R O YA L
B R O M P T O N
&
H A R E F I E L D
H O S P I TA L S
C H A R I T Y
OC TOBER 2021
S u p p o r te r s o n th e L o n d o n B r i d g e s Wa lk , J u l y 25 202 1
JOI N OU R F IG H T AG A I NST H E A RT A N D LU NG DI SE A SE
/ / TWI ET LL C E O/ M / E //
Welcome ’m pleased to be able to introduce myself to you as the Chief Executive of Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity. I joined in May, after almost seven years at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. It’s been both an exciting and challenging time to join this organisation. Our hospitals have been in the frontline of the Covid-19 response. As a charity – and with your help – we have been pleased to provide a range of support to help our colleagues through this period, from providing new Smart Scrubs to buying new ECMO machines, but there’s still much more to do. The pandemic has also disrupted the operations of the Charity, as you might imagine. We have a small staff team who have found all sorts of creative ways to adapt to homeworking and the challenges of staging fundraising events. If there are any positives to take from this incredibly difficult period, I think for us it might be the development of exciting new virtual events such as Heart vs Lungs. This summer, we’ve been able to welcome supporters to in-person events for the first time in 18 months. You can read in this issue of News Beat about the Annual Shakin’ Stevens Golf Day
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and our London Bridges Walk, both of which I attended. I wasn’t at our Wing Walk, but I am in awe of those who strapped themselves to a biplane for the cause (including the Charity’s own Sallinder Rai). It’s back next year, if you want to sign up. We don’t know exactly what 2022 will bring, although I know many of you – like me – will be hoping for a return of the Harefield Fun Run. What we do know is that our hospitals will go on doing their vital work and with your help, our Charity will go on supporting them. Thank you for the welcome you’ve given me since I joined the Charity. And thank you for your support, now and always. Richard Bowyer, Chief Executive
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// LE T TER FROM THE EDITOR //
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR o far 2021 at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity has been a strange year, but also a rewarding one. The first half was dominated by another lockdown, but over the summer we have been able to bring our supporters together in person for a few events. The Charity has achieved a lot this year. Heart vs Lungs 2.0 was a huge success, with participants from London to Wales raising over £22,000 in total. Fundraisers endured the rain at the London Bridges Walk and raised over £7,500. Individuals and groups have been fundraising in big and small ways for our two hospitals all year. None of this would have been possible without your support. You have risen above the adversity of the
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last year and a half to really make a difference for our staff and patients when they needed it the most. The pandemic is not over and we are fundraising to provide the hospitals with the equipment they need to treat Covid-19 patients now, but also patients with other heart and lung conditions in the future. This includes new ECMO machines and humidifiers. We hope to hold many events to raise these funds, so keep an eye on our website and our eNewsletters to see what we have in store. We know that whatever happens you will continue to support our two hospitals and our patients and for that we are forever grateful. Alastair Ball, Editor of News Beat
Sharing others to to help help us us fundraise fundraise for for our our hospitals hospitalsand andprovides Sharing your your story story inspires inspires others provides comfort for other patients and families. You can unleash your creative side comfort for other patients and families. You can unleash your creative side and andsupport supportour ourfight fightagainst against Covid-19, heart and lung disease at the same time. Covid-19 and heart and lung disease at the same time. Please Please email the Charity at fundraising@rbhcharity.org to get to started. email the Charity at fundraising@rbhcharity.org get started.
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/ / TO I UT R L E A /P/ P E A L S / /
Your generosity has helped the hospitals when they needed it the most Thanks to many incredible donations to the Covid-19 Relief Fund, we have been able to purchase over £187,000 worth of new equipment for the hospitals. The equipment purchased includes new humidifiers,
ECMO equipment and i-STAT handheld Blood gas analysers, as well as a Moto Med arm and leg static bike for ITU patients and new ultrasounds. Thank you to everyone who donated. Lockdown
and bad weather did not stop you fundraising for the hospitals. Your dedication to helping the hospitals has provided them with equipment that can be used to treat heart and lung patients for years to come.
You can still support our Covid-19 Relief Fund by donating or fundraising. Visit our website to find out more rbhcharity.org/covid-19-relief-fund 4
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// DOUBLING DECEMBER //
DOUBLING DECEMBER
This Christmas we will be raising funds for equipment to help the hospitals recover from Covid-19 and treat other critically ill patients. A donation made in December will have double the impact and buy twice as much equipment. This is because we are launching a new appeal this winter and any donations made will be doubled. That’s right, it’s Doubling December, where your money will have twice the impact and help twice as many patients. We want to say a big thank you to the supporters who have agreed to double the funds raised up to a value of £20,000. We’re hoping to raise £40,000 for our hospitals this December, but we need your help to do it. To find out more visit our website rbhcharity.org/doubling-december
CATH L AB APPEALS COMPLETE
The Kusuma Trust UK have made an extraordinary donation of £251,460 to complete not one, but two of our appeals - Life in Focus and Lifeline Lab - to equip two newly refurbished catheter laboratories (cath labs) with state-of-the-art imaging equipment. Soma Pujari, Executive Trustee, said: "We feel very privileged to have been able to support the purchase of essential cath lab equipment for Royal Brompton and Harefield so some of the best doctors have the latest and finest technology available to be able to deliver the best care to heart patients.” The cath labs will save and transform over 2,000 lives each year through minimally invasive procedures, which is vital as many of our patients are too weak for surgery. Mark Bowers, Harefield Divisional Intervention Lead for cath labs and theatres, said: “The state-of-the-art equipment will lower the radiation dose and enable us to complete a wider range of examinations than we could with the old lab, essentially future-proofing ourselves against new procedures that could arise over the next five to 10 years.” Over £1.2 million was raised to purchase this equipment - thank you to the Kusuma Trust UK and all who donated for making this all possible.
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// SUMMER E VENTS //
Summer event s
This summer it has been great to bring our supporters together again
A N E P I C R E M AT C H
This April the rematch was on as Team Heart and Team Lungs put on their t-shirts, laced up their shoes and started covering ground for their team. Team Heart were raring to defend their title, but Team Lungs were keen to even the score. This time we had celebrity team captains. Actress and singer Claire Sweeney led Team Heart and Paralympic table tennis players Aaron McKibbin and Will Bayley led Team Lungs. Will Bayley said: “It’s a real privilege to be on Team Lungs this year,” and he encouraged participants to “get out there, smash it and have a great time.”
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The two teams raced across a virtual route from Harefield Hospital to Sydney, Australia, taking in 22 countries on three continents. 400 participants took part, walking, running, cycling, horse riding and climbing mountains to put miles on the clock for their team. Kirstin East even rode a husky sled. Both teams put in a huge effort, but Team Heart made it across the virtual finishing line first and defended their title. Team Captain Claire Sweeney said: “I just want to say a huge congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the Heart vs Lungs challenge. You've done an amazing job.” Team Lungs captain Aaron McKibbin said: “Congratulations to everyone for the effort they put in this year.”
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// SUMMER E VENTS //
HE ART VS LUNGS HEROES
Charity superhero, Max Glover, who kindly made a warmup video for us all, took on the challenge of covering 100km for Team Lungs carrying 100kg, which is 102% if his body weight. Max raised an incredible £1,240. Anbu’s Army covered the most ground with a total of 3,469.1 miles for Team Heart. Natalie Wickings travelled 624 miles for Team Lungs over the month winning the individual effort prize. Barbara Galbraith and the Heart Strings raised the most funds with an incredible £1,965 covering a total of 2,641.1 miles between them. Errol Greene joined for Team Lungs to thank Harefield Hospital for their care during his recent lung transplant. Errol said: “Five months ago, I could never have dreamed I would be well enough to walk outside and be fundraising. But the amazing lung transplant team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physios and all those involved in the process made it possible. I'm so happy to be able to raise funds to show my appreciation and gratitude.”
RA IS ED
£1, 240
RAISE D
£26,000
A G O L F DAY W O R T H WA I T I N G F O R
Our summer events kicked off with the Shakin’ Stevens Annual Golf Day. On 24 June, 19 teams of golfers headed to Denham Golf Club for our first in-person event in over 18 months. It was so good to see our supporters again we cried just a little bit. Andrew Watson, Charity supporter and patient, said: "Thank you so much for organising the golf day. I thought that it went really well." The rockin’ good day raised £26,000 toward our Covid-19 Relief Fund. Thank you to everyone who came and an especially big thank you to Shakin’ Stevens for hosting. @ r b h c h a r i t y / r b h c h a r i t y. o r g
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// SUMMER E VENTS //
H I G H F LY I N G F U N D R A I S I N G
Ten intrepid fundraisers took to the skies at Damyns Hall Aerodrome for our Wing Walk. In turn they took off and rose to a height of 700 feet strapped to the top of a 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane and collectively raised £13,345 for the Charity. Taking part was transplant patient Deborah and her husband Neil. Deborah had a double lung transplant in 2018 at Harefield Hospital. They raised £2,715 for the Charity. Deborah said: “RBH teams have always gone above and beyond so fundraising for them enables Neil and I to use this second chance at life to give something back, to honour my donor and her family while taking on this challenge.”
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FAC I N G T H E R A I N F O R T H E H O S P I TA L S
On Sunday 25 July, 100 of our supporters descended on central London for the first London Bridges Walk since the beginning of the pandemic. Shortly after 11am the walkers set off on a route that took in the spectacular urban scenery of central London and crossed six iconic bridges over the Thames. Unfortunately, at the half-way point the heavens opened and a huge downpour began. Some teams sheltered until the worst had past, but all made it back to The Morpeth Arms. Supporters Allen and Laraine Watson said: “What a storm. We’ve certainly never encountered thunder, lightning, and torrential rain to that extent in London before. But our spirits weren’t dampened at all, and the cheers and claps you greeted us with when we arrived back made us feel very proud of our achievement.” Our Chief Executive, Richard Bowyer, also walked the course. He said: “I think it’s typical of supporters of this Charity that they didn’t let the weather stop them getting out and making a difference.” Together we raised £7,511 for The Patients’ Fund. Well done to all who attended. It was inspiring to bring so many of our fundraisers together in person again.
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// A MY ’ S S TORY //
Amy’s stor y Amy was given life-saving ECMO treatment for Covid-19 at Royal Brompton Hospital my was being treated for Covid-19 at Milton Keynes Hospital when her symptoms got dramatically worse.
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“It felt like I was in this bubble with not enough oxygen and no matter how much energy I put in I just couldn’t breathe. After a while I didn’t want to eat and drink because breathing was my priority. It was at this point where my memory starts to fade, my focus was to stay alive.” On January 31, the ECMO team travelled up to Milton Keynes to retrieve her for care in Royal Brompton’s ECMO unit. Amy has no recollection of her time at Royal Brompton apart from her vivid dreams. “Some were quite harrowing. Some pleasant. Some of the doctors who were there when I was intubated at Milton Keynes were in my dreams all the way through. I would often dream about the nurse
who held my hand while I was intubated, and I recognised her when I had woken up again.” Amy’s husband praised the staff at Royal Brompton. “They updated us every day, but the ECMO went on for almost four weeks and there never seemed to be any good news. It all feels like a bad dream now.” Thankfully things started to turn around for Amy and on Friday 19 February she tested negative for Covid-19. Slowly, the level of support ECMO provided was reduced as her lungs healed. After several days, she started to make a rapid recovery.
Amy’s life was saved by ECMO. We are currently raising funds to buy new ECMO machines for both our hospitals. You can help save more patients like Amy by fundraising for or donating to our Covid-19 Relief Fund. Find out more on our website rbhcharity.org/covid-19-relief-fund
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// FUNDR AISING SP OTLIGHT //
FUNDRAISING SPOTLIGHT Our fundraisers have gone to extraordinary lengths to raise money for the hospitals. We have been blown away by their passion and commitment to helping patients and staff
RA IS ED
£48,912
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R B H C h a r i t y, 2 5 0 K i n g ’s R o a d , L o n d o n S W 3 5 U E
// FUNDR AISER SP OTLIGHT //
EUGENE MISKELLY RA IS ED
£9, 773
In May 2020 Eugene Miskelly arrived at Harefield Hospital for routine heart surgery. While the operation was a success, unfortunately there were serious complications and he had to be put
I cannot repeat often enough how much I owe to the NHS teams who looked after me
NA R E N H AT H I
Naren Hathi brought together his family and friends to raise over £48,000 for Harefield Hospital after he had reconstructive heart surgery there in 2020. Naren said: “By the grace of God and the excellent care, support, and dedication of all staff at the Hospital, I am fortunate to have fully recovered. I cannot thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital enough for the care they showed to me as a patient and also to my family who visited regularly.” In 2020 Naren was diagnosed with severe endocarditis, which required a complex 14hour heart operation. After this Naren spent three months recovering in Harefield hospital. The Hathi family’s fundraising was aided by the Lions Clubs of Kingsbury, Hendon, Kenton, Sudbury, Hatch End and Birmingham Handsworth, the Asian Foundation for Help and Pranash.
into a medically induced coma for 18 days. Eugene said: “The experts tell me that my journey was a bit of a rollercoaster and that there were times when it was touch and go if I would make it. However, thanks to the involvement of so much skilled expertise, I survived. Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to everyone.” He spent eight weeks recovering at Harefield Hospital. Eugene’s long time in ICU had left him weak and he had to learn to walk again. “I lost 20 kilos in weight and the muscle waste was savage. Even moving around the bed was a struggle.” Eugene set himself the challenge of completing a long fundraising walk as something to aim for. Over four days in March, Eugene walked 45 miles (73 kms) in London. Eugene said: “Through my training I’ve found more inner strength than I ever imagined I could muster, I discovered that aiming for the light at the end of the tunnel was a worthwhile exercise and recovery after a long illness is as much a mental feat as a physical one.” It has been a long road to recovery for Eugene. His walk is a huge accomplishment and the funds raised will make a massive difference for other patients.
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// FUNDR AISING SP OTLIGHT //
H A R EFI EL D H E A LI NG G A R DE N
On 7 September over eight years of fundraising, planning and planting was completed with the opening of the Harefield Healing Garden. The garden provides a quiet space for patients, their families and staff to relax and recuperate. The garden, now in a late summer bloom, was a passion project for Rosie Pope and Catherine Perry, both of whom had family members treated at Harefield Hospital. At the opening event, TV presenter Gabby Logan unveiled an information board. She said: "To have something like this garden, for families who may be going through those difficult moments, I just think it's a beautiful and very spiritual and quite emotional place."
J U LI ET K E R NOH A N
Juliet has cystic fibrosis and has been a patient of Royal Brompton hospital her entire life. On the longest day, Juliet and her husband Yuebi Yang attempted to run the capital ring – a 125km route around the edge of London - to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity. Juliet said: “When you have a lung condition, organisations like Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Charity and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust touch your lives and you feel inspired to go the extra mile for them.”
Rosie and Catherine are fundraising to buy bulbs for the garden so that it can bloom again next year. You can donate via rbhcharity.org/harefieldgarden-appeal
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RA IS ED
£7,178
// FUNDR AISING SP OTLIGHT //
MON DAY CH A R I TA BL E T RUST
A huge thank you to the Monday Charitable Trust who have once P LE again pledged £150,000 towards £1 DGED 5 0 ,00 0 the Foulis Ward Education Project so it can continue until 2025. The stress of regular hospital admissions can be enormous, even more so during the crucial stages of a young person’s life, such as preparing for exams. Since 2019, this project has provided education and careers support for patients aged 16-25, with many patients describing the project as fundamental to their life. Trustee Jonathan Brinsden said: “The Monday Charitable Trust have been impressed by the commitment of the Hospital School Team in supporting young people to reach their full potential – their hard work reaps positive outcomes across education, employment, wellbeing and in their social lives. The value the project brings is clear and we are delighted to be supporting it for another three years.”
L EO M AY
Leo went the extra mile for Harefield Hospital during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic; he laced up his shoes and started walking Leo said: "At first, I wanted to raise £200 but I increased my target to £600 because people kept donating. I went for a walk every day, even in the sun, ice, snow and rain. My total steps tally was 505,949. I could have walked to Liverpool with five miles to spare or almost twice around the M25." RA IS ED
£1,600
H A R ROW YOG A CE N T R E
Harrow Yoga Centre have been providing yoga sessions for RA IS ED free on Zoom and asking for donations for Harefield Hospital. £3,040 Jayantilal Badiani from Harrow Yoga Centre said: “Harefield Hospital is our local hospital for heart and lung issues and many, many persons benefit from their services.” They raised £3,040 towards the Lifeline Lab appeal. Thank you Harrow Yoga Centre. @ r b h c h a r i t y / r b h c h a r i t y. o r g
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// WHAT ' S ON? //
W hat's On? QUIZ NIGHT
Calling all Quizzy Rascals and Quiz Team Aguileras, it’s time to get quizzical with our annual Quiz Night. Tickets are available for a night of trivia and brain teasers on Thursday 11 November, so sign up, get your thinking caps on and be ready for a night of Risky Quizness. Buy your ticket now at rbhcharity.org/quiz-night
W I N G WA L K
Get the ultimate rush from Wing Walking, where you can soar above the ground strapped to an airplane. Places are available for the 2022 Wing Walk on Saturday 9 July and they’re likely to go fast. Sign up now for this once in a lifetime experience. Sign up for the Wing Walk at rbhcharity.org/wing-walk
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// WHAT ' S ON? //
LONDON L ANDM ARKS H A L F M A R AT H O N
London events are back, so sign up for this scenic run through the heart of London that takes in sights from Nelson’s Column to the Tower of London. Places are available for the April 2022 run via our website. Sign up to run for the Charity rbhcharity.org/llhm-2022
V I R T UA L S A N TA DA S H
Santa Dash is going online this year. On the weekend of 4 and 5 December you can slip on a Santa hat and cover distance for the hospitals. What better way to get into the festive spirit than a bit of Santa silliness? Sign up for the Virtual Santa Dash on our website at rbhcharity.org/santa-dash
G O L F DAY 202 2
Now in its 9th year, The Annual Shakin’ Stevens Golf Day will be back on 23 June next year. Get in touch with Sallinder Rai via email on Sallinder.Rai@rbhcharity.org if you want to register a team @ r b h c h a r i t y / r b h c h a r i t y. o r g
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