponsoring the star came about because we asked our colleagues on-site which local charity they would like to support, and people kept on suggesting the hospital. So, we started fundraising and delivering presents to the Children’s Ward and have carried on ever since. We have sent colouring books, Easter eggs, and even managed to raise funds to purchase a video game console with a stand and a TV for the ward.
“It has really resonated with everyone on-site, and we now have colleagues asking when the gift tree will be back up again,” Jones continued. “People are really invested in it and with the site being only five minutes down the road, they can drive past and see the star that we have sponsored. We’re very pleased to do what we can to help our local hospital.”
Last Christmas, the GXO Doncaster team raised over £1,500 for the Trust and donated 165 presents to the Children’s Ward. The team has continued their fundraising efforts throughout 2021, having raised £1,170 in addition to the £1,500 donation made for sponsoring a star this Christmas and the gift tree that they will have on-site again this December for collecting presents for the Children’s Ward.
Mathew Timms, Matron for the Children’s Ward at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, said: “On behalf of the Children and Families Division at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to GXO for their continued support, kindness and generosity. Their fundraising efforts and donations have played a huge part in improving the lives for Children, Young People and Families.
“Sometimes it’s just those little acts of kindness that a Child or Young Person will remember the most about their hospital stay, no matter how scary or daunting the time was. Thank you again, GXO Logistics. Your compassion is truly appreciated by us all.”
If you have any other questions about how you can support DBTH, you can contact the Fundraising and Communications Team on 01302 644244 or dbth.charity@nhs.net.
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Throughout April K, who suffers from severe PTSD anxiety disorders and agoraphobia went for walks of differing lengths to help get out of the house whilst also raising money for Bassetlaw Hospital in the process with the help of sponsors.
K, alongside mum Carrieann, set-up a GoFundMe page where people could donate, as well as a Facebook page which documented their various outings.
However, it wasn’t just K and Carrieann who went on the walks as they were joined by two animals who are very different in nature. The first of these was Rue, the family dog, who had a great time accompanying them on their walks. The second was Pilchard, who is a plush backpack, and the famous cat from Bob the Builder.
Carrieann said: “At times it was very difficult for K, but they pushed through and left the house every day, sometimes very late at night. I’m so proud of them and in doing this walk, they have managed to raise a fantastic amount of money for our local hospital in Worksop.”
From the little things like toys to comfort children during an overnight stay, to the big investments which enable us to purchase cutting-edge technology that detects deadly infections like meningitis and the flu, charitable donations are used for the benefit of both staff and patients at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals.
Suzy Brain England OBE, Chair of the Board, said: “I want to thank K and family for this wonderful gesture. We have received an overwhelming amount of support throughout these past 20 months or so, and it is truly wonderful to see individuals challenge themselves, and use our charity to support them to get up and out of the house, improving their own health and wellbeing. A huge thank you from us all at Team DBTH.”
if you would like to get involved in fundraising for our hospitals, please contact the Communications Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to http://www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity
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Chloe Smith, who since the pandemic began has been passionate about helping fund the NHS, scaled the 950-metre-high summit of Helvellyn with her mum, dad, and one-year-old dog, Joby, on Wednesday 20 October.
The trek began at 9.45am, and by 12.30pm they had reached the summit despite the wind, rain, and hailstone.
Chloe’s mum, Anna, said: “Words just aren’t enough to describe how super proud we are of Chloe. She chose something that would really challenge her physically and mentally to raise as much money as she could.
“Absolutely amazing achievement and super proud mummy and daddy!”
Chloe has been especially inspired by her friend’s mum, Kelly Fisher, who now works as an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Specialist Nurse at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, as well as neighbours who work for the Trust.
Anna went on: “It was very emotional for her as she was exhausted. Even with all the right kit, the wind and hail took its toll.”
Despite this, Chloe put on a brave face. With the support of mum and dad, she safely returned down the mountain.
Chloe said: “I want to say thank you to everyone for donating and encouraging me, it means a lot.”
This isn’t the first time Chloe has launched a fundraiser, Anna explained: “Last year when we were in strict lockdown, Chloe was making headbands and wristbands at home and she wanted to sell them. She baked too.”
Anna went on: “It’s all she’s talked about since the lockdowns began. This is all Chloe’s idea.”
Due to changing COVID-19 restrictions, many of her plans were unable to go ahead. However, this didn’t dampen her spirits.
“While the lockdown is here, you might catch coronavirus. I thought a simple thing would be to climb a mountain.” Chloe said.
Completing the six-hour-trek outdoors means it is less likely to be cancelled, as well as ticking another activity off the list of things Chloe has been eager to do.
Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “As a trust, we are always grateful for fundraising events hosted by the public. However, Chloe’s efforts at such a young age are incredibly special and her passion is a wonderful thing to see – she should be incredibly proud of herself, and the same goes for mum and dad, and of course Joby.”
“The Peak District has many beautiful mountains, however, Helvellyn is well-known as being one of the highest. Well done to Chloe for such an ambitious project and from the entire trust, thank you.”
Helvellyn is a mountain in the English Lake District and lies between Ullswater, Thirlmere and Grasmere and to the north of Ambleside. It is the third highest peak in the Lake District.
Chloe’s JustGiving goal of £100 has now more than quadrupled at £401.
To donate to Chloe’s fundraiser, which ends this month, follow this link.
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