Friends of ANCHOR - Spotlight edition 14

INSIDE: our latest support and the power of your pounds

HOW FRIENDS OF ANCHOR CAN SUPPORT YOU

Throughout your treatment, our wellbeing team is close by with practical and emotional support, which you can access from hospital or at home.

SUPPORT IN THE ANCHOR UNIT

Wellbeing support

Our team is on hand to provide non-clinical support in whatever way they can, including:

A listening ear to support you emotionally Advice on support from the wealth of third-sector and community organisations available Coordinating our referral led services for transport, podiatry and Making Memories

Complementary therapies

Our chair and bedside therapies include massage, reflexology, mini manicures and podiatry. They are free for all ANCHOR patients.

Volunteer-led services

Our volunteer Welcome Teams extend a warm greeting and way finding support to day patients and visitors, with a daily treat trolley and juice rounds too. Our volunteer drivers are also on hand for patients requiring transport for stem cell transplant treatment.

Ward assistant support

Funded by Friends of ANCHOR, the ward assistants are on hand to support staff and patients, always with a friendly smile and listening ear.

PRACTICAL SUPPORT

Care packs

Our packs include carefully selected provisions to bring additional comfort and practical support for various stages of your treatment, including:

Chemo care packs

Inpatient care packs

Post surgery care packs

Radiotherapy care packs

Wig care packs

Wellbeing provisions

Our complimentary provisions to help combat the side-effects of treatment are available within the ANCHOR Unit and can be posted to you at home

iPads and connectivity

Our free WiFi is available throughout the ANCHOR Unit and iPads are on offer within the inpatient wards, for keeping in touch with loved ones. Please speak to a member our wellbeing team who will be able to help.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Mindfulness course

Guided by our tutor Louise via Zoom, our free 8-week course aims to provide tools and practices to alleviate feelings of stress or anxiety.

Wellbeing Retreat Days

A chance to meet fellow ANCHOR patients, past and present, and sample all that’s on offer with a full wellbeing programme and complimentary lunch.

For up-to-theminute information on our support, please scan the QR code to visit our website.

Scan me!

To make a service request or to speak to a member of the wellbeing team you can reach them on

wellbeing@friendsofanchor.org

01224 859222

HOW WE’VE SUPPORTED PATIENTS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THANKS TO YOUR BACKING

Volunteer-led services

LET’S GET SPECIFIC Patient support

19,547 9,778 417

welcomes from our Welcome Team volunteers

miles covered by our Patient Transport drivers

Impact made

hours of driving

1,602 1,178

The therapists were all so nice and always had a smile on their faces, and they would just sit and chat with you. It really helped take my mind off the treatment.

During that roller coaster ride that a cancer diagnosis and treatment regimen brings, the wellbeing team are a constant source of help, hope and “hand holding” in every sense of the words.

After finishing radiotherapy, my feet were in bits. I was in pain and I had trouble walking. An appointment with your podiatrist gave me the help and treatment needed. Thank you!

267

160

84

newspapers hand delivered with a warm hello each day care packs gifted to patients at different points in their treatment journey

complementary therapies delivered podiatry appointments treat ticket experiences

47 mindfulness attendees

15 memories created for those receiving end of life care

JIM MILNE

HELLO AND WELCOME TO EDITION 14 OF SPOTLIGHT MAGAZINE

A warm welcome to you, our readers.

I’m thrilled to see this latest edition in print, each page filled with celebration and gratitude in what’s recently been achieved and delivered, thanks to your support.

The team work tirelessly behind the scenes – and Spotlight gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the tangible power of your pounds.

The ANCHOR Centre is in touching distance and we continue, alongside NHS Grampian, to drive forward in the planning and preparations for what will be the most significant step forward for cancer and haematology care in the region (page 20).

Our Chair in Clinical Oncology, Professor Anne Kiltie, shares about the research work she has undertaken since taking up the post in the summer of 2021 (page 10). Whilst two of the Clinical Nurse Specialists in the ANCHOR Unit, Angie Shepherd (page 8) and Rachel Hall (page 14), give us a bird’s eye view into their roles.

We continue to be indebted to Mike, our podcast host, who records monthly interviews with members of our team, our volunteers, ANCHOR staff and our researchers, as well

as our ambassadors and fundraisers from the charity. People are the heartbeat behind what we do at Friends of ANCHOR and I’d encourage you to tune into hear from some of these individuals on the podcast.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy reading the latest update from the team. 26 years into holding the Chairman position, the dedication and generous overflow from you, our supporters, never fails to astound me.

Thank you.

Scan here or search ‘Friends of ANCHOR’ on any podcast platform to listen and subscribe.

CORPORATE PARTNERS

FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE THROUGH THE WORKFORCE. THANK YOU TO ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT FRIENDS OF ANCHOR.

Cove Rangers Football Club

£10,694 raised since 2021

Cove Rangers FC celebrated a milestone in 2022 – their centenary year. They sprang into action supporting Friends of ANCHOR, during what was a big year for us too – our 25th anniversary.

Following on from an initial bucket collection in 2021, they kicked off the 2022 proceedings by proudly displaying our logo on their shirt sleeves. After the new strip launched, we were invited to attend the Aberdeenshire and District FA (ADFA) tournament draw, held at Cove Rangers’ Balmoral Stadium, where our own chairman Sir Jim Milne and committee member Caty Smith accepted a donation from the ADFA, setting the tone for a season of generosity.

The club has extended three home game opportunities for our volunteers to collect donations from the stadium, raising an impressive sum thanks to the kindness of the fans. The Supporters Club threw themselves into the effort too, donning fancy dress to rustle up donations before Christmas.

The support continued as the club’s golf day was organised with the charity in mind, and our own golf day benefitted too, with an in-kind donation towards our grand auction.

Jim Jamieson Quarries

£26,610.56 raised in 2022, with a grand total of £190,119.25 since 2015

This family-run business has proudly supported the cause since 2015, but last year was a special one for their fundraising. In celebration of our 25th anniversary, they pledged to raise £1,000 for every year the charity has been on the go, surpassing their own expectations by raising upwards of £26,000!

With a huge effort headed up by Gemma Cameron at the firm, the total was reached thanks to a mammoth calendar of initiatives, including a supermarket bag pack in Ellon, bonus balls and raffles, an annual chocolate orange appeal, and two hotly anticipated Rock n Roll bingo nights – among many other events, all lovingly organised by Gemma and her helpers.

All this while also coordinating dozens of our collection cans in Ellon, and continuing with the appeals for ANCHOR Unit patients, which saw hundreds of goodies dropped off for ANCHOR Unit patients.

The passion and sheer dedication involved behind the scenes to raise a figure of this magnitude shows just how close the charity is to the hearts of the Jamieson family.

VT Wealth

£26,000 raised at the inaugural VT Wealth Ball

Husband-and-wife duo Vee and George Thom, of VT Wealth in Aberdeen and Fraserburgh, organised their first ever charity ball in aid of the charity - thanks to the recommendation of one of our longest-running supporters, Tina Gibbins.

There was a line-up of toe-tapping music from Irish folk and country stars, Fergal Flaherty and The Celtic Brothers, who Vee and George knew would bring the house down for their first concert in Scotland.

With a grand auction and raffle to raise funds, the generosity on show for their event was spectacular, with upwards of £25,000 raised – an amount that George and Vee chose to round up to £26,000!

shop shop our range

WE HAVE SOME BRAND NEW STOCK IN OUR ONLINE SHOP, WITH PURCHASES TO PAMPER YOURSELF OR SOMEONE SPECIAL.

With delivery costs covered by our corporate sponsor Balmoral Group, you can rest assured every penny of profits supports our work.

keyrings

Scented candles £20

Hoodies £19.99

3-FOR-2 ACROSS ALL PACKS

Card holders £12

Greeting cards £4 per pack

Mugs £12

ANGIE SHEPHERD

CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST ANGIE IS ON HAND FOR ANY PATIENT WITH A COLORECTAL CANCER. HERE SHE TELLS US HOW TREATMENT HAS CHANGED THROUGH THE YEARS, AND GIVES US HER TAKE ON THE CHARITY’S SUPPORT.

Hi Angie. Tell us a bit about your career to date. I started in ARI as an auxiliary nurse many years ago. I had a spell in the ANCHOR Unit outpatients as a healthcare support worker prior to embarking on my nursing degree. Since becoming a staff nurse, I’ve worked in various areas and specialities, but I’ve always been drawn back to the ANCHOR Unit.

I’ve been a colorectal CNS for over two years, and it was a natural follow-on from my previous role as a chemotherapy nurse and a colorectal research nurse. It really is my dream job – I’m there from day one with each patient, and working closely with my surgical colleagues, I can support my patients and their families, signposting them and advising them towards personalised care, including services like wig referrals and support from Friends of ANCHOR.

What treatment advancements have you seen in the time you’ve worked in the ANCHOR Unit? Immunotherapy is becoming more widely available, for patients who have a particular biomarker, which can be targeted by immunotherapy drugs. Biomarkers are investigated as soon as someone is diagnosed, to personalise their treatment plan. Eligibility to clinical trials at ARI are investigated at first discussion,

and if there is no trial suitable locally, consultants contact other centres to see if patients are eligible for trials in other areas of Scotland.

A big development on the horizon

is

The ANCHOR Centre - a positive and welcoming space for patients. For staff, being able to work under one roof together will be a great benefit.

How has Friends of ANCHOR’s support progressed over the years? Early in my career, the charity was just five years old, and it was Jimmy, the main man of Balmoral and Friends of ANCHOR’s chairman, who we would see in the hospital. The team has grown and now it’s the wonderful wellbeing support team, therapists, ward assistants and Welcome Team volunteers we see, all who deliver so many services and provisions for patients to lean into.

One stand-out for me is the Making Memories fund, which has a hugely positive impact on patients and their families. Referrals are brought to the charity and experiences are organised that help families create special memories.

Friends of ANCHOR’s involvement and integration with the NHS team is fantastic. There’s also been a significant

commitment to research over the years. In fact, some of the colorectal team are involved in a bowel cancer study funded by the charity.

What advice would you give a patient meeting with you for the first time? Every person is unique, with different needs but in general, bringing someone with you, another ear for listening, can be very helpful. In some circumstances, Google is not your friend, and can throw out things that aren’t applicable to you. Instead, I’d encourage a patient to write down any questions and bring them to their next appointment. Finally, share your treatment summary with your family and friends, and use the specialist nurse support as much as you can because that’s what we’re here for.

How important is awareness in bowel cancer? Early detection is so important. Any sudden changes in your bowel habit, like diarrhoea, constipation, or blood in your stool, should be checked. Losing weight when you’re not trying to, tummy pain, bloating, feeling of real tiredness –please don’t ignore these. Seek advice from your GP. Lots of these symptoms are not bowel cancer, but it’s far better to get them checked out.

ABERDEEN’S CANCER RESEARCH TEAM

OUR ‘DREAM BIG’ APPEAL IN 2017 BOLSTERED THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN’S EFFORT

TO RECRUIT A WORLD-CLASS CANCER RESEARCH TEAM TO THE NORTH-EAST. HEAR FROM FRIENDS OF ANCHOR CHAIR IN CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, PROF ANNE KILTIE , ON HOW THE AMBITION IS BEING REALISED.

How is cancer research in the North-east developing, and what are some of the areas of focus? We’re continuing to grow the team and collaborate with oncological and surgical clinical colleagues.

I’m working closely with the chair in molecular oncology, Prof Val Speirs, on an exciting proposal to adopt a Scotlandwide approach to encourage new collaborative research and innovation in cancer, increasing the breadth and depth of cancer research being conducted in the country. Our aim is to work with researchers from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde universities to win major grant awards for important research. We hope it will put Aberdeen on the map as a key place to conduct cancer research in Scotland, attracting new researchers and big grant income for the ultimate benefit of people diagnosed with cancers.

I’m really grateful to the donors and fundraisers who made it possible for myself and others to come to work in the region, and we hope to attract even more colleagues in the near future.

You worked in Oxford University’s department of oncology for 12 years. Since relocating to Aberdeen in June 2021, what are some of the highlights?

Being able to start our Friends of ANCHOR-funded PhD studentship, with a human volunteer study of a dietary intervention due to begin soon, is a wonderful development. We’ve also seen a positive uptake in cancer patients willing to donate stool samples just before their treatment starts, for our studies on how the bacteria in their intestines might be able to influence their treatment outcomes. This is another promising area of work.

How important is research funding of the nature Friends of ANCHOR provides? It is vital, as obtaining large national and international grants is very competitive and requires a lot of preliminary data and evidence that the grant is going to yield important results. Funding from Friends of ANCHOR allows us to undertake early, smaller scale projects that ensure viability for a larger grant.

What excites you most about the research happening at present, and what are some of our research strengths locally? Working with a wide, enthusiastic and engaged team of researchers, clinicians and research nurses and other support staff is what excites me about working here. There is a great ‘can do’ attitude which allows us to get things done.

We have access to the Biorepository for human samples for our studies, including tumour, blood and stool samples. The Rowett Institute is world-leading in nutrition and gut health research, which aligns very closely with my research interests, so this is an ideal place for me to be located.

What’s your vision for the future of the cancer research programme in Aberdeen? To encourage a wide range of cancer researchers to get involved and build up their own fields of interest, as well as promoting our work on dietary fibre and the gut microbiota and response to treatment in pelvic cancer patients. We want to be able to translate our findings into the clinic very soon and Friends of ANCHOR is helping with this.

In the next 10 years, what types of breakthroughs do you think we might see in oncology research? I would hope that we would be able to make an impact with our dietary fibre studies and patients will be able to receive less toxic treatments than those available now.

MindfulnessCourse

Mindfulness can be a great resource to equip you with tools and practices to alleviate feelings of stress or anxiety, as well as helping improve sleep quality.

Our accredited mindfulness tutor Louise Martin runs our fully-funded, 8-week course for ANCHOR patients. A course that is delivered online, offering the chance for participants to take part from the comfort of their own home.

Course graduates have the additional offering of our advanced mindfulness course which is delivered in-person at our patient retreat days.

“The mindfulness course has really encouraged me to focus more on the present and not dwell on the past as much, or fixate on the future.

Louise, who runs the course, has a very calming presence and I really enjoyed the social side of it as well, getting a chance to meet other patients. We’ve all been invited for the retreat day in the summer as well, where we’ll take part in an inperson session. It’s been a great support to me after my treatment.”

Dale McEwan, course graduate

Since we launched our mindfulness course:

100% of participants say they are able to deal better with difficult emotions

75% of people noticed improved sleep quality

100% would recommend the course to others

Upcoming course dates:

28 August Wednesdays | 6pm Online via Zoom

FOCUS ON

Wellbeing Retreat Days

Our wellbeing retreat days offer patients, and their loved ones, a chance to meet our wellbeing team and sample the complementary therapies and services freely available for them.

Our on-the-day programme includes:

• Mindfulness taster session

• Advanced mindfulness for course graduates

• Yoga

• Music + Movement

• Mini treatments in our Wellness area including massage, reflexology and manicures

• Nutritious lunch

“It was a real tonic speaking with others who have been through the same. In fact, it made me feel a lot more hopeful. I was met with such a warm welcome and the programme was wonderful. I really enjoyed every minute of being there.”

Isobel

Knights, retreat attendee

To enquire or book for either of these support services, please email wellbeing@friendsofanchor.org

Upcoming dates:

03 June | 11 November 10am - 3pm King’s Church (old AECC)

RACHEL HALL

How did you get into nursing? My background is oil and gas HR, but I’ve always had an internal drive to help people, which pushed me to become a nurse. My nursing career began in elderly medicine at ARI in 2014 and not long after, I relocated to Orkney, where I worked as a theatre nurse, followed by a wonderful opportunity to complete the chemotherapy administration course at Macmillan House at the Balfour Hospital. I had finally found my passion – to provide specialised care to oncology patients and people receiving palliative care.

When I moved back to Aberdeen in 2019, I worked in haematology for a brief period, before taking a side-step to develop my clinical skills as a nurse practitioner. In 2021, I secured my dream job as an oncology CNS at ARI – helping to support both sarcoma patients and those with a cancer of unknown primary. I consider it a privilege to support both my patients and their families to help them navigate their way through a cancer diagnosis, with personalised care and support.

What’s a typical week in the ANCHOR Unit like for you? Mondays are for new patient referrals and responding to any changes my patients may have had over the weekend. Throughout the week, I’ll visit patients as and when required, whether it’s on the ward, in the outpatient treatment area, or in clinics. I liaise with doctors, the multidisciplinary team and colleagues from Friends of ANCHOR

to identify extra support my patients could benefit from, like Friends of ANCHOR’s wellbeing support, a session with a dietician, or psychology support.

As a CNS, it’s really important I ensure my patients have clear and useful information at their fingertips to help them through a diagnosis and ensuing treatment.

How does Friends of ANCHOR fit into the NHS service provided in the ANCHOR Unit?

Friends of ANCHOR are the unsung heroes in linking patients up with support they could benefit from. They deliver added comfort for patients, but also for the staff caring for them, through initiatives like yoga sessions and mindfulness.

The positive impact of the charity reaches so many patients, and their families, during what can be the most difficult part of their lives. The wellbeing team and the charity’s therapists have a unique ability to connect personally with everybody, and I’ve witnessed first-hand the difference they make with their compassion, dedication and professionalism.

From a personal perspective, I’ve felt the benefit of their mindfulness course for staff, and there’s a version tailored specifically for patients which is a significant support. A real stand-out in the charity’s services is the Making Memories funding. It’s hard to put into words how much the scheme, which

creates special memories for people receiving palliative care, means to those who’ve had to call on its support. It is very special.

You’ve attended development events through our Clinical Excellence funding stream. What benefits has that brought?

I was able to attend an oncology conference in London last year, and spent a day at The Royal Marsden hospital, where I immersed myself in the work done by their highly specialised sarcoma team. It was a really valuable opportunity to network and see how other centres provide specialist care – and I’ll be attending another event soon for sarcoma specialists.

This type of support is fundamental to staff development, allowing us to transfer knowledge that filters down to the care we give our patients.

What are you most looking forward to about The ANCHOR Centre? The new building is going to lend itself well to teamwork, and ultimately, our patients will benefit from the closer working relationships their care teams will be able to switch on, thanks to the fact they’ll all be under the same roof. The advantages that will bring will be immeasurable. There will be many areas for our patients to relax and access information or services that can support them too. The Centre will provide a safe space for patients and their families, to feel welcome and comfortable during their visits.

AS A CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST (CNS) IN THE ANCHOR UNIT, RACHEL SUPPORTS PATIENTS WITH SARCOMA, OR THOSE WITH CANCER OF AN UNKNOWN PRIMARY.

STEVEN’S STORY

WE

As a keen foodie whose wife is an excellent cook, it’s rare for Steven to not enjoy a meal - but that’s what happened when he went for dinner to celebrate a family birthday in August last year.

The feeling of nausea around food persisted enough that Steven went to see his doctor, and when a round of tablets didn’t help and symptoms worsened, he was sent for more tests, with the result being one no one wants to hear.

“I got a call in the evening with the news that it was suspected cancer and two days later, I was given a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome,” he said. “By December, it had developed into acute myeloid leukemia. My wife Laura was shocked by how calm I was, but when treatment commenced within a week, the reality of the situation hit me.”

After results from an initial chemotherapy treatment, it was confirmed Steven would need a stem cell transplant. What followed was three rounds of inpatient chemotherapy in Aberdeen, with a further round in Glasgow before the transplant.

“A couple of days into the first chemo, my appetite actually returned. I’m a keen walker, and I must have walked hundreds of laps around the ward,” he said.

After the third round of intensive chemotherapy, Steven developed neutropenic sepsis, a setback which required a further two weeks in hospital for care and recovery. Thankfully Steven made it through the infection, and just a week after he returned home from hospital, he summited Bennachie with his sons Leo and Campbell.

It was during the spells in hospital that Steven became aware of Friends of ANCHOR. He said: “Every day, Lisa from the wellbeing team visited with a paper, and having that point of contact was brilliant. She would pop in to say hello and have a chat, helping make the time go faster.

“I was in just before Christmas and got a gift from the charity during their Santa visit, which lifted the spirits, and through their Treat Tickets draw, I’ve won tickets for an Aberdeen FC game, which I hope to be able to go to soon.”

Steven also credits the charity with supporting his family. He said:

“The boys were given books and superhero teddies which have comforted them while I’ve been in hospital. It’s a little thing, but it’s made a big difference.”

Speaking to us on the phone from his room at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where he has to stay in isolation for a period following the transplant, Steven said: “I’m really fortunate that there was a 100% match with a stem cell donor from America, and it has gone smoothly – the doctors are happy. The hardest part now is the loneliness of the isolation, missing my family and the restrictions of the four walls.”

Looking ahead to the reunion with his family, Steven added: “My wife has been my rock. During a diagnosis, your partner goes through so much, and Laura has been amazing through it all, she’s held the family together.”

“Friends of ANCHOR have been superb, providing transport to get me to Glasgow, with a volunteer driver called Jim McFarlane. All the support has helped me keep going, and the Ward 112 nurses are amazing. Anything you need, they’ll take care of you. It doesn’t matter how hard the day they’ve had is, they’re still smiling, which keeps you smiling.”

SPOKE WITH STEVEN BY PHONE DURING HIS RECOVERY FROM A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT TO TREAT ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA. A 39-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND AND FATHER, HERE HE SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.

AT THE HEART OF IT

MEET

HAZEL FOWLER, WHOSE INVOLVEMENT SAW HER CLOCK UP 440 VOLUNTEERING HOURS

LAST YEAR ALONE. HAZEL’S STEADFAST SUPPORT SEES HER PICK UP OFFICE AND HOSPITAL SHIFTS, EVENTS AND OUT-AND-ABOUT WORK, AND SHE’S A CONSTANT AND MUCH-LOVED PART OF OUR EXTENDED CHARITY FAMILY.

How long have you been volunteering, and what drew you in? A friend of mine, Gillian McLaren, was a Courage on the Catwalk model in 2018. I was in the audience to cheer her on, and it was mind-blowing how well it was organised. I was keen to get involved in something rewarding once again, having taken a year out for myself after retiring in 2017. I started volunteering at various fairs and stalls, with some ad-hoc event hours. By the following year, I was involved in Brave and Courage on the Catwalk, which I feel privileged to have helped at every year since. The cause is close to my heart, and the time I spend with Friends of ANCHOR is very meaningful.

The time you’ve gifted is astounding, with a weekly office admin day over the past few years, and extra hours before our events. You also volunteer in the hospital. Tell us about that? During the first year of the pandemic, I signed up to the Welcome Team, which operated at that time in Radiotherapy, greeting patients and helping with wayfinding and Covid measures. I enjoyed being able to do something that was helpful for others during that time, and as the months went on, volunteers were needed for the day treatment department too. Now,

I volunteer in Ward 310 every second Monday, for four hours. The shift begins at 9am, greeting patients and the people accompanying them, and helping support them. At around 11am, we do a juice run handing out cold drinks, snacks and newspapers to patients in the department.

Often you can tell if someone’s anxious and might like a chat or extra support. The hope is that we can help lessen the feelings of anxiety and create a welcoming environment, in addition to the amazing warmth and care the nurses provide. We can help deal with non-clinical enquiries and signpost people to the support from Friends of ANCHOR too. When The ANCHOR Centre opens, I hope to continue on as the Welcome Teams move over to the new facility.

What keeps you coming back, week after week and year after year? Volunteering gives me a sense of worth, and when I’m wearing my red T-shirt, I’m surrounded with great company. You really feel part of a team, but it’s more than that – it feels like a family, and I’ve made good friends.

Being involved with Courage on the Catwalk and Brave is a fantastic highlight, and I love my days in the fundraising office

and wellbeing hub, where I’ll spend time making up care packs which are gifted to patients. Volunteering with Friends of ANCHOR is my little ray of sunshine – it keeps me going.

As we go to print with this edition, you’re preparing to take on a skydive for Friends of ANCHOR. How are you feeling about the challenge? I’m very excited about the adventure and feel honoured to carry out such an activity. My husband Dave can’t take part in ‘adrenaline’ challenges, due to a life limiting blood disorder, so I’m covering his bucket list as well as my own. Dave has been very well looked after by the haematology department at ARI for many years, and my fundraising will go towards the ANCHORED Together appeal for The ANCHOR Centre, which will be an outstanding facility for anyone receiving outpatient care.

ANCHORED TOGETHER FOR THIS GENERATION AND THE NEXT

AS THE OPENING OF THE ANCHOR CENTRE DRAWS EVER NEARER, OUR PLANS FOR FUNDED SUPPORT WITHIN THE BUILDING, THROUGH OUR ‘ANCHORED TOGETHER’ APPEAL, ARE GATHERING PACE. HERE ARE THREE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE WHEN THE DOORS OPEN, THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT.

STATE OF THE ART TREATMENT CHAIRS

The procurement of 32 top-ofthe-line treatment chairs has long been earmarked for your Appeal support. These will be used every day by those receiving treatment – for some that can involve over eight hours sitting hooked up to chemotherapy.

It’s been so important to ensure the right selection of chair following careful research and extensive consultation with staff and patients by the NHS Project Team.

“The design of these chairs is the ideal fit for the clinical requirements, as well as providing all-important comfort for our patients. We’ve seen these chairs in use in leading cancer centres around the UK and are assured they will provide the best comfort possible, thanks to the feet-up posture, comfy armrests and built-in USB charging port.”

WHAT THE ANCHOR CENTRE WILL MEAN TO PATIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES…

“I always thought that through my job as a cancer nurse, I was empathetic to people who were sitting receiving chemotherapy, but you don’t really know how it feels until it happens to you. The right environment is so important, and The ANCHOR Centre will make a world of positive difference.”

Danny Lynch, senior charge nurse for The ANCHOR Centre, alongside Louise Bennett

Elaine Ryrie, community Macmillan nurse, former patient and Courage on the Catwalk 2023 model

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY SUITE

Our complementary therapy suite will be a first for the NHS Grampian Foresterhill site, enabling new treatments and a specialised service offering for our much-loved therapies.

With the help of architecture firm Oberlanders, we’re bringing the vision for a serene, spa-like space to reality. Our therapists will be on hand every day in the Centre offering complementary services.

“Within the suite, our new complementary therapy offering will include auricular acupuncture and specialist services including cording relief and scar tissue massage. Our wig consultations and styling service will return once the suite opens, with a dedicated hair loss consultation area within the space. Of course, the full menu of complementary therapies will continue on the treatment floor, with nails, reflexology, foot and hand massage offered chairside and our outpatient podiatry clinic remaining in its existing location.”

Head of Wellbeing, Vicki Youngson

VOLUNTEER-LED SERVICES

When The ANCHOR Centre opens, our 50-strong group of Welcome Team volunteers will migrate to the new facility from the current day patient and radiotherapy departments. Their smiling faces will greet every person crossing the threshold, offering help with wayfinding and support with a new, digital self-service check-in that is currently being trialled in the ANCHOR Unit, with the help of our Welcome Team volunteers.

“Daily, we are indebted to our volunteers at the hospital for the time and dedication they bring to providing the service they do. To be ready for the support we’ll be delivering when the Centre opens, we’re looking to double our volunteer numbers - both for our existing welcome and patient driver teams as well as the soon-to-launch hospitality and gardening crews. Please get in touch if you’d like to hear more!”

Denise Smith, Volunteer Coordinator

To sign up as a volunteer scan the QR code on the right.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

TAKE ON ONE OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS AND KNOW THAT EVERY POUND YOU RAISE WILL HELP DELIVER THE DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY A CANCER OR HAEMATOLOGY DIAGNOSIS.

GIVE A MONTHLY GIFT

At Friends of ANCHOR we rely on the generosity of our donors. Will you join our collective of regular givers and be a part of sustaining support for patients when they need it most?

Kilt Walk | 04 June

Lace up your walking shoes for the Mighty Stride (18miles) or family friendly Wee Wander (3 miles)

Tandem Sky Dive | Date of your choosing Experience the thrill of freefall, dropping through the clouds at 10,000ft

Ride the North | 26 Aug Gear up to cycle 64 or 100 miles

£15

could fund a care pack for a new patient every month

£20

could fund an hour of our massage service each month

£40

could fund an attendee’s place at our wellbeing retreat

Banchory Beast Race | 23

Sept

Get a team together for some mud-tastic fun. An epic 10k obstacle course race

Loch Ness Marathon or 10km | 01 Oct

Run alongside the shores of Loch Ness, the most famous loch in the world

Choose your own Feeling inspired to do your own thing? We’d love to have you championing the cause.

HEARTFELT THANKS

HEAR FROM THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXCELLENT CARE AND TREATMENT WITHIN THE ANCHOR UNIT AND SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS OF ANCHOR. THANKS TO YOUR BACKING, WE CAN ENSURE PATIENTS CAN CALL UPON OUR SERVICES WHEN THEY NEED THEM.

“My mum had amazing support from Friends of ANCHOR. My dad was allowed to stay with her in her final days in hospital thanks to a fold out chair bed from the charity. The rest of the family was also supported by volunteers. You do such amazing work.”

“My mum visited the ANCHOR Unit regularly whilst undergoing treatment. She always spoke highly of everyone who worked there and the small touches which made her visit comfortable and enjoyable despite knowing the side effects ahead.”

“I had to have a mastectomy and one of the nurses came to see me the next day with a lovely pillow and gift box from Friends of ANCHOR. She was so friendly and supportive she cheered me up no end. What you do to support cancer patients is amazing and I, for one, will always remember it.”

“I have felt so supported by Friends of ANCHOR at every step of my treatment journey. Your cheery faces, and thoughtful well-chosen packs, do wonders in lifting the spirits at a challenging time. Thank you so much.”

Heather Friends of ANCHOR ward assistant

Coreen Friends of ANCHOR massage therapist

Kay Friends of ANCHOR podiatrist

Jim Friends of ANCHOR volunteer driver