The South West Wales Cancer Centre team are seeking donations to its upcoming charity run, in hopes of improving patient care and procuring specialist equipment and training.
This year’s Admiral Swansea Bay 10k run will take place on 15 September at 11am, marking the 43rd anniversary of the event.
Swansea Bay Health Charity, the health board’s official charity, has organised the fundraising appeal in celebration of the centre’s own 20th anniversary.
The charity raises money for research, equipment, enhancing buildings and spaces, patient and family wellbeing and staff training which are not covered by core NHS funding.
'Everyone decided to muck in'
Kate Ashton, the centre’s oncology service manager, said: “At the moment, 16 of us have signed up for 10k but we’re hoping to have 20 – 20 runners for 20 years of the cancer centre.
“Some of us were already runners but everyone decided to muck in and support it because they felt it was something they wanted to do. We get a lot of donations from our wonderful patients, their families, their friends, their employers and others.
“But staff do a lot of fundraising too. We have a core group who organise fundraising events. We don’t just sit back and wait for people to donate. We’re doing it ourselves as well.
“We’re going to be out in force for the Swansea Bay 10k, all in matching running tops. We’re hoping people will give us a cheer and a lot of support along the way.”
Raising money for quality, care and comfort
Staff already taking part in the run include: quality improvement radiographer Stuart Foyle; superintendent radiographer Elliot Caparros; radiotherapy research fellow Jonathan Helbrow; assistant divisional manager, cancer services, Sarah Dawtry; consultant clinical oncologists Delia Pudney, Craig Barrington, Martin Rolles and Russell Banner, also the SWWCC’s clinical director; consultant medical oncologist David Watkins; specialist registrars Daniah Thomas and Claire Bartholomew; and specialist grade, oncology, Paul Gopurathingal.
The South West Wales Cancer Centre is based at Singleton Hospital in Swansea and treats patients from Bridgend to West Wales and up as far as Aberystwyth.
The team has so far raised just over £150 in donations.
To support the team in their run and in raising money for the Trust, find more information here.
(Image: Jonathan Helbrow, Sarah Dawtry, Kate Ashton, Stuart Foyle, Elliot Caparros, Russell Banner, Daniah Thomas, Martin Rolles and Claire Bartholomew.)