People Marie Curie
Marie Curie Cancer Care’s newspaper for staff and volunteers
MAY 2014
A BLOOMING GREAT WEEK IN JUNE
TAKING RESEARCH INTO THE COMMUNITY
24/7 TEAM IS QUICK TO RESPOND
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PAGES 10-11
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How 6,500 tea parties across the UK will help raise vital funds
National conference highlights groundbreaking work nationwide
Nursing team offers rapid support to patients and families
HEALTH MINISTER HAILS WALES RESEARCH WORK Minister praises Palliative Care Research Centre as charity announces new funding that will allow vital work to continue. Wales’ Minister for Health, Mark Drakeford AM, has commended the vital work of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, Cardiff, and its commitment to increasing Wales’ knowledge and understanding of ways to improve the care that terminally ill people receive. The minister was attending an event at which Marie Curie announced it has renewed the Research Centre’s funding for the next three years, enabling it to stay at the forefront of palliative care research. Mr Drakeford welcomed the news and praised the research centre’s approach to collaboration and bringing the patient’s voice to the fore. He said: “I am hugely supportive of Marie Curie’s work. I know first-hand how hard its staff work – not just providing nursing care, but also emotional and practical support during a very difficult time in people’s lives. “One of the key aspirations of the Welsh Government’s End of Life Care delivery plan is to support continued education
Centre of expertise The centre’s research focuses on the following key areas: •P atient and carer experience – exploring exactly what patients and carers think of the treatments that the centre is researching. • Rehabilitation – considering how best to help patients keep as much physical function and independence as they can, for as long as they can. •T hrombosis (blood clotting) – looking at how to prevent it, and what helps patients receiving palliative care.
of professionals and encourage them to participate in and conduct research. I know how much importance Marie Curie attaches to research and am very grateful for their investment in this centre.”
VITAL FUNDING Since its inception in 2010, the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, based within the Wales Cancer Trials Unit, has attracted £5 million of external funding, bringing investment into Wales and creating new research posts. The additional funding from Marie Curie for 2014-17 will enable the centre to fund the existing core team and programme of research, as well as employing up to 20 externally funded research staff. Dr Anthony Byrne, Director of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, said: “The funding we have received from Marie Curie is vital to us being able to increase the number of studies available to patients and staff. We will continue to give a clear message that terminally ill people want to take part in research and that they should have access to an equivalent number of studies as people with cancer, cardiac, respiratory and neurological problems. “Through our research and teaching activities, and the links we make with key leaders in palliative care, we will place our research results where they are needed, such as in the education and training of those who will deliver care to patients, and within the minds of those who are responsible for policy decisions.” The centre continues to work closely with the Palliative Care Implementation Board to ensure that it drives clinical research activity and helps deliver evidence-based change across all end of life care settings in Wales. continued on page 2
NURSES GO FOR GOLD TO MARK A REFRESHING NEW CAMPAIGN Marie Curie Nurses Davey Louglin and Jenny Brattle launched the Ballygowan Gold campaign, which is supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Irish Cancer Society. Available for the next six months, the Ballygowan Gold natural mineral water bottles will bear a speciallydesigned label, and a donation will be made to Marie Curie for every bottle sold in Northern Ireland. The same campaign is also being promoted by Ballygowan in the Republic of Ireland partnering the Irish Cancer Society.
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News YOU CAN DO THIS MONTH 5 THINGS 1. START PLANNING FOR VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK Volunteers’ Week is approaching – so if you’re a member of staff, now is the time to get your thinking cap on and start planning a special thank you event for your volunteers in your area. Every year, more than 30,000 people volunteer to help Marie Curie provide care for people with terminal illnesses, and Volunteers’ Week is an opportunity for colleagues to show their appreciation. Whatever you have in mind – tea parties, pub outings, bowling trips and bingo are all options – now is the time to start planning how you will be thanking your volunteers during the week 1-7 June. See page 18 for more details. 2. READ ALL ABOUT OUR RESEARCH This issue of Marie Curie People features a bumper crop of stories about our research into better ways of caring for patients and families. As well as finding out about our Palliative Care Research Centre in Cardiff, you can read all about our latest findings on the health of carers on page 9, and explore some of the cutting-edge studies presented at our research conference on pages 10-11. So get yourself up to speed with the very latest findings in the field. 3. ORGANISE YOUR TEA PARTY We’re asking all Marie Curie People readers to support the Blooming Great Tea Party – either by organising your own party or challenging a friend to hold one. Now’s the time to put your name down and get baking ready for the big event on 20-29 June. And there’s a great recipe from our baking blogger on page 7. 4. RECRUIT A LONDON MARATHON RUNNER If you know someone with fundraising potential who missed a place in the London Marathon 2015 ballot in April, why not suggest they apply for a Marie Curie Gold Bond place? Gold Bonds are charity places with a £50 registration fee and a £2,000 sponsorship target. Ask your potential runner to fill in the 2015 application form and return it to you so you can forward it on to the marathon team with a short recommendation on why we should give this person a place. Then forward their application to london.marathon@mariecurie.org.uk. The deadline is 30 June. For more details, visit mariecurie.org.uk/VLM2015
continued from page 1 It has also collaboratively developed a unique web-based Research Governance Toolkit to support independent hospices’ participation in clinical research. Dr Bill Noble, Medical Director, Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “The Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre has been at the forefront of palliative care research development in Wales since its inception. We want staff there to continue work on their particular areas of expertise including rehabilitation, qualitative analysis of clinical trials, lay involvement in palliative care research and prevention of thromboembolism in palliative care. We are impressed with their strong working links with the Marie Curie Hospice, local hospital services and the Wales Cancer Trials Unit.”
Your input is essential – survey running this summer Director of Community Involvement Ruth Bravery (pictured) writes: All our staff and volunteers have a vital role to play in helping to guide the future of our charity. Many staff and volunteers took part in our Strategic Plan workshops or surveys and helped develop some new values which we will be sharing with everyone soon. Your input is essential to our plans to be able to care for and support more people with all terminal illnesses and their families and carers, earlier and in different ways. Many of you recently attended the charity’s roadshows to learn more about the plans being developed. The charity’s
MUSCLE POWER: Procter & Gamble employees provided valuable support in the hospice garden
Marie Curie
Marie Curie People is the charity’s official newspaper for staff and volunteers. It is published monthly.
future plans are ambitious, and we can’t achieve them without a team effort by all our staff and volunteers. Because your input is so important, there will be more opportunities for you to have your say. As part of this, we are planning to run a survey in the summer. We will ask everyone who works or volunteers for us to complete it. We’re getting it all set up and we will provide more details soon. It will be available online and in printed paper copy, so everyone will have the opportunity to contribute. The survey will include questions about how you feel about working or
volunteering for Marie Curie. We would really like you to join in and take part so we can gauge what we need to do to develop our charity and to ensure everything is in place to deliver on our plans. It’s all about making things happen and we need your continued feedback to do that. Two of our values awaiting final signoff are ‘people at our heart’ and ‘making things happen’. These apply as much to how we work with each other as they apply to the people we help and our supporters. So we think it’s time you told us what you think about working for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Watch this space!
Volunteers forecast a tidier garden
5. CATCH UP WITH OUR PLANS Marie Curie’s Executive Board has been touring the UK with our ambitious plans for the future. So what are we hoping to achieve? And how will we have to change in order to achieve it? Find out all about our Strategic Plan for 2014-19 on pages 14 -15.
People
Minister for Health Mark Drakeford AM; Director of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre Dr Anthony Byrne; Medical Director for Marie Curie Cancer Care Dr Bill Noble; and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, Professor of Palliative Medicine at Cardiff University
A team of Procter & Gamble employees left the office for a day to spruce up the garden at the Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle. The Forecasting team, based in North Tyneside, helped tidy the outdoor spaces surrounding the hospice as part of their team-building day. Every in-patient has a room that opens onto the main garden, while the Day Care Centre also has an enclosed garden where patients, staff and volunteers can eat their lunch. As well as a general tidy-up in the gardens, the team planted new flowers and plants, re-located others, did some weeding, dug out a large section of
overgrown plants, painted outside furniture, tidied the pot plants and created a wild meadow. Gill White, Facilities Manager at Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle, said: “The hospice relies on support from volunteers who offer their time and provide the muscle and manpower to do the spring planting and clean-ups. “The pride of the Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle is our stunning gardens. They provide an oasis for patients and families. Thanks to help from volunteer teams such as Procter & Gamble, we were recently awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ Level 5 (Outstanding) award.”
MARIE CURIE PEOPLE NEEDS YOUR NEWS. Editor: Nick Moulton Writers: Rebecca Evans, Ana Malinovic Designers: Artful Dog Publishing and Marie Curie Creative Services
Repro by: Selsey Press Printed by: Mortons Managed & distributed by: CDL Circulation: 6,500
Send stories to Editor Nick Moulton, Creative Services, Marie Curie Cancer Care, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP. Email nick.moulton@mariecurie.org.uk or phone me on 020 7599 7706 and I’ll draft a story from your call.
May 2014 People
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London Marathon
CHEER STATIONS: Victoria Edwards, Jenny Edwards, Arlene Main, Jessica Francis and Elinor Parry-Jones
ALL SMILES: More than 240 runners, including Simon Morriss and Bethan Moore, took part in aid of Marie Curie
£143,000
A HEAD START: Runner Bobby Castle made it very clear which charity he supported
Money raised so far for Marie Curie by runners POST-RACE EVENT: Bethan Moore, Staff Nurse Christina Mutch, Mark Underwood and Chris Slight at the reception
Marathon effort from our runners More than 30,000 people ran the 34th London Marathon – many raising money for Marie Curie More than 240 runners took on the Virgin Money London Marathon in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care – the biggest Daffodil Team since 2006. Participants have banked more than £143,000 so far, and funds are still coming in. Marie Curie ran five cheer stations along the route. It had a stand at the pre-marathon expo, and ran a post-race reception at
Charing Cross Hotel, offering massages, showers, snacks and rest to weary runners. Fundraising Product Manager (Events) Tresa Gillam said: “The atmosphere at the post-race reception was amazing – and our brilliant staff and volunteers contributed so much. “The feedback we have got so far has been a real highlight – everyone is saying how fantastic it was to run for Marie Curie
and what great support they received in the build-up to the event and on the day itself. Our cheer stations provided lots of noisy encouragement for our runners all around the route. “It was a very successful day on and off the course. It was such a positive event – feedback was so good, and we’re getting more people to notice us and want to
run for us. I would like to thank everyone that helped out on the day and in the run up to the event.” Marie Curie runners included Pat Ainsworth, who completed her 18th marathon, and was featured on the BBC coverage of the event, and Superdrug Property Director Nigel Duxbury, who raised £15,000 for the charity.
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Fundraising
SPORTS NEWS PRESENTER JOINS THE GRAND DÉPARTY Challenges for cyclists This summer, to celebrate the Tour de France, Marie Curie has teamed up with Velo Gogo, organisers of the official Tour de France Fan Parks, to run static cycling challenges in London. The Fan Parks will have a festival atmosphere with themed food and drink stalls, cycling activities and a big screen so that cycling fans can watch all the action. Marie Curie will be at Green Park (5-7 July) and Canary Wharf (24-27 July). Corporate Account Manager Rebecca Rawle said: “This will be a great opportunity for cycling fans to support Marie Curie while enjoying a landmark sporting event. “We are organising static bike challenges for all audiences. Whether you want to ‘beat the pro’, compete against other teams of cyclists or simply enjoy an alfresco spin session, there is something for everyone.” The charity’s Corporate and Endurance team challenges take place in Canary Wharf on 24 and 25 July respectively, with other events planned for both London sites throughout the period when the Fan Parks are open. Marie Curie is hoping to raise enough money to fund 2,000 nursing hours and needs to recruit as many teams as possible. If you know any organisations or supporters who are likely to be interested, or if you would be keen to take part, email static-cycle@mariecurie.org.uk
On your bike CORPORATE CHALLENGE Team size: 5 Challenge: 6-minute relay to cycle as far as possible Fundraising target: £400 per team
ENDURANCE CHALLENGE Team size: 8 Challenge: 25-minute relay to cycle as far as possible Fundraising target: £800 per team
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit mariecurie.org.uk/static-cycle
As Britain prepares for the Tour de France Grand Départ, TV star Orla urges people to show their support
Sky Sports News presenter Orla Chennaoui took to the saddle to support Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Grand Départy campaign, encouraging people across the UK to support the Tour de France and help Marie Curie put on the biggest party ever. Marie Curie is the official charity partner of the Tour de France Grand Départ, which visits the UK this year. Posing in front of the Olympic Stadium and Orbit Tower, and joined by a host of Marie Curie volunteers, Orla called on people across the UK to join the Grand Départy and raise vital funds. She said: “It’s such an honour to support an amazing charity such as Marie Curie. I have huge admiration for the incredible and important work it does, and the Grand Départy is a fantastic way for people across the UK to get behind both the charity and Le Tour to show their support. “This summer, we’re going to see yellow everywhere as the country goes cycling crazy once again, and there are so many ways you can get involved, whether by getting on your bike, turning your town yellow, or speaking French for the day – the possibilities are endless. So have a think, have some fun, and come join the party.”
Go! Go! Go! Fundraising ideas for the summer Marie Curie’s Grand Départy fundraising pack is full of ideas to help anyone hold their very own Tour-related fundraising event. • Go cycling – Hold your very own tour party, organise a cycling tour of your town or take part in our cycle-to-work week and get your friends to sponsor you to cycle to work. • Go yellow – Have a day at work or school where everyone wears yellow. You could also hold a bake sale where everything you make is yellow. • Go French – Hold a French-themed dinner party for your friends or do something more active like a French-themed sports day.
SPORT SUPPORT: Orla Chennaoui at the Olympic Park, London
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S VIEW
FUNDRAISING ISN’T EASY, BUT WE ARE SEEING GREAT RESULTS Before I update you about the Strategic Plan 2014–19, I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone – staff and volunteers – in fundraising and in shops who achieved the best year yet for us in terms of gross and net income. Well done! It may be tempting to think that fundraising is easy for a charity like Marie Curie, which is held in such great affection across the UK – but fundraising is never easy. Our teams work really hard to reach their targets and the 2013/14 financial year looks like the best ever for them. Legacies did particularly well, as did community fundraising, but all areas were aiming for more year-on-year. Many hours – literally at all times of the day and night – are put in by our teams, volunteers and supporters who sign up to our events. Without all that effort, we would not be able to provide the care people need at home or at our nine hospices. With the NHS budget under such pressure across all
four nations, this voluntary income becomes even more important. That is why I am so grateful that more and more staff outside fundraising are getting involved and helping where they can.
RECORD PROFITS FOR SHOPS Shops also had a fantastic year with a record profit level. I am sure if we walk down our own local high streets, it is obvious to us all what a competitive market our shops are in – there are more charity shop openings every time you look. And we know that when people are shopping, they are not loyal to a particular charity, although they are more so when
Our teams work hard to reach their targets, and 2013-14 looks like the best year ever.
donating goods. So our teams work hard to make sure the shops are as attractive and friendly as possible, as well as asking donors of goods for Gift Aid. Our shops teams are less visible than most staff and volunteer groups, so I would like all of us to drop into our local Marie Curie Shop, hopefully browse and buy, but also say ‘hello!’ We have now started the Strategic Plan 2014–19 period. This year is very much a transitional year as we do the really important preparation to deliver our plan, which aims to help more people who need our help regardless of their terminal illness. The plan builds on what we do already, adding to and extending what support we can offer. The roadshows for staff and volunteers are in full swing and give you another opportunity to share your thoughts and ask questions. Thank you to all those who have attended so far. FOR MORE INFORMATION Get in touch with Jane at jane.collins@mariecurie.org.uk
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News
HANDS UP FOR FUNDRAISING: The Original Factory Shop staff at the opening of its Mexborough store in West Yorkshire last year
We win The Original Factory Shop vote Marie Curie has won a customer and staff online vote to be the charity partner of leading retailer The Original Factory Shop for 2014. The partnership will help fund thousands of hours of Marie Curie nursing care. Marie Curie won 38% of a Facebook vote, against CLIC Sargent, Barnardo’s, Make a Wish Foundation, Age UK and St John’s Ambulance. Fundraising plans are still under discussion, but the partnership is likely to involve a wide range of staff fundraising; point-of-sale promotions; special charity offers; collection boxes at till points; online sales; payroll fundraising; and national special events. Corporate Development Manager Ranjana Sengupta said: “We are delighted to be The Original Factory Shop’s charity partner in 2014 – it’s a great opportunity for Marie Curie. The Original Factory Shop understands their community and aims to be at the heart of the community, which is, of course, where we work. Our aspiration is to make this partnership the best The Original Factory Shop has ever had. “We are very grateful to everyone who voted for us, told friends and family about the partnership or went out of their way to talk to Original Factory Shop staff. We couldn’t have done it without your help, so thank you all.” In previous years, The Original Factory Shop has supported a range of national charities, as well as local charities selected by stores, under the theme of “make a difference”. This year, the aim is to have one national charity partner. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Ranjana Sengupta on 020 7599 7770.
Disability and care – your help is needed Study calls for people with disabilities or who have supported disabled people to share their experiences of end of life care
Researchers are appealing to Marie Curie People readers to help the charity with research into end of life care for disabled people. Marie Curie is working with Disability Rights UK to find out what happens to people with a disability when they need end of life care. The two charities are running a survey throughout May – and they are particularly keen to hear from Marie Curie People readers. The researchers want to hear from health and social care professionals who have provided end of life care for a disabled person. They also want to hear from people who are disabled and currently receiving end of life care, and those who have cared for a disabled person at the end of their life. Policy and Public Affairs Manager Caroline Weston said: “This research is about people who had a disability before they needed end of life care.
We are particularly interested in hearing about disabled people who were already receiving care for their disability and what happened to that care when they needed end of life care. “We know that many Marie Curie People readers – especially our healthcare professionals – will have experience in this area, which is why we need your help. “We want to identify whether there are any barriers that prevent them from experiencing a good death, compared with non-disabled people. “We are interested in finding out how disabled people move from their typical care arrangements to new ones that would also specifically support their end of life care. We would also like to discover how easy it is for disabled people, regardless of disability, to achieve support at the end of their lives when they have previously not been in touch with any system of care and support.”
The researchers also plan to run focus groups across the UK over the next few months to explore people’s experiences in more detail. The research findings will be written up as a report with recommendations about what can be done to ensure that disabled people can experience a good death. The charities hope to publish the report later this year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION To complete the survey, log on to the Disability Rights UK website at tinyurl.com/disabilityrightsuksurvey The survey can also be completed over the phone – details are available on the survey webpage. All surveys will be treated in complete confidence. Details of how to sign up to the focus groups are also available on the Disability Rights UK website.
Former Accenture Director takes on new legal services role for Marie Curie Penny Laurence-Parr, formerly Director of Legal Services at Accenture, has taken on the new role of General Counsel and Company Secretary at Marie Curie Cancer Care. Penny will be responsible for managing all legal services across the charity, including governance, contracting, intellectual property, insurance, compliance (including data protection and regulatory matters) and disputes, as well as the company secretary role and supporting trustees. Penny is supported by Assistant Company Secretary Lucy Allan. “We will be dealing with the full range of legal issues faced by Marie Curie. I would like everyone to feel free to get in touch with me or Lucy if we can help in any way.” Penny said. In addition to her legal services role at global technology, outsourcing and
consulting company Accenture, Penny was the company’s Programme Lead for Business Action on Homelessness and Legal Lead for corporate citizenship activities. This included providing legal support for Accenture’s flagship Skills to Succeed Academy, a training tool for 15 to 24-year-olds seeking employment that is being rolled out nationally with partners such as Job Centre Plus and National Careers Service. Penny is also a trustee for a local charity. “I realised that this has been the part of my work over recent years that I have enjoyed most, so the move to Marie Curie seemed like a natural next step for me,” she said. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Penny or Lucy by email at penny.laurence-parr@mariecurie.org.uk or lucy.allan@mariecurie.org.uk
CV: Penny Laurence-Parr • Six years with Accenture. In her role as Director of Legal Services, Penny provided legal support for challenging, complex, high-value transactions, and led a team of lawyers supporting Accenture’s financial services, resources, and communications, media and technology industry groups. • Committed to charity work, and is a trustee for a local charity. • Experience includes a pro bono contract review project for Save the Children with Baker & McKenzie. • Previous roles were for PwC and law firms SJ Berwin and Simmons & Simmons.
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People May 2014
News REAL-TIME FEEDBACK BOOSTS PATIENT RESPONSES A pilot of real-time feedback using tablet computers at the two Marie Curie Hospices in Scotland has resulted in a huge increase in responses. The hospices have received more feedback in March, the first month of the scheme, than they had in the previous five months combined. The majority of the responses received were from hospice patients – whereas for the existing comment cards system, relatives and visitors’ responses outnumber patients’ by around two to one.
FEEDBACK ON TABLETS The pilot involves volunteers taking the tablets around the building to gather feedback from patients. Early reports from patients say that the devices are very easy to use. Patient and Family Feedback Development Manager Ben Gadd said: “We are delighted to be getting more comments, especially an increase in comments from patients. It’s also good to see that our care is still very highly rated by patients and carers. “Our staff say that comments are the most useful part of the survey, because if somebody gives us a low rating, we want to know why so that we can do something about it.
RATING PERFORMANCE “The software that we are using enables us to identify the areas where we are best and worst performing, so if a hospice is excelling in one area where others are struggling, we can find out what they are doing differently to provide a good experience for patients, and then set about replicating it.” The Marie Curie Nursing Service is also starting to use the real-time feedback system, with corporate volunteers calling patients and their families.
Comments are the most useful part of the survey, because if somebody gives us a low rating, we want to know why so that we can do something about it. BEN GADD
NEW TEAM TO DEVELOP MASS PARTICIPATION A new team of Senior Partnership and Sales Managers is working to develop mass participation in Marie Curie’s flagship community fundraising events. The team is also seeking to establish new links with existing mass participation events, as well as creating new regional business partnerships. Head of Regional Fundraising Mark Winton said: “This new team has been created to do a really important job for the charity. Our mass participation events – such as the Blooming Great Tea Party, Walk Ten and the Great Daffodil Appeal – are already popular and successful, but we need to increase very significantly the number of people taking part. “The Senior Partnership and Sales Managers will be forging partnerships in their regions that will drive up involvement in our events. It’s a big challenge. For Walk Ten, they will be aiming to recruit 17,000 people – 5,000 more than last year – to take part in walks at 19 venues. They will be instrumental in growing the number of collectors for the Great Daffodil Appeal and the number of Blooming Great Tea Parties next year. “One of the ways in which they will do this is by developing regional corporate partnerships, and using the links we create through those to recruit people for our events. “We are also asking the new team to create links with big events run by other organisations. Suzy McIlveen has already had a big success with her successful pitch to be the official charity of a major regional event in 2015. Each of our Senior Partnership and Sales Managers has a target list of events in their region.” The charity’s three Senior Partnership and Sales Managers are Lucy Knight (South region), Gemma Chance (Central and Wales) and Suzy McIlveen (Scotland and Northern Ireland).
FORGING RELATIONSHIPS: Senior Partnerships and Sales Managers (above, left to right) Lucy Knight, Susan McIlveen and Gemma Chance
“Our work is about developing partnerships” Lucy Knight is Marie Curie’s Senior Partnership and Sales Manager. She covers the South of England, and is based in the charity’s Bristol fundraising office. We are looking to build mass participation in our flagship fundraising events. We are focusing first on Walk Ten, looking to build partnerships with companies and media partnerships at a regional level. “That means picking up the phone and speaking to people in companies, running roadshows and getting the message out on companies’ intranets, or through staff emails. We’ll also be reaching the wider general public through media partnerships, for
Legacies total sets new record Legacies received by Marie Curie Cancer Care in the financial year 2013/14 have broken all records. The charity received 1,109 gifts in Wills, totalling £25.5 million. The previous record, set in 2009/10, was £25.2 million. Dan Carter, Individual Giving Manager (Legacies), said: “We are massively pleased – it’s a great result that reflects the concerted efforts of the legacies and fundraising teams over the last four years to tell our supporters about the importance of making a gift in their Will to Marie Curie.”
RECORD YEAR: Legacy Development Manager Nigel Gorvett, Legacy Manager Dan Carter and Legacy Fundraiser Clare Norman celebrate success in 2013/14
The booming housing market has been one important factor in the record total. Residual legacies – where the charity is left a share of somebody’s estate – often involve a share in a property, so their value is dependent on house prices. Around 80% of the total value of Marie Curie’s legacies income comes from residual legacies. “It’s encouraging that we have a record overall number of legacies – beating the previous record of 1,039,” said Dan. “That means that the total is not down to a small number of very high value Wills. And we also recorded a record number of people who pledged to leave a gift – 1,352. The previous record was 1,257. That’s down to our legacies advisors and the events that they have been running throughout the year, and to our direct marketing campaign to promote legacies. “We are very grateful to the wider fundraising team for keeping legacies in mind, and talking to supporters about them when appropriate. It really does make a difference – legacies are vitally important for funding all our services.”
example with local radio and through memberships and associations. “Our work is very much about developing regional partnerships, and we are based in the regional team. But we will be working very closely with all teams to make sure we maximise funds. “After Walk Ten, we will be working mainly on the Great Daffodil Appeal 2015, and then on the Blooming Great Tea Party. I’m loving the work – it’s really exciting.”
Charity was beneficiary in leading novelist’s Will Marie Curie Cancer Care was one of the beneficiaries in the Will of Irish writer Maeve Binchy. The bestselling novelist, who died in 2012 aged 72, left two-thirds of her estate to her husband. The other third is to be divided between relatives, friends and charities including Marie Curie and Saint Luke’s Hospital. Maeve Binchy claimed to have rewritten her will at least 40 times during the course of her life, proudly stating she was “a great Will maker. I’ve made a Will every year since I was 21”. More unusual legacies received by Marie Curie over the years include a Rolls-Royce, a painting by one of Rembrandt’s students and half the income from the dramatic monologue The Green Eye Of The Yellow God.
80%
Total value of Marie Curie’s legacies income that comes from residual legacies (shares of estates).
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News
Tea parties set to bloom in June Marie Curie is appealing to supporters to get baking and host a Blooming Great Tea Party in June.
Recipe of the month... Banana Gooey Bars
The Blooming Great Tea Party is set for a triumphant return, with the charity aiming to break all records with 6,500 tea parties across the UK in the week 20-29 June. The Great British Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc is supporting the appeal. She said: “Hosting a tea party is a fantastic national tradition and I can think of no better way of raising money for a good cause than holding a Blooming Great Tea Party for Marie Curie Cancer Care. “People across Britain love a tea party and I’d encourage everyone to get together with friends and family for the charity this 20-29 June. “The beauty of a tea party is you can make it your own. So whether that’s a summer garden party with three-tier baked creations, or selling cakes to your work colleagues, funds raised will help Marie Curie Nurses to provide more care to people with terminal illnesses at home.”
By baking blogger Suzy Pelta
INGREDIENTS: 60g butter 200g brown sugar 100g caster sugar 1 large egg 2 large bananas (around 250g once peeled) A pinch of salt 1 tbsp baking powder 35g cornflour 350g plain flour 250g condensed milk 200g milk chocolate chips or chunks
METHOD: Preheat your oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 9” x 9” baking tin. 3 Cream together the butter and both sugars. 4 Beat in the egg. 5 Mash the bananas and add them in too. 6 Add in the salt, baking powder and cornflour and mix thoroughly. 1 2
INNER BAKING GODDESSES Senior Fundraising Product Manager Hannah Rafferty said: “We are calling on all Marie Curie staff and volunteers to release their inner baking goddess – or god. We’d like you all to either hold a tea party yourself or challenge a friend to do so. “This year, we are asking everybody to hold a tea party in one week, so that it becomes a really big participation event, with everyone taking part at the same time. Thousands have already signed up, so don’t miss out. Make sure that you register today.”
People across Britain love a tea party and I’d encourage everyone to get together... The beauty of a tea party is you can make it your own. MEL GIEDROYC
Add in the flour in three additions, beating well after each addition. 8 Pour the batter into the cake tin, making sure it covers the entire base. 9 Sprinkle the top with 100g of your chocolate chunks/chips. 10 Pour the condensed milk over the top, carefully making sure it is evenly spread. 11 Sprinkle the remaining 100g of chocolate over the top. 12 Bake in the centre of your oven for 35-45 minutes until it has a slight wobble. The top will have bubbled up and be golden. The bars will firm up more out of the oven. You can slice and serve while still warm (and very gooey) or serve them at room temperature. 7
MORE RECIPES See more of Suzy’s recipes at suzypeltabakes.com
Top tips from tea party hosts “As well as raising money, it was a great chance for colleagues to sit down together with wonderful cakes and to have a chat.” “I asked for donations for tea and cake, did a raffle and I also did a ‘guess the number of sweets in a teapot’ competition. It was quite simple and low-key. We raised more money than the previous time I’d done it, so I was pleased with that.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty to register your tea party. You’ll also find helpful hints and tips on hosting your party, a photo competition and lots of recipes provided by Marie Curie supporters – including baking blogger Suzy Pelta.
“The balloons did the trick because they went on the hedge at the front so everybody knew that was the house.” “Don’t forget to enjoy yourself!”
Service to be based at Superdrug store A Marie Curie Nurse is set to provide help and support for members of the public at a new Superdrug store in Banbury, Oxfordshire. The nurse, who will be based in the store for one full day and one half day session (one-and-a-half days a week), will run a well-being programme, as well as offering a one-to-one clinic. The well-being programme, run on Wednesday afternoons, will involve six group sessions for up to eight people, who may be terminally ill patients or their carers and family members. One-to-one sessions will give people an opportunity to see a Marie Curie Nurse
for advice and emotional support and to answer questions. They will be available on Sundays. A launch of the store for Superdrug healthcare teams and local healthcare professionals is being held on 1 May. Marie Curie’s Director of Nursing Dee Sissons plans to attend. There will be a celebrity launch when the store opens to the public on 2 May. Corporate Account Management Team Leader Jo Hancock said: “This is the first time we have ever worked with a corporate partner on directly delivering a frontline service in this way. It comes at a time when we are doing everything we can to
expand our care to reach more people. This is a great opportunity to provide services in a new way. “It’s very exciting to be doing a strategic project with a major brand like Superdrug. If this pilot scheme goes well, there may well be further opportunities to explore how we can expand our service in other parts of the UK.”
SUPER SUPPORTER Marie Curie’s two-year corporate fundraising partnership with Superdrug has raised £450,000 to date, and is likely to reach £1 million by December 2014. Superdrug recently celebrated its 50th
anniversary by holding a major media and fundraising event attended by Marie Curie celebrity ambassador Jane Horrocks. A new TV ad from Superdrug featured Marie Curie Nurse Catherine Le Roy. Superdrug recently launched a Little Caring Lip Tin in support of Marie Curie.
CORPORATE PARTNER: Marie Curie Nurse Catherine Le Roy is featured in Superdrug’s TV ad
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People May 2014
News New chair Prof Stone leads research team Professor Paddy Stone has taken up the new Marie Curie Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care established by Marie Curie Cancer Care and UCL (University College London). Paddy (pictured), whose appointment was reported in Marie Curie People last year, took up the chair last month (April). He now leads an established team of researchers at the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit, which is part of the Division of Psychiatry at the university’s Faculty of Brain Sciences. He said: “UCL is one of the best universities in the world, so it’s fantastic that Marie Curie has invested resources into the academic department there. “I am really looking forward to combining the research expertise of UCL with the clinical expertise of Marie Curie and its hospice and community-based clinical services. “This new role will allow me to devote more time to research, and I’m keen to work collaboratively with other UCL departments, academic institutions in London and Marie Curie’s other research centres in Cardiff and Liverpool, to get the most out of our research capabilities.”
I am looking forward to combining the research expertise of UCL with the clinical expertise of Marie Curie... I’m keen to work collaboratively.
WINNERS: Mark Dolan (left) with Brain Game champs from Resolution Group
London supporters answer the £180,000 question Marie Curie’s 23rd London Brain Game raised a record £180,000 net – up around £16,000 on last year’s total. The celebrity-hosted corporate team quiz attracted 36 teams totalling 360 participants from leading City of London and blue chip companies. Comedian Mark Dolan hosted the evening and presented a round on travel. His fellow celebrity hosts included actress Jane Horrocks (arts and literature), Daybreak’s Chief Correspondent Richard Gaisford (current affairs), TV sports presenter John Inverdale (sport), athlete Jamie Baulch (music, film and TV) and
presenter Anneka Rice (food and drink). For the first time ever, the quiz included a blind wine-tasting round on the “higher or lower” format, with guests invited to guess whether their tipple was from the Northern or Southern hemisphere, new world or old world, and the type of grape – and those with the wrong answer eliminated. Live auction prizes included a week in Barbados and a dinner party in the winner’s own home with top chef Theo Randall. Lots in the record-breaking
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silent auction included a luxury golf break in Portugal, and a luxury cookery class with champagne. Abigail Williams, from the Corporate Events team, said: “It was a night to remember, with fantastic celebrity guests, a challenging and entertaining quiz, and tough competition from some of the city’s top quiz teams. We were delighted to end the night with a record fundraising total.” The winning team was Resolution Group.
Number of participants in the latest London Brain Game
Twitter chat boosts commissioners’ understanding of Marie Curie services Marie Curie and HSJ (Health Service Journal) ran three Twitter chat events to give NHS commissioners and healthcare professionals the opportunity to talk online to Marie Curie’s experts in service design and provision. Taking part in the chats were Dr Peter Nightingale, National End of Life Care Lead for Marie Curie and the Royal College of GPs; Dr Phil McCarvill, Head of Policy and Public Affairs; and Dr Michael Cooke, Head of Analytics. The chats were organised as part of Marie Curie’s partnership with HSJ, which is intended to raise awareness among commissioners of the services Marie Curie provides and how it can help them with end of life care. Their themes were partnership working
in end of life care; access and inequality in end of life care; and keeping terminally ill people out of hospital (if they have no medical need to be there) and in the community. Marketing Campaigns Manager Sarah Bracken said: “We are aiming at a niche audience – and we got significant participation from them. We know that more and more commissioners and healthcare professionals are using Twitter, and we want to engage with them wherever they are. “The chats were an opportunity for them to post questions and comments, and for our spokespeople to provide an immediate response to them. “Each chat involved a lot of preparation work in advance, and our spokespeople
had a team in the room to support them. They were lively – with around 130-150 tweets per session – and we were able to share lots of links, reports and case studies. “This was the first time that HSJ has run events of this kind with a commercial partner. We were very happy with the results and have also added a lot of new followers to our Twitter handle. We hope to hold further events in the near future.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION Follow Marie Curie’s Twitter feed for commissioners at @mariecurieeolc For more about the Twitter chats, see tinyurl.com/hsjtwitterchat
SOCIAL MEDIA: Dr Phil McCarvill takes part in the chat
May 2014 People
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CHARITY PUTS NURSES ON EMAIL The project to enable Marie Curie Nursing Service staff to have a Marie Curie email address is set to save the charity significant sums. The project, which provides email addresses to nearly 2,000 people right across the UK, is nearly complete. All future recruits to the Marie Curie Nursing Service will be expected to use email. Information and Engagement Lead Jess Radcliffe said: “This is an important step that means we can communicate quickly and efficiently with a huge part of our workforce. It’s also saving us a great deal of money – sending material by post to Marie Curie Nurses. Our nurses now get their rotas by email, along with Talking Care, training updates and all-staff emails. It’s also a very good way for them to communicate with their managers and colleagues. “Currently the charity spends around £64,000 on postage, and we have a responsibility to make savings by using email wherever we can.” All nursing staff except those based in offices are using their own IT equipment to access email, with support from Marie Curie for email where necessary.
IT CHALLENGE Closely involved in the project, which was launched just over a year ago, were Policies and Publications Lead Kirsten Hearn and Marie Curie’s regional office administrators. Kirsten said: “The sheer number of
nurses who needed email addresses challenged IT to find a different way of setting up mass accounts. The fact that they are dispersed across the UK means that our regional office administrators have had to find different ways to support them. IT and the administrators, have risen to that challenge.” Resource Manager Emma Lovell heads the Resource team at the Marie Curie Referral Centre in Pontypool – a ninestrong team that handles rostering for the nursing service. She said: “The old process for rostering nurses who were not on email meant that we had to print out all the rotas and send them to 2,000 Marie Curie Nurses. The team here had to stuff all the envelopes, and it could take a few days. “The new email addresses mean that nurses get their rotas immediately and the team here don’t have to stuff envelopes. We can send communications at any time, and if a nurse wants to provide extra availability, they can ring in, and we can send a rota to them at once. Similarly, if there is a problem, it gives us a bit longer to work with the regional teams on the roster. “We can be more flexible and work for the benefit of patients and colleagues rather than having a very rigid system.”
Nearly
2,000
nurses are now on email
FOR MORE INFORMATION Any Marie Curie Nursing Service staff who need an @mariecurie.org.uk email address should contact their line manager.
Call for better assessment of carers’ health New research shows many carers don’t ask for support in time. to think of themselves as a wife or a son Families are not getting the support they rather than a ‘carer’, and so fail to ask need to cope with the overwhelming for help until they are struggling to cope. demands of caring for someone with a We must encourage people to seek help terminal illness, new research involving to look after their relatives, and GPs and Marie Curie has found. nurses should be alert to asking their Understanding the barriers to patients if they have any relatives with a identifying carers of people with advanced serious illness.” illness in primary care: triangulating three data sources highlights that family (and other CARERS’ NEEDS unpaid) carers are not Around 10% of the UK accessing support population are carers Hours of care per week services or vital with many providing provided by carers, who are benefits because end of life care. But the three times more likely to they and healthcare challenges of managing describe their health as professionals do not their caring role “not good” compared recognise or over-look alongside family, friends their needs. and work commitments with non-carers The work was carried out mean that they often find by Marie Curie Cancer Care, it difficult to manage their own the University of Edinburgh Primary needs and can lose their own sense Palliative Care Research Group, NHS of identity. Lothian and Voices of Carers “While caring for someone with a Across Lothian. terminal illness is challenging, we must Professor Scott Murray, University not forget the needs of carers who of Edinburgh Primary Palliative Care provide this support every day,” Professor Research Group, said: “Carers often prefer Murray said.
“Healthcare professionals must have a clearer role in identifying carers as well as encouraging carers to identify themselves. Crucially, the support carers need must be continually assessed to ensure they are receiving the right care, at the right time, particularly as the patient’s condition deteriorates and the emotional and physical demands on the carer increase.” The researchers also found that carers of terminally ill people may find support and help suddenly withdrawn following the death of the person they are caring for, leaving them isolated and vulnerable. The study, funded by the Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Fund, has been published ahead of the conclusion of the Scottish Government’s consultation on proposed legislation to support carers and young carers.
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MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES: One in 10 people in the UK are carers
FOR MORE INFORMATION Read the full paper here: biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/15/48
10 People May 2014
Feature
SPOTLIGHT ON PALLIA Palliative care in the community was the focus of the Marie Curie Research Conference, held at the Royal College of Medicine, London. Marie Curie Medical Director Dr Bill Noble chaired the one-day event which attracted a record number of researchers and professionals with an interest in research. “It seems to be a time when it is important that palliative care in the community is a real option and a quality one,” said Bill. “It behoves us to ensure that the interventions we design work as well in the community as in other settings.” The conference included six lectures and the presentation of more than 40 posters on research topics. Many of the posters and talks covered research funded by Marie Curie.
Awards for researchers • Joanna Mugridge Research Award Joint first prize winners were: – Rita Doyle for her poster A living community presence: training of end of life care volunteers – Dr Jonathan Totman for his poster You only have one chance to get it right: caring at home for a family member with terminal cancer. • The Susie Wilkinson Award was presented to Rachel Perry, Staff Nurse and Research Link Nurse at the Marie Curie Hospice, West Midlands, for her work in supporting nurses and allied health professionals in increasing the charity’s research capacity.
Quality of care Professor Jane Seymour spoke about quality of palliative care at home. She outlined people’s attitudes to home, and research showing that people want to be cared for at home, but not at any cost. “If we are going to focus on homebased care, we need to develop new ways of delivering and thinking about that palliative care,” she said. She called for consideration of a public health approach to palliative care. “We are focused on the relief of suffering rather than the prevention of suffering. Prevention means that we must identify people who
need palliative care much earlier.” Professor Seymour discussed her research into anticipatory prescribing, in which patients are prescribed drugs for common symptoms in advance, so that they are available immediately if they need them. “It’s very often community nurses who have to take the decision to use these prescriptions. Most nurses we spoke to said that anticipatory prescriptions were hugely important in terms of the quality of care they could provide. But we think some nurses may need more help in using the drugs properly and effectively.”
Access for minorities Dr Jessica Baillie, Research Associate at the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, Cardiff, presented a poster evaluating the work by the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale, to improve access to palliative care for local minority ethnic communities. “This poster focuses on the community engagement work undertaken by the hospice’s keyworker,” said Dr Baillie. “She’s been working closely with minority ethnic community groups, inviting groups into the hospice, and attending community events, health fairs and celebrations. She has also raised awareness of the needs of different minority groups among hospice staff and volunteers, and helped ensure that patients receive culturally appropriate care. “We are currently evaluating the keyworker post over three years. It’s a good example of a collaborative project between a Marie Curie Research Centre and a Marie Curie Hospice.”
The keyworker has raised awareness of the needs of different minority groups and helped ensure patients receive appropriate care.
Care in prison Dr Mary Turner and Dr Marian Peacock spoke about the first year of their Marie Curie-funded study into improving end of life care in a Category C prison in the North of England. Dr Peacock spoke about the need to centre care around the prison’s routines and requirements. “There is no flexibility, and everything we do has to be done through a third party. At night time, there is one nurse, and you can’t
unlock a cell unless you have prison officers with you. “Prison nurses are very keen to offer palliative care. But there are incredible problems in administering care to prisoners in these settings.” Dr Turner outlined the project, which involves action research to develop a model of integrated palliative care and end of life care that can be transferred to other prisons.
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Feature
ATIVE CARE RESEARCH Carers’ experiences Clinical psychologist Dr Jonathan Totman and colleagues received the Joanna Mugridge Research Award for their poster about a qualitative study with bereaved family members who had cared for a terminally ill family member at home. “We interviewed 15 family caregivers three months after their relative had died about their experiences of being a carer and the care they and their family member received from services,” he said. “Caregivers faced challenges including high levels of responsibility, feelings of isolation, and anxiety about their family member’s
approaching death. But caring was often also experienced as deeply meaningful and gave rise to feelings of intimacy and gratitude. Professionals’ interventions often carried great weight. Feeling unsupported exacerbated the challenges of caregiving, while ostensibly little things – being willing to listen, holding caregivers in mind – could have a profound positive impact.”
Caring was experienced as deeply meaningful and gave rise to feelings of intimacy.
How professionals cope Dr Emma Tempest presented a poster about terminal agitation, its effects on healthcare professionals and how they deal with it. She observed fellow professionals on the ward, taking notes about how they discussed agitation. “When we talk about patients, we might talk about whether their family makes them more agitated; about the patient not accepting that it’s their time; about their faith and spirituality – and
Unpacking the home Professor Sheila Payne spoke about the Unpacking the Home study, which was funded by Marie Curie. Her team interviewed people aged 50+ who had cared for someone who died at home about their experiences. “Caring was predominantly viewed as a positive experience. Those who cared for a long time had more problems,” she said. “The main things complained about were poor co-ordination of care, lack of information
Carers have to deal with complex medication, and we expect them to do it with virtually no preparation.
how it can be supportive or mean that they have other issues. “I think that this helps to support hospice staff and gives them a framework to understand what’s going on so they can deal with it. It’s OK that we talk about these things.” Dr Tempest noted that in a non-hospice setting – such as a hospital – it could be difficult for professionals to discuss agitation in the same informal terms.
Decision-making by patients about services and lack of knowledge about what to expect. There was lack of discussion and planning for the end of life. “They have to deal with complex medication, and we expect them to do it with virtually no preparation. “Morphine and opioids had particular symbolic significance. People really worried about overdosing the patients. They were anxious to follow instructions, writing everything down.”
Dr Audrey Roulston, of Queen’s University Belfast, presented a poster on end of life care decision-making with patients with advanced lung cancer. She interviewed 12 patients in their last few months of life about their decisions, interviewing each patient twice. “Their biggest problems were delays in diagnosis, changes in health over time, physical and social losses and how their illness impacted on their identity. When patients accepted that they were dying, the most important thing for them was spending time with their families. The two other themes were maintenance of hope and having skilful communications,” she said. “They hoped for more time with loved ones and control over their preferred priorities for care. They talked about the future – legal issues, their funerals and how their carers would cope.” The study’s other important finding was about the importance of allowing people to share their illness stories in a way that allays isolation.
Patients talked a lot about the future – their funerals and how their carers would cope. All photos Trevor Smeaton
12 People May 2014
Our team
“ WE NEVER KNOW HOW BUSY WE ARE GOING TO BE” Every day and night of the year, teams from Marie Curie’s Rapid Response Service in Durham and Darlington support patients and families in many different ways.
It was a busy night when Marie Curie People’s volunteer photographer, Inigo Alcaniz, visited the Marie Curie Rapid Response Service in Durham and Darlington. A high volume of calls meant that the nursing teams were rushing out to patients for much of the evening. The service supports terminally ill people right across the region. There are always four two-person teams on duty – each comprising a Registered Nurse and a Senior Healthcare Assistant. Three teams are based at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, while one is based at St Teresa’s Hospice in Darlington, where the partnership means that the senior Healthcare Assistant is employed by the hospice. And demand for their care is high. Gillian Foreman is the Clinical Nurse Manager who runs rapid response teams across the area. “We never know how busy we are going to be,” she said. “We’re on call 24 hours round the clock, 365 days a year. “A visit can be two or three hours. We don’t plan to stay for long periods, but we do tailor care around the needs of our patients and families. “Our main aim is to keep people at home or allow them to be cared for in their preferred place of care. Most people say they would prefer to die in their own homes. Obviously, it’s not for everybody, but if that’s where they want to be, then we can come out and visit them.” The rapid response teams work closely with many other local providers of care, including hospices, hospitals, Macmillan Nurses and GPs. Their closest working relationships are with district nurses – who always remain responsible for patients’ overall care.
“We can help with syringe drivers and medication. We can also get prescriptions at night from the out-of-hours GP centre so the person can get their symptoms managed straight away.”
A SYMPATHETIC EAR
The Marie Curie Rapid Response Service (Durham and Darlington) • On duty: 24/7 • Based at: St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham (3 teams); St Teresa’s Hospice, Darlington (1 team)
LONG-TERM CONDITIONS Like other Marie Curie services, the teams care for people with any terminal illness – not just those with cancer. “We work with patients with longterm conditions, such as motor neurone disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, heart failure and other conditions,” Gillian said. “With many of these illnesses, we are often aiming to prevent people from being admitted to hospital with distressing symptoms. In those cases, we work very closely with the clinical nurse specialists from the Darlington and Durham area. We might only go in to visit
Photos: Inigo Alcaniz
COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Joanne Charlton and Diane Brown prepare to visit a patient
24/7: The Rapid Response Service team is ready for action any time of the day
them once a month when their symptoms flare up.” Another vital area of the teams’ work is supporting staff in nursing homes with palliative care. They can often resolve difficulties by giving advice over the phone, but they also travel to nursing homes to provide practical care when needed. Gillian is delighted that the Rapid Response Service has just been recommissioned by the local NHS. “We had to produce in-depth evidence of what we do and how successful the service is,” she said.
IN TIMES OF CRISIS Theresa Chaplin is one of the service’s Senior Nurses. A Registered General Nurse, she joined Marie Curie from the in-patient unit at St Cuthbert’s. Now, almost every shift takes her into the homes of patients and families – often at a time of crisis. “People might need help with pain, nausea and vomiting, respiration, or support and counselling. Both the patient and their family might need psychological and emotional support. Sometimes a family member might ask for advice over the phone, but if they need practical help, we will go out and visit.
We can help patients have a shower or a bath. A bit of comfort and dignity goes a long way. SENIOR HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT HAYLEY WALTENBERG (RIGHT)
Ensuring the patient’s nursing needs are met is only part of the teams’ work. On most visits, they will spend time with their carers, usually a spouse or family member. “They need someone with a sympathetic ear,” Theresa said. “Caring for someone who is very ill can be very hard. Sometimes there can be family dynamics where people are not coping very well. “Sometimes you are there to sit and listen. You’re somebody to talk to from outside the family. We know that we’ve done a good job when they give us a hug and say ‘thank you’.” As well as making it possible for people to stay in their homes to the end of their lives, the teams help terminally ill people get home from hospital. They are often called in when it looks likely that someone will be waiting for social care to be provided in their home.
COMFORT AND DIGNITY Hayley Waltenberg is a Senior Healthcare Assistant. She goes out to patients’ homes, working in a two-person team alongside a Registered Nurse. “We can stand in to give personal care to the patient for around five days. That helps people if the care agency can’t start for a few days,” she said. “If people are bed-bound, that might involve giving them a bed bath, or if they’re reasonably mobile, we can help them have a shower or a bath. A bit of comfort and dignity goes a long way.” The teams’ pairing of a Registered Nurse with a Senior Healthcare Assistant for all visits means that they can tackle almost any of the difficulties that their patients and carers encounter. Both team members carry out routine nursing, personal care and family support work, while the Senior Healthcare Assistants are trained as second checkers, so that they can formally witness the administration of controlled drugs by Registered Nurses.
May 2014 People 13
My story WONDERFUL CARE: Deirdre McKenny says Marie Curie gave her support when her mum, Bernadette, became ill
MUM’S APPETITE RETURNED After four months, Mum didn’t need the tube any more. The first thing she ate was a small piece of fish – but then she got back on to proper food. She became very adventurous in her tastes, enjoying flavours she never would have eaten before she was ill, such as Thai food. Before she was ill, she didn’t like sweet things – even though she was a pastry chef! But after her treatment, her tastes became sweeter. It awakened her taste buds to new experiences and she often enjoyed eating out. When she was in remission, Mum also got back into cooking again and she really enjoyed it. We had a wonderful Christmas in 2004. My sister, who lives in France, came over with her five children. Mum made a traditional Christmas dinner for everyone. It was a wonderful time, absolutely fantastic, and we all remember it very fondly.
FANTASTIC SUPPORT
MY STORY
“The hospice helped my mum to rediscover her love of food” Deirdre McKenny’s mother, Bernadette, received care at the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast. Afterwards, during a period of remission, the former chef could enjoy food again, as Deirdre explains.
When my mum, Bernadette, first went into the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast in 2002, she was in a bad way. She’d just had four months of hospital treatment for oesophageal cancer. She was also in remission for breast cancer and had undergone a mastectomy the previous year. Mum underwent 27 hospital radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions for the oesophageal cancer before deciding she’d had enough and wanted to discontinue the treatment. She was transferred from the hospital’s oncology unit to the hospice.
FOOD WAS IMPORTANT When Mum first went into the hospice, she hadn’t eaten anything for several weeks – she’d been on a drip in hospital. She had been a professional pastry chef and food was everything to her. In the 1960s and 1970s, she and my dad had run a restaurant and bar together in Lisburn and she did all the cooking.
Later, they both went into the hotel trade and Mum worked as a chef. She’d also made wedding cakes and catered at events. So when she lost her appetite and was unable to eat, she lost a big part of her life. We didn’t think she would be coming home from the hospice and thought she may have another two or three weeks to live at the most. The hospice staff were wonderful to Mum. They saw she was getting stronger and organised for her to have a feeding tube. After just four weeks at the hospice, she was well enough to come home, where I cared for her. Before long, her cancer went into remission.
She became very adventurous in her tastes, enjoying flavours she never would have eaten before. The treatment awakened her taste buds to new experiences.
Marie Curie gave Mum, my family and me fantastic support while she was being cared for at home. I’d call the nurses when I needed advice – for example, when I was concerned as she was falling over because she was weak. They gave us emotional support, too, when we started to worry about what would happen next. In January 2005, Mum developed what we thought was a chest infection. She had a chest x-ray and it was discovered that her breast cancer had returned and spread to her lungs. After her diagnosis, we went home to tell the rest of the family. Ten weeks later, shortly after her 71st birthday, Mum finally succumbed to an infection that ultimately provided for the very gentle departure of an incredible lady. Since then, as a way of saying thank you to the charity, I’ve raised lots of money for Marie Curie through sponsored activities. Sponsored walks, a sponsored diet and doing the Swimathon every year for four years means my fundraising total has neared £5,000. As the Swimathon was not organised for Marie Curie this year, I volunteered to wear a tabard and do a couple of street collections. That has also given me the opportunity to meet so many people whose families have also been touched by cancer, who voluntarily approached me to express their appreciation of the nurses, staff and organisation of Marie Curie. I’m so grateful to Marie Curie for caring for Mum at the hospice and being there for us afterwards. During the 18 months that Mum was in remission, she recovered her old self and really embraced life. We had a fantastic time, and that is in no small measure thanks to the care and support we received from Marie Curie.”
NEWS IN BRIEF HOSPICE OPENS ITS DOORS TO POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS Nearly 100 members of the local community attended the first volunteer open evening at the Marie Curie Hospice, West Midlands. The event saw members of the public come along to discover the various volunteering roles available at the hospice. People had the chance to talk informally with hospice staff and volunteers, taking away information on opportunities in fundraising, driving, gardening, catering, the Marie Curie Helper service, day therapy and complementary therapies. FUNDRAISING CEILIDH Two Marie Curie supporters raised funds with a ceilidh in their local village hall. The event – organised by Steve and Jayne Marsh of Osbournby – featured local live band Steppin’ Stones and BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Tom Lane as caller. Around 60 people attended, raising £500. SOUNDS OF AMERICA A choir of Norfolk ladies performed for Marie Curie at Thaxted Parish Church. Coro Stellante presented a concert entitled America in Song. Also performing were international singersongwriter and actress Lisa Peretti as guest soloist, and young singers from local schools. TRADITIONAL CONCERT Marie Curie was one of three charities to benefit from the We’ll Walk This Road Together concert in Oban’s Corran Halls. The event featured traditional bands Manran, Skerryvore and Ceol an Aire and raised £15,000. Running costs were covered by local businesses. LIONS DINE Marie Curie benefitted from fundraising at the 38th annual charter dinner and dance staged by the Lions Club of Tavistock, Cornwall. The daffodil-themed evening attracted 120 people, and £350 was donated to the new Tavistock and Yelverton Fundraising Group. ANGLERS AID US A dinner and auction held by Galloway Fisheries raised funds for Marie Curie and Combat Stress. The event is also funding the trust’s work to improve aquatic biodiversity in the Galloway region. SWIMMERS ON TOUR Swimmers at Starbeck pool, Harrogate, are aiming to swim the distance of the Tour de France Grand Départ in the 100-day countdown to the event. The total distance of the first three stages is 549km (or 30,008 pool lengths). Money raised from sponsorship will benefit Marie Curie.
14 People May 2014
Strategic Plan
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Marie Curie’s new Strategic Plan was recently taken on tour by the charity’s Chief Executive and directors (the Executive Board). They wanted to share the charity’s plans with staff and volunteers, and give people the opportunity to have their questions answered. Imelda Redmond, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, sums up the essentials of what they said.
“They’re the people who helped Grandad” A woman said this to her young daughter as she donated to this year’s Great Daffodil Appeal. But sadly, too many families don’t know what it’s like to get the expert care and support Marie Curie provides. And that’s the challenge at the very core of our new Strategic Plan – how can we help more people get the care and support they need, earlier and in different ways. We also need to use our income and resources as efficiently as possible. To meet that challenge, we’re going to have to build on all the great work we do already and develop more ways to help more people who need us. There are three further factors driving the need for change. • The NHS is facing big challenges. • Our population is changing. • People expect a different type of relationship with us.
Here’s some more detail about these additional three drivers for change:
The NHS • While we have a great partnership with the NHS, it’s changing too. In England it’s facing a £30 billion shortfall over the next seven years – and that’s on top of a funding gap. And it’s having to make savings in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales too. •T his means we also need to be more competitive and responsive so we can take the opportunities there are to do work.
Population demographics are changing • We will have an increasingly ageing population. • More people will live longer and with complex conditions. • There will be a growth in non-cancer deaths.
People expect a different type of relationship with us • We’ve done a lot of research on the type of charity we should be for the future. We asked the opinions of people who are ill, their families and carers and external groups. We also asked you to help tell us what you think was needed and many of you took part in our surveys and workshops.
May 2014 People 15
Strategic Plan Example: how we will help Janet • Janet has motor neurone disease. She wants to get her family finances in order while she feels well enough and goes online for information. • Later, she wants information on what they’re entitled to receive in terms of benefits. She wants to talk to someone as she is not sure where to start before asking for a leaflet. • Janet’s husband, George is worried that she is becoming very tired. He decides to go online and see what support is available, looking for a friendly voice. • Marie Curie advisors are on hand to talk – so Janet and George will be able to pick up a phone and call us directly.
We have made the decision to support people from the point of terminal diagnosis. At that point, they may be feeling relatively well and active and their needs may be very different from someone who is weeks or days from dying.
REACHING OUT
14 20 19
People with a terminal illness and their families told us: • they need a ‘one stop shop’ for information • they want to communicate and work with us in a way that’s familiar to them • over time their needs may change We need to be able to respond to these needs. So, while we will continue to build on the great work by our nursing staff and in our hospices – increasing the number we care for from 39,000 to 50,000 a year – we will not be able to be there with nursing and hospices for all of the 400,000 people who have palliative care needs each year in the UK. Not all of those people will require this type of direct care from our charity, but many will need our advice and support, Over the coming months, you will hear about our research, training academy, bereavement support and service design. We will also increase the pace of roll-out of our Marie Curie Helper service.
So, we’re researching our brand to ensure we get those things absolutely right, so it works for our charity as a whole. Brand covers how we position ourselves externally – how we talk about our charity and what we do, and of course it includes our name and how we look. We will be keeping the name Marie Curie, and we will be keeping the daffodil. And we will invest more in making our charity better known. Watch this space.
We need you All these plans are all very well but the key factor is you – and we most certainly can’t do it without you. While we will continue to keep you up to date through emails, your usual newsletters, Marie Curie People and intranet stories, what we really want is for you to get involved in making our Strategic Plan a reality. Please take up the opportunities that will arise. We want to hear from you. It does make a difference. And we have our new website for staff and volunteers: mariecurie.org.uk/staffandvolunteers You’ll find the latest news, plus details of how to get involved, as well as a section for giving feedback and sharing ideas.
TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
How are we going to change? We need to expand and develop what we do. We need to equip our charity, so that we can: • clearly be seen to support or care for people with all terminal illnesses, including cancer • from the point of terminal diagnosis • through the provision of direct care from our nursing service and hospices • and supported by the launch of new initiatives for Marie Curie, such as an online and telephone advice and information service We also need to always be aware about how people want to be treated. Our research also told us that people who are terminally ill want to: • be treated as an individual • be recognised for who they are, not their illness • live in the present • know their family will be supported
To deliver all this, we are developing our technical capabilities. This work all sits within the Strategic Plan workstream called Better Connected. The three Better Connected projects that we’re working on currently are: A new website – We need a new website containing the information and advice people need, directly and indirectly for people with terminal illnesses, their families and carers. The website needs to be simple to use, so that things are easy to find. And it needs to work just as well on tablets and mobiles as on desktop computers. A new campaign management system – This will deliver great supporter communications: the right information, at the right time, in the right way. The first big campaign to use it will be the 2015 Great Daffodil Appeal. Nursing Service mobile working – We’re working on ways to keep our nurses up to date with patients when they are out in the community.
A NEW LOOK So how will we look and how will we talk about ourselves and what we do? How we position our charity and tell people what we do is very important – we need to make sure people know we are here to help more people, earlier and in different ways, with all terminal illnesses including cancer.
Better Connected Several Better Connected projects to improve Marie Curie technical capabilities and infrastructure are already well underway, Technical Lead Mark Everard reports. In recent months, the charity has set up a new media centre that works effectively with mobiles and tablets on its website; and enabled supporters to pay in money from collections using online banking. Later this month, a major ‘self-service’ project for fundraising and marketing will enable supporters to go online, choose a collection slot for the charity and book themselves into it. Automatic emails and SMS messages will be sent to collectors to remind them of their booked collection.
16 People May 2014
Fundraising
SUPPORTERS GO APE FOR US A total of 68 supporters made monkeys of themselves at the Peeblesshire Fundraising Group’s sponsored Go Ape challenge – and raised more than £5,000 for Marie Curie. Participants took on a high rope course at Glentress, Peeblesshire, with rope bridges, Tarzan swings and crossings, high above the forest floor. The challenge included Go Ape’s highest zipwire, which runs across the valley and over the reservoir. Georgina Seymour, Chair of the Peeblesshire Fundraising Group, said: “It went extremely well. The course was a real challenge, and people loved it. They all finished with smiles on their faces – the atmosphere was fantastic.” The fundraising group was able to organise the event through a personal contact of one of its members.
ON THE UP: Supporters were on the ropes for Peeblesshire Fundraising Group’s latest event
CAR RAFFLE RAISES THOUSANDS Rotarians across the north-east of Scotland chose to support Marie Curie through their annual car raffle at the Bon Accord Centre in Aberdeen. The support was the result of a successful application from Paul Cockram of the charity’s partnership team. A total of 22 Rotary clubs supported the raffle and more than 45,000 tickets were sold. The raffle was also sponsored by BP, and the Mini First car was supplied by John Clark Motor Group. Carolyn Snedden, community fundraiser in Aberdeen, was present as the keys were handed over to lucky winner and local man Angus Nicholson. Alan Pirie, Rotarian and raffle organiser also handed over a cheque for £20,500 to Marie Curie.
Racers muck in at Portadown event
It wasn’t a pretty sight at the end of Northern Ireland’s latest fundraising challenge in aid of Marie Curie.
CAR RAFFLE: The Mini First is handed over
eBay turns 50p into £50 Volunteer Chris Tomlinson auctioned two rare 50p coins for Marie Curie on eBay. The coins, which feature a design marking the 250th anniversary of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, are highly sought by collectors. “I did the daffodil collection in Chorley town centre this year,” said Chris (pictured). “I had spotted in the paper that the coins were rare, so we looked out for them in the collection – and we found two.” The first coin went for £50, and the second for £21. “I’m really pleased – it was just chance that I’d seen the article in the paper,” Chris said. The Royal Mint manufactured just 210,000 of the commemorative 50p coins in 2011 - compared with the 22.7 million that feature the Royal Arms (2008) and 7.5 million with a Girlguiding design (2010). The Royal Mint has declared the coin as the rarest in general circulation.
300 One in around 300 people currently have a Kew Gardens 50p. They are expected to disappear quickly into private collections.
Around 1,000 people got down and dirty for Marie Curie at the McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Mud Madness challenge. Described as Northern Ireland’s muckiest off-road challenge, the 10mile race at Foymore Lodge, Portadown, featured 25 obstacles, including bogs, ponds, muddy trenches, water sprays, cargo nets and a climbing wall.
Competitors arrived from all over Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland and Germany and the US to compete in the event. This year’s event was the most popular to date. Such was the scale of demand – with Mud Madness selling out in record time – that another event has been scheduled for later this year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION The next race is at Foymore Lodge on Sunday 14 September. To get one of 100 early bird entries, log on to mud-madness.com/enter-online
May 2014 People 17
Food for thought VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH
My husband’s roasted vegetables with whole cloves of garlic and halloumi cheese. He makes the best roast potatoes in the world. And a glass of ice cold sparkling water.
A LUXURY ITEM A never-ending supply of art materials. I could spend hours painting my inner and outer world. Hmmm, can I go to this island now please?
FOOD OR DRINK
Monsoon Wedding, a gorgeous film about an Indian family. It is full of the complexities, joys and woes of relationships. And is full of beauty, music and colour; it’s a ‘smellable’ experience!
Avoid using a flash unless it’s
FOR MORE INFORMATION Trevor has a degree in photographic science and is always happy to help educate people about photography. For more information, visit Trevor’s website at trevorsmeaton.com
A FILM
TIP THREE – Don’t get too flashy
To move your photography on, spend some time learning about colour temperature and white balance – nothing beats a nice natural skin tone.
An English/Spanish dictionary with a section on teaching yourself Spanish. As a Buddhist, I will swap the Bible for a lovely illustrated version of The Dhammapada, a collection of the Buddha’s teachings which a very dear friend gave to me.
Make sure you set your camera’s “image quality” menu to “fine” or “high” – otherwise your photo will look fine on the screen, but be useless for anyone who needs to print it.
TIP FIVE – Next steps: learn about colour
A BOOK
TIP TWO – Consider print quality
Work within the limits of your camera and your skills. It’s better to get a few really good pictures than to try to compressively cover an event from every angle.
The best camera in the world is the one you have with you: modern phones produce great results, especially outdoors in good light. So don’t be afraid to leave your 2kg SLR at home.
TIP FOUR – Don’t be over-ambitious
I have a varied album collection, but I think it would have to be Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder. I’ve been listening to it on and off for almost 40 years, and given that I am still not bored with it, that is an important factor. The album takes me through a multi-coloured landscape of the diversity of life.
TIP ONE – Your camera phone is as good as many cameras
absolutely necessary; natural light is usually best.
A SONG OR ALBUM Don’t worry about all of the different settings on your camera. Switch everything to auto and put your energy into chatting to your subjects and finding nice natural light.
Imagine you’re marooned on a desert island with just a copy of Marie Curie People to read. What other items would you want with you? Senior Healthcare Assistant Franky Henley tells us the treasured items she’d pick to see her through those lonely times waiting to be rescued. Franky cares for terminally ill people in Kent, supporting them and their families.
Top photographer Trevor Smeaton gives his guidance on taking great photographs. Whether you’re a budding portrait photographer, taking family or holiday snaps, or even getting an image for a Marie Curie People story, these tips should help.
Desert island essentials
How do I… take a great photo?
Below are the answers to the Sudoku puzzles on page 19.
Do you have an idea for the Food for thought page – a recipe or advice column? Perhaps you would like to feature in our Desert island essentials section? Write to us at mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
Sudoku solutions
Whoever I talk to, I like to show them that I care. Volunteering at the Bradford hospice has been a fantastic experience and it has really opened my eyes. When life is busy, you often don’t realise what people are going through, and volunteering on the reception desk has reminded me to take a step back and try to understand how people might be feeling. It is a powerful realisation. The best part of my time volunteering, however, is working with the staff at the hospice – they really are amazing. They always go above and beyond for everyone they are caring for and their family and friends, and it is heartwarming to see. The work they do is extraordinary.”
WRITE TO US
Before joining Marie Curie, I had wanted to volunteer for a long time and took the plunge in 2013 when I had a change in my career. Since joining, I have loved my time volunteering and I get a lot of enjoyment out of it and cannot say enough how great it makes me feel. As an evening receptionist, my role involves covering the desk after hours, meeting and greeting visitors, taking phone calls, helping with enquiries, and dealing with sales from the little gift shop we have on site. Volunteering at the reception desk means that during my shift I am often the first point of contact for the people that visit or call the hospice, so it’s important to create a good impression and offer a friendly smile. One of my favourite aspects of my role is the people I meet. I talk to a wide variety of people, so it’s important that I can adapt to how they might be feeling.
this was a reason for donating. Our walkers have told us that they like giving something back to such a trusted good cause and are moved by seeing people walk in memory. Those who sponsor also gave supporting a cause or charity they like as a key reason, according to the nfpSynergy survey. But easy donation processes – online or in person – and simply being asked were important factors too. The challenge of training for the event was only chosen as a factor by 14%. The difficulty of the event was less of an influence for sponsors too, so charities can think about making events more accessible. Walk Ten is an open and sociable event that is popular with all ages. Most walkers are aged between 25 and 54. But 15- to 24-year-olds and 55- to 64-year-olds are well represented and 5% are over 65. And although there are few of them, our walkers over 75 are the best at raising sponsorship.
As we prepare for Walk Ten, new research by nfpSynergy provides insight into people who like to do active events and those who sponsor them. Running and walking events came out as the best active events for attracting sponsorship. Of those members of the public asked, 13% said that they had participated in charity events like running, walking, cycling, challenges or swimming in the past year. But they are a smaller group of people than those who take part in social charity events like quiz nights or coffee mornings – about 40% said they had attended events like these. The social factor is important. People are attracted to doing active sponsored events with their friends and family, and 43% said this helped motivate them to take part. Our supporters can register for Walk Ten as a group. People also mainly sponsor a close friend or family member – nearly two-thirds told nfpSynergy
Sue Clayton volunteers as an evening receptionist at the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford.
Senior Insight Manager Ann Davison reveals research data
Charity events attract friends and family
Hospice work opens volunteer’s eyes to other people’s experiences
ANN’S INSIGHT
18 People May 2014
Inbox TOP TWEETS
Here is a selection of the top tweets from the past few weeks. Follow us on @mariecurieuk or tweet using #mariecurieuk Matt Johnston @johnnersmj
Thank you @mariecurieuk Privilege to run for you today. And god love your masseur who turned a petrified body back into something humanish x
Tina Atkinson @Atkinson40Tina
@Mud_Madness @mariecurieuk I did it.
Abby Harrison @SankofaMinda
Euie happily donated £3 of his birthday money for a daffodil pin from @mariecurieuk “Cos they look after Grandad!” Sally Gabriel @SallyGabriel83
3 miles to go #LondonMarathon for @mariecurieuk Proud of my sista. Go #DaffodilTeam
Inbox
Inbox is Marie Curie People’s forum for your letters and emails. If you’ve a brilliant idea or a question about our work – or if something is bugging you – email mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
YOUR FEEDBACK TO FORM TOP 10 RESEARCH QUESTIONS I am writing to thank everyone who contributed to our recent survey by providing research questions that you would like to see answered. More than 1,200 people responded – including many Marie Curie People readers. We really appreciate being able to draw on such a huge reserve of palliative care experience. We are also very grateful to our partner organisations, especially the James Lind Alliance. Our research centres in Cardiff and London will now carry out a systematic review of the questions submitted. This will involve grouping similar questions together, removing duplicates and seeing which have already been answered. Once that has been done, we plan to run prioritisation workshops, with patients, carers and clinicians. The aim is to come up with a “top 10” list of the questions that really matter. The results will enable us to set our
research priorities – and we also expect them to inform the wider field of palliative care research. Sabine Best Head of Research
VOLUNTEERS: BE PREPARED I am writing to ask all Marie Curie staff to start planning for Volunteers’ Week now. Volunteers’ Week is an annual event which celebrates the contribution made by millions of volunteers across the UK. It takes place from 1-7 June, and at Marie Curie we celebrate every year. We’re asking staff colleagues across the charity to run a special thank-you event for your volunteers in your area. Whether you’re thinking of organising a tea party, taking the team to the pub, or all going to the bowling or bingo together, now is the time to start planning how you will be thanking your volunteers during Volunteers’ Week. Resources to help you plan, including posters, invitations and bunting, are now available in the Volunteering document
CELEBRATION: Nominated by Service Manager Kathy Holland, the Somerset & Bristol Marie Curie Helper service received an award from the South Somerset Associate for Voluntary and Community Action during Volunteers’ Week last year
library on our intranet, so take a look, download and print them. And don’t forget to take photos at your event and share them with us. Keep your eyes peeled for more information about Volunteers’ Week over the coming month. Contact me for more information. Sian White Volunteer Engagement Officer sian.white@mariecurie.org.uk
CARING SERVICES
The voices of patients and their carers and loved ones must be at the heart of evolving our organisation and services Director of Services Caroline Hamblett reflects on the increasing need to respond promptly to the comments and requests of those who use healthcare services.
Sean Biggerstaff @Seanchuckle
Well. That was truly traumatic. And I might not walk again. But I don’t regret going through it for @mariecurieuk for one moment.
FACEBOOK FRIENDS
Followers on Facebook are speaking out about the valuable support from Marie Curie. Follow us at facebook.com/MarieCurieUK Elisabeth Ann Faulds I would like to thank the Marie Curie support & hospice for making our mum’s last days pain free & comfortable. It may have only been for a few short days but you didn’t just care & support our mum, you supported my dad, me & my baby sis & brothers to prepare. James Mcdougall Young What a wonderful organisation. Without them I do not know what I would have done. They deserve more than medals. I love every one of them xxxxx Julie Elkholy This was my 2nd yr collecting, and I loved helping for such a much needed cause, and I collected over £211 in 4 hours. Well done to all the collectors and thank you to all the wonderful nurses who give the time for the families to be together in such difficult circumstances. Rebecca Morgan 250 people at our Gramps’ funeral today and every single one of them was wearing a Marie Curie daffodil.
As you will know from Dawn Tame-Battell’s column last month, we’re in the process of updating some of our hospice facilities across the country. It was particularly important that we did this as patients and visitors to the hospices had let us know that some things were not working for them. At Marie Curie, we have always received an astounding level of anecdotal feedback praising the work we do; you only have to scroll through the comments on one of our Facebook posts to get a feel for the kind of response we are getting. But how do we go further with this? How do we take comments and use them in a constructive way to ensure they form the foundations of everything we do? We want to strengthen the voice of the patients, their families, carers, and loved ones who use our services. This is also something that the NHS is actively trying to build up. Attitudes towards user feedback are changing across the country and the healthcare landscape, and there is a stronger focus on making changes and improvements and responding quickly to the needs of those using services in real time. This is now also a requirement of our contracts with NHS commissioners, as a service provider.
WRITE TO US
FEEDING BACK: It’s vital that patients and their families’ opinions are heard
And this isn’t just about the big changes, like hospice refurbishments or service redesign. While improved facilities and access to outside space are extremely important, the little things
Attitudes towards user feedback are changing… There is a stronger focus on making changes and improvements and responding quickly to the needs of those using services in real time.
can make an instant and tangible difference to someone’s holistic care; even something as small as there being too much salt in the soup (an example of a recent comment). If your patients, their carers and loved ones would like to give feedback, please help them do so in whatever way is most convenient for them. People should not feel they have to let us know their thoughts, but we know that often there is a desire to share experiences, either to build on the good things, or to help drive improvements for others in the same situation in the future. If you have any ideas on how we can improve our feedback methods, or if you would like to know about what we do with information when we receive it, I know that Ben Gadd, Patient and Carer Feedback Development Manager, leading on the real-time feedback project, would be really pleased to hear from you. FOR MORE INFORMATION Share your thoughts on how we can improve our feedback methods by contacting Ben Gadd. Email ben.gadd@mariecurie.org.uk or call 020 7091 4185.
Do you have a comment about the charity or one of our articles, or a suggestion for a story? Write to us at mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk. Comments and letters may be edited.
May 2014 People 19
Noticeboard 60 SECONDS WITH...
Lucy Knight
Khadijah Tamim is the new daughter of CMS Development Consultant Tamim Khan and Muneera Nishat. She weighed in at 7.5lbs on 18 February.
TOP TEAM
Margaret delighted at raising four-figure sum A Great Daffodil Appeal collector raised more than £2,500 by carrying out seven collections lasting seven hours each. Margaret Kite, 81, of Kenilworth, Warwickshire said: “I enjoyed every minute of it. It was absolutely brilliant, and the people who donated were wonderful.” She admitted she was shocked by the amount she’d raised, and that she didn’t know how she’d managed to collect so much money. “I just stand there, hopefully look happy, and people come to me,” she said. “The time just whizzes by.” Her favourite thing about collecting is “having the satisfaction of knowing that I’m helping somebody. I’d rather be out collecting than going on holiday”.
Do you have a birth, wedding, civil partnership, retirement or long service award to celebrate? Send details and a photo to mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
SUDOKU
Marie Curie People sudoku sponsored by: Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE.
To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or maths involved, just use logic to solve. Find the solutions on page 17.
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6 5 © Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
9 4 7 4 8 3 6 1 5 7 9 6 4 7 6 2 1 9 3 2 5 8 9 5 6 4 6 8 7
Play Sudoku and win prizes at:
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3 1
6 3 9 8
1 7
5 7 4
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7 9 6
8
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WRITE TO US
When she’s not in the water, Lucy Knight, Senior Partnership and Sales Manager (South), is building relationships to raise funds. Q: How long have you worked for Marie Curie? Just over a month. I joined during Great Daffodil Appeal 2014. Q: What did you do before? I was Head of Fundraising at the Brain Tumour Charity and previously worked in the central corporate team at CLIC Sargent, heading up the Account Management team. Prior to that, I joined the charity to account manage the Tesco Charity of the Year partnership in 2010. Q: What are the three most important aspects of your job? Relationship building, getting the win and maximising opportunities. Q: Describe your typical day. Relationship building is key. I am working closely with internal teams and meeting with companies and media partners to see how we can work together. I also ensure that my team are happy, are progressing and have enough support. Q: What do you do when you’re not at work? I go to the gym, see my friends and family and love anything to do with the water – sailing, surfing, diving, you name it. Q: When was the last time you laughed? Today in the office – the Bristol crew are hilarious. They have made me feel very welcome. Q: If you were an animal what would you be? A dolphin, so I could swim all day long and explore. Q: What makes you happy? My lovely friends and family, being by the sea, mum’s home-cooked dinners. Q: What makes you sad? Rude people – manners don’t cost a thing. Q: What did you want to be when you grew up? A Blue Peter presenter. Q: What was your favourite childhood TV programme? Blue Peter (there’s a pattern emerging here…). Q: Tell us a fascinating fact about yourself. I used to play in a brass band and still sing in a choir. Q Which five people, alive or dead, would you like to invite to dinner? Marie Curie, for obvious reasons; Kate Moss, to save money as I’m sure she doesn’t eat much – I’d donate the extra money; Elvis Presley, so I could try his deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwich; Paul Walker, my crush; my Grandad.
Look what you and a brew can do Hold a Blooming Great Tea Party and every pound you raise will help our nurses care for someone with a terminal illness in your area.
20–29 June 2014 Get your free fundraising pack now call 0845
052 4184 or visit
MarieCurieUK
@mariecurieuk
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mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty