The Difference - Issue 1

The Difference ISSUE 1

AUTUMN/WINTER 2024

Support your local hospitals’ charity for a future where we’re healthier together – delivering exceptional care for all Find out more about your local hospitals charity and the difference you make www.dbthcharity.co.uk 01302 644244 Registered charity number 1057917.

Thank you from your hospital charity I am really pleased to welcome you to the first ever edition of The Difference. If you are reading this as someone who has supported, or who is considering supporting, you local hospitals, then thank you.

Your kindness really does make a difference to patients and families and to the people working in the NHS who care for them.

As Chair of Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity, I see hundreds of examples of people who, at what might be one of the most difficult times of their lives, choose to give back. People who

want to say thank you for care; people who love their local hospitals; people who want to support the NHS team that stood by their side; people who want to remember a loved one; people who want to make sure that the very best care is available here, locally, for others in their community.

It’s truly humbling, and I never take it for granted. It’s my job to make sure that every penny given is used to make life better for those for whom their local hospital can literally be a life saver. In these next few pages, I want to share with you just a few stories of how we have met that important responsibility.

We are a small charity, but we have a determination to tackle some big challenges. What gives us confidence to 2

Contents Page 4-5 About your hospitals charity Page 6 Meet Robi the surgical robot Page 7 Support your local hospitals charity

Get in touch Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching aim high on behalf of our patients and families is people like you – our supporters. Local people who are passionate about their hospitals.

People who donate, run, walk, skydive, bake, play and cycle. People who leave a gift in their will. You’ll read stories of just some of the ways you have made a difference, and also learn about ways that you can do so again if you choose.

Hospitals Charity Communications & Engagement Office Doncaster Royal Infirmary Thorne Road DN2 5LT Tel: 01302 644244 Email: dbth.charity@nhs.net Web: www.dbthcharity.co.uk Follow us on: DBTHCharity Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity

And because of you, patients, families and NHS colleagues in Doncaster and Bassetlaw are supported beyond that which the NHS alone is able to provide.

Thank you.

3

About Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity

Facts about your local hospital charity

and all the people who care for you in hospital. Together with our supporters, we help your hospitals by ensuring that the ongoing needs of the trust continue to be met by going over and above what the NHS can provide. The donations and fundraising support you give fund things like: Patient & staff amenities Staff welfare programmes Research and development Improvements to hospital environments Specialist medical equipment

Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity has been around for many years, but officially re-launched in 2018. Our Charity Team is made up of two people, supported by our Charitable Funds Committee and guided by nurses, doctors

All of the amazing things we’re able to fund has been made possible because of people like you and with your help, we can continue to do so much more to make your hospitals even better now and into the future.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of Yorkshire’s leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000 across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas.

Hosting three main hospital sites and a number of additional services, the Trust is one of only five Teaching Hospitals in Yorkshire.

Facts about your local hospitals

4

The difference you make (£1,000)

Your donations funded 50 VIP bags to suppo rt patients with learning difficulties, pro viding activities for sti mulation to support them in busy environments and pro vid e a safe space for important healthcare documentation.

l t at Doncaster Roya ergency Departmen Em ric iat ts ed Pa ren r pa ou t, eir or and th Thanks to your supp help distract children rchase new toys to pu to le ab s wa ary Infirm treatment. while they wait for

(£400)

(£4,000)

To support families facing separation orders and enable our colleagues to provide the best care possible, we funded 50 H.O.P.E. boxes. Each box includes comforting items like baby tags, a milestone book, and an SD card with photos of mother and baby to help reduce the risk mental health crisis after separation. r very across ou in patient reco le ro l ta law vi et a ss ay tors pl d A4 at Ba tivity Coordina orkshop on War w al ic is us Th m g. a in Our amazing Ac r ort fo nt well-be requested supp boosted patie d an n io ct ra hospitals. They st me di offered a welco Hospital, which u. yo of e ible becaus was only poss

(£225)

(£2,500)

Sepsis is life-threatening, and than ks to your support, we've made major investments to increase awareness of its early signs. With your help, we funded a mandatory specialist training module for all staff to aid in the early identification and diagnosis of sepsis, helping to save lives.

5

Meet ‘Robi Sheldon Alan Surgeonator’, your first surgical robot for Doncaster Royal Infirmary

Thanks to a generous gift left in their will from Fred and Ann Green, Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity invested £3.6 million to bring Doncaster’s first surgical robot, the Da Vinci Surgical XI, named “Robi,” to the hospital.

This advanced robot, operated by surgeons via a console, provides highly precise, minimally invasive surgery, which has already benefited over 20 cancer patients.

Consultant Surgeon, Miss Antonia Durham-Hall, highlighted Robi’s impact: “I’m extremely pleased that we are now able to offer this to our patients and thankful to the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity for such a significant investment.

6

Robotic surgery improves patient outcomes, including faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and a reduced need for open surgery.

It also enhances outcomes for specific cancers, reduces issues with urinary and sexual function, and decreases the need for long-term stomas.

Leaving a gift in your will can transform hospital care, from investing in life-saving technology and training for healthcare professionals to enhancing hospital environments for patients and families. Your legacy will benefit your local community for years to come. For more information, contact our Charity Team at dbth.charity@nhs.net.

What will you do to support your local hospitals charity?

Fundraise There are so many ways you can fundraise for your local hospitals. At home, in work, as a group or with your friends and family. From a bake sale, to running a marathon, everything you do no matter how big or small makes a difference.

Need some ideas? You can find out more about our upcoming events and activities here: www.dbthcharity.co.uk/get-involved/.

Donate Give a one off donation or donate little and often. Donating £10 a month really does make a huge difference as it helps us fund projects across Doncaster &

Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, where it’s needed most.

Partnerships Together, we can do so much more for our communities and joining us as a charity through your business is a great way to show your support. Whether it’s through a strategic partnership, charity of the year or making a donation, we love to work alongside our local businesses to make an impact.

Leave a legacy Leaving a gift in your will is a wonderful way to support your hospitals. For support or more information in how your gift could help, please contact our Charity Team.

Find out more and get in touch Charity Address Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity Communications & Engagement Office, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster, Thorne Road, DN2 5LT

Telephone: 01302 644 244 Email: dbth.charity@nhs.net Follow us on DBTHCharity Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity 7

Thank you for helping us make a difference to your local hospitals Your next issue of The Difference will arrive in March 2025