The bells of Leicester Cathedral last week rang out to honour residents living with cancer and to mark the launch of Leicester Hospitals’ Charity’s Chemotherapy Suite Christmas Appeal.
Leicester Hospitals’ Charity’s Chemotherapy Suite Christmas Appeal – Bells ring out
Canon Emma Davies and Chemotherapy Suite nurse Rachael Purves rang the bells to symbolise the end-of-treatment bell those receiving chemotherapy at the Osborne Building at Leicester Royal Infirmary ring at the end of their treatment.
The charity’s Christmas Appeal is hoping to raise £5,000 – enough for one new chair. The Christmas appeal is part of the charity’s longer term goal to raise £600,000 for six new chemotherapy treatment chairs and to transform a currently unused balcony into a new treatment area.
Canon Emma Davies said it was an honour to ring the bells in support of the appeal.
She said:
“I hope that our bells will sound a note of hope for people living with cancer and their families across this city and county and that many people will be helped through the money raised.”
Last year, 7,600 people were diagnosed with cancer in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
The Chemotherapy Suite at the Osborne Building at the Leicester Royal Infirmary has been in operation for over 20 years.
Over the past two decades, new cancer treatments have been developed and delivered through immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
While it is excellent news for cancer patients, it means that the Leicester Royal Infirmary does not have the space to treat patients immediately and the delays can impact their quality of life.
The success of the Chemotherapy Suite Appeal will facilitate around 4,000 more treatments – that’s an extra six patients able to receive treatment at any one time.
Consultant, Professor Samreen Ahmed, said:
“What we need urgently is more chairs to treat more patients and save more lives.
“Please, if you can, make a gift to Leicester Hospital Charity this Christmas to secure a new chair for the chemotherapy suite.
“This chair will help save the lives of many people living with cancer in our area, and we look forward to more bells being rung, directly as a result of the generosity of people across our community.”
More and how to donate here.
