Staff on a ward at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) have received a donation of £15,000 as thanks for the care a patient has been given.
Catherine Clark, from Newton Mearns, has been a patient of the head and neck cancer team at NHSGGC for a number of years, and latterly she has received care from the team at Ward 11B, part of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The donation was presented in a ceremony in the ward’s Day Room – one of the spaces that will benefit from the money. At the event Catherine was joined by retired businessman Peter O’Keefe and Chris Elkington, chair of charity Head and Neck Cancer UK.
Peter, a former McDonald’s franchisee, was the one who provided the funds for the donation. He said: “At our franchises, every time we charge 10p for a bag, we put that money in a pot and have supported a number of charities over the years.
“Now that I’ve retired, we still had money sitting there, so when I heard Cath’s story I was happy to help.”
The donation was facilitated with the help of Head and Neck Cancer UK, so as well as the £15,000 for Ward 11B, Peter and Cath gave £5,000 to the charity, to help strengthen ties across the UK to help head and neck cancer patients.
Of the £15,000, £14,000 was given to the ward, to be used to improve the experience of patients during their stay in the ward.
The first steps will be to upgrade the Day Room, and to improve the Snug – a private space used for patients and relatives who just need some time away from the ward’s clinical environment.
Cath said: “The Day Room is a lovely space with an amazing view, and upgrading it will be of real benefit to everyone on the ward.
“My husband Bob has already donated a TV for the Snug, so this money will allow us to complete the work and make it a really special place.
“Some of the patients are here for a considerable time, so having a space where they – and their relatives – can go for some time away from the hustle and bustle of the ward will be wonderful.”
The other £1,000 will be used to set up two funds – £500 to help provide the basics such as a toothbrush or a pair of pyjamas to patients in need, while the other £500 has been set specifically to give staff the odd treat now and again, as a small but very personal thank-you from Catherine.
“I’d just like to thank the staff on Ward 11B, and all the other staff who have helped me over the years, for the wonderful care they have given me,” she said.
Sally Campbell, Senior Charge Nurse on Ward 11B, was delighted to receive the cheque. She said: “We’ve got to know Cath really well over the years and she’s a real force of nature. The amount she’s done through her fund-raising efforts is amazing, but this donation is particularly special.
“Receiving positive recognition is great for our team, but a donation like this from someone like Cath is particularly special.
“I know Cath, Peter and Chris aren’t interested in recognition for what they do, but on behalf of everyone on Ward 11b, and across NHSGGC, I’d like to thank them for this wonderful gesture.
“The staff will certainly put their part of the donation to good use!”
For more about the ENT Department and the work it does, go to: Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgery – NHSGGC
