“I’m lucky to be here, seven years on.” Those are the words of 46-year old leukaemia survivor and mother of two Jackie Folkes. With five weeks to go until Southampton Hospital Charity’s Red & White Appeal Day, one patient reflects on her time undergoing treatment and tells why she will be supporting the campaign on Friday, 9 March.
In 2004 Jackie received the devastating news that she had leukaemia. Rushed from Southampton General Hospital’s Emergency Department to the haematology ward, months of intensive chemotherapy treatment lay ahead. Her journey was a difficult one and although she went into remission, the cancer soon returned and Jackie was told that she would need a stem cell transplant so that her body could produce new and healthy blood cells. In August 2005 a match was found for Jackie and she underwent total body irradiation and eventually her transplant. After transplant Jackie spent six weeks in an isolation room before she was well enough to leave the hospital.
Seven years on and Jackie now works part-time for Southampton Hospital Charity as a charity funds officer. Although she has recovered well Jackie still has to visit specialist haematology clinics every six months for check ups. Currently day case appointments take place in an area shared by other patient groups, which is at the opposite end of the hospital to the haematology inpatient facilities.
Southampton Hospital Charity’s Red & White Appeal| aims to raise £1.76million to create a dedicated day treatment unit for patients like Jackie who are receiving regular follow up treatment for blood cancers. The new unit will be co-located with the blood cancer inpatient facilities and the benefits will be immense, including giving patients more privacy, if they wish and a far more dignified experience. Patients will also be able to meet others with very similar conditions and those who are further down the road to recovery, whilst clinical staff will be able to offer more treatments to patients as day cases rather than admitting them as inpatients.
Jackie said, “I can’t praise the medical team enough for my treatment, but the current environment is far from ideal and it would be great if this could match up to the first class care that has allowed me to be here today.”
Jackie continued, “Plans for the new unit will mean there are more private areas for treatment, or when we are feeling more sociable we can use the dedicated open areas to chat to people who are going through the same thing.”
Plans for the day unit also include floor to ceiling glass windows to help flood the area with natural light, as well as revised clinic hours, allowing patients to be seen until 8pm on weekdays and also on Saturday mornings.
£1.1million has been raised to date and with £660,000 left to raise the charity is asking supporters to rally together for Red & White Appeal Day on Friday, 9 March to help make the project a reality.
Individuals, community groups and local businesses are all encouraged to get involved either by organising their own activities or events such as cake sales, raffles or quiz nights or by signing up to one of the charity’s events. Skydive places are available for Thursday, 8 March or Saturday, 10 March and a corporate breakfast will be held on Friday, 9 March at the Grand Cafe. What could you do to support Red & White Appeal Day? Could you spare an hour of your time to help us towards our goal?
A final word from Jackie, “My treatment was tough and I am very lucky to be alive. I am now enjoying life to the full and am delighted to be working with the Southampton Hospital Charity team. The missing piece of the puzzle is the new day unit which is needed as soon as possible.”
Jackie continued, “I am urging everybody to get involved and do their bit for Red & White Appeal Day on Friday, 9 March and help patients like me in their recovery. This is the one day that we can all join in and raise as much as we can towards the project.”
To find out more please call 023 8079 8881 and we will be happy to support your fundraising.
Posted on Friday 3 February 2012