Wardlines newsletter - Autumn 2012 - University College London ...

Wardlines
Newsletter Autumn 2012
The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit is part of UCLH Charity
The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit Fund supports patient care and staff development within the Unit
Our summer of sport
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit supporters got involved
in four events to raise funds for the Unit this summer.
The four were the annual UCLH Bike Ride in Richmond
Park in June, the British 10K London Run in July, the
new London 26 mile London Stadia Trekathon around
the Olympic venues and the ever popular London
Bridgathon in September. A big thank you to all of you
who participated in these, from which we have already
raised over £60,000.
Our British 10K London runners Chris Smith, Simon Paul,
Katherine Hedges, Alexandra Harrison-Dees, Olivia Patton,
Louise Fussel and Edward Patton raised almost £5,000 for
the Unit. If you would like to join in next year’s events we have
places in the 2013 British 10k London Run and have a look at the
UCLH Charity Bike Ride flyer on 9 June. Maybe we can tempt you!
Lauren’s Fund
Since February 2012, Lauren
Murrell has been receiving
treatment for AML (at UCH
since May) and underwent a
bone marrow transplant in
August with her sister, Sarah,
as the donor.
Lauren and Sarah
Bluefin visit
Colleagues of Ian Curtis, at IT Consultancy Bluefin Solutions,
raised over £28,000 for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit.
Their donation helped expand our Apheresis service. Bluefin
staff together with Ian’s parents toured the Cancer Centre
including the Apheresis Bay and are pictured with Helen Keane,
Daycare Sister and the new Apheresis machine.
Our thanks to all those at Bluefin for this significant donation
in Ian’s memory. The Apheresis machine was bought jointly by
Bluefin and the Kevin Steeds Lymphoma Fund.
Lauren’s first-hand experience
in the Unit at UCLH inspired her to raise funds to further enhance
treatment and care for other patients. Together with Sarah, she set
up Lauren’s Fund, which was launched on 23rd September for the
London Bridgathon where Sarah and friend Paul walked six miles.
So far, an incredible £26,000 has been raised with help from Lauren,
her family and friends.
Lauren’s Fund will continue to raise money that will help to make a
difference to the Unit and we will keep you informed of its progress.
Wardlines • Autumn 2012 • 1

Editorial
Sara Goldman, Editor
Welcome to the autumn
Wardlines and thank
you to all those who
joined in our busy
summer of sport.
I have to say a special well done and thank you to Shaheena
Bashir, Aileen Castell, Amnique Dharwar, Rajvinder Dharwar,
Sheila Hegarty, Grainne Hegarty, Darren Kaye, Jo Kaye, Gwen
Kemp, Jeanette Kemp, Rob McDonnell, Vaishali Pratap, Sarah
Sharp and Katia Yiassoumi for stepping up to the post Olympic
26 mile walk and raising over £5,000 for the Unit.
Well done and thank you also to Nicola Sell for her Ridgeway
Walk in memory of William Sell, Nick Poole’s Seaford Half
Marathon, Brian Kotz’ Trek to Utrecht, Dr Andres Virchis’ Alp
D’Huez (read about both in this Wardlines), Simon Titcombe’s
London to Paris Cycle, Bailey, Wesley and Jay Kelly, Gill and
Netchaa Harvey’s Sunlight Colourthon, David Stafferton’s
Greensand Ridge Walk, Andrew Wood’s Olympic Distance
Triathlon and Michelle Reid’s Thames Path Challenge. Thank
you for the donations to celebrate the 60th birthdays of
Vivienne Linton and Caroline Evans and the 80th birthday of
Leslie Ableson.
It is only through funds raised by all these events and by your
donations that we continue improving our patients’ experience
within the Unit. Our Wish List can be viewed on our website
(www.uclh.nhs.uk/LLU) and donation information is on the
back page. Thanks again to Bluefin Solutions and the
Kevin Steeds Lymphoma Fund for buying a new apheresis
machine for the apheresis service housed in the Cancer
Centre.
We hope you will continue to support our Unit at Christmas
with our lovely new cards - note the lower price, and raffle -
with great prizes once again.
We look forward to seeing you at the annual Christmas party.
If you have undertaken a challenge this year, including the
London Marathon, the Stadia Trek and the 10K, please come
along to a medal presentation at the party. Please make me
aware of this when you RSVP.
If you are inspired by any of the activities in Wardlines, or
would like to organise your own we would love to hear from
you. We can keep you in touch with news and events via
email - just send us your email address. Lastly, if receiving
Wardlines has inconvenienced you in any way, please accept
our apologies.
Haematology Life
by Stephen Rowley, Lead Cancer Nurse UCLH,
Divisional Cancer Nurse Haematology
Whilst shopping recently I was reminded of
the power of good customer care. I lazily
asked for the location of an item and I was
given a personal escort complete with
friendly chat all the way to the cold food
section. I wouldn’t say it made my day but
it certainly made a difference. It got me
reflecting on how much time successful
organisations must spend listening to what
customers want and value. And then, more
impressively, actually ensuring all their staff get it right, everytime.
Organisations on the high street like this stand out, and we want
to stand out too at UCLH. We are certainly more aware than ever
before that whilst we are confident in the high standards of
clinical care we provide, we have some work to do in ensuring
patients feel cared for, not just by nurses, but by all staff and at
all times. Sometimes getting the small things right can make a
huge difference.
So it was a pleasure to spend an evening meeting with the
Haematology Patient Support Group recently. And I have to say I
was very impressed. What I saw was a group that evolved over time
and had become skilled at two things. Reminding us as staff to look
at things through patient eyes more. And more pleasing was seeing
a Patient Support Group doing exactly that...supporting each other.
Fortunately, most staff will never know what its like to suffer a
debilitating illness like cancer or thalassaemia. It was evident that
the opportunity for patients and ex patients to discuss issues of
treatment and dealing with life after treatment finishes was really
important and of practical as well as emotional support. We
discussed how the group could raise its profile to enable more
patients to attend and we will provide some charitable funding to
help facilitate this. Working with patients properly is clearly going
to be key to providing world class services and it seems one of the
challenges is how to engage with patients and their families in
different ways - and as this group is showing, how to help patients
find good peer support when they require it. Lots to do.
On a completely different note, I thought a photo of the latest
arrival to the Rowley household would be an improvement on my
normal mugshot. I’m sure you will agree. Baby Jake was born two
weeks ago and is dong great.
Education Fund
Jonathan Hanbury, Ward Manager
T13 North and Siobhan McGuckin,
Macmillan Lymphoma CNS have
completed their MSc
Dissertations in Leadership and
Cancer Care. Jonathan, centre and
Siobhan, right are pictured with
Jon Derbyshire, Ward Manager
T16 South.
The Ivan & Esther Kapelus, the Lynne Horsman and the Julia
Thornton Education Funds and Tony Sacker support education for
Haematology nurses via the Unit’s Education Fund.
2 • Autumn 2012 • Wardlines

Complementary Therapy
By Elaine Charlesworth,
Senior Complementary Therapist
The complementary therapy team along with others such as the
welfare and benefits team have now become part of the larger
Macmillan Support and Information Service in the new UCH
Macmillan Cancer Centre. The new facilities the centre provides
have allowed us to expand the range of services on offer and the
number of therapies we can deliver to individuals.
Haematology patients often have very extended in-patient hospital
stays and even though there is scope to expand our activities in the
new cancer centre the team do not want to take their focus away
from those patients receiving treatment on the in-patient wards.
The complementary therapy team are continuing their work with
patients and relatives on the wards, visiting patients who can
receive therapy sessions in their hospital beds. The therapies are
as popular as ever and we have strived to maintain a consistent
service on the wards during and since the move over to the new
cancer centre.
Having two therapy rooms to work from in the new cancer centre has
enabled the team to take on four complementary therapy volunteers
which has been an exciting new departure for us. The volunteers
are all fully qualified and experienced therapists looking to give
something back to their community and use their skills to great
benefit. They each come in for a half day a week and are able to
deliver three to four therapy sessions each visit. In return for the
time they are offering they gain the valuable experience of working
as a therapist in the NHS.
Each volunteer is mentored by one member of the complementary
therapy team. This has involved quite a bit of training and support
in the first few weeks and has sometimes meant that the team were
temporarily taken away from their work on the wards.
We are now seeing the benefits of the initial support given to the
volunteers as all the therapists are confidently delivering therapies
now, working alongside the team in the second therapy room. Our
new therapists also enable us to see more patients and carers and
deliver more therapy sessions. They are a great asset to the team
as I am sure anyone who has had the benefit of a session with one
of them would agree.
One of our complementary therapy volunteers, Caroline, has already
had to leave to take up paid employment as a complementary
therapist at another Trust. The experience she gained here I am sure
will have helped her to obtain this
position which she described as her
dream job. Recently we were able to
recruit two volunteers who had initially
impressed us who will now have the
opportunity to join the team and take
the number of our volunteer therapists
up to five.
The Cancer Centre offers new
opportunities for the complementary
therapy team to become involved in
delivering group sessions. The new centre has dedicated space for
group activities which will enable a range of new activities to take
place. One of these is the H.O.P.E. (Helping Overcome Problems
Effectively) programme. This involves seven sessions aimed at
enabling patients to focus on their personal strengths to provide
useful strategies for management of the day to day emotional and
practical impact of living with and beyond cancer. This programme,
which began on September 10th is being co facilitated by Victoria,
a member of the complementary therapy team.
It is wonderful to see the complementary therapy team expanding
and we are pleased to be able to offer more therapy sessions and
be a part of new and exciting developments.
Patients’ Art Exhibition
Katie Pomklova
A Patients’ Art corridor in the new UCH Macmillan Cancer
Centre will feature art from patients being treated in the UCH
Tower and The Cancer Centre. Patients are invited to submit
a piece of artwork for the inaugural patients’ art exhibition
on the theme of Seasons in the following medium:
Photography, Drawing, Painting.
The size of artwork is to be A3 (420 x 297 mm 16.5 x 11.7 in).
The exhibition is to be held on Thursday 21st February 2013.
The works will be exhibited in the patients’ art corridor which
is located on the lower ground floor of the Cancer Centre.
Closing submission date is Monday 21 Jan 2013 by 5pm.
Forms available from T12,T13,T14 and T16 and the Macmillan
Support and Information centre. This is the first project by the
Patients’ Art Committee, a new group for patients developing
visual arts activities.
Haematology Patient Support Group
The HPSG is a patient and staff led group for all haematology patients offering information and support within a relaxed and
empathetic environment which meets every two months.
The two hour sessions include a speaker. Recent speakers include - Stephen Rowley who gave a haematology overview and talked
about fundraising, Dr Neil Rabin who talked about current drug trials and Dr Sosie Kassab, director of complementary cancer services
from the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine spoke about the benefits offered by homeopathy. This is followed by the more
informal second hour which offers mutual support for like-minded people.
Some patients who have found the group particularly useful are those with longer term involvement with UCH, others with no local
support group and red cell patients. Patients can be having active treatment or be in remission for any length of time. The current
age ranges from 25 up to 83. For information about joining the group and future meetings, please contact Sheila Hegarty, Counsellor,
Haematology Unit UCLH on 020 3447 9152.
Wardlines • Autumn 2012 • 3

Red Cell Group
The Red Cell group is a pro-active group which meets to
improve the ‘Red Cell Experience’ within in haematology
Unit at UCH.
The group has a long history and since 1989 has been
instrumental in supporting the red cell patients through the
huge expansion of Day Care in the Rosenheim Building and
now in the new Cancer Centre. Services for red cell patients
have continued to improve, in which the group is proud to
have played a constant role.
Red Cell patients are those with Thalassaemia, Sickle Cell
Disease and hereditary Haemochromatosis. The Red Cell
Group meets every three to four months. For information
about meetings please contact 020 3447 7372.
The Cotton Rooms
by Clare Evans, Ambulatory Care Sister
The new patient hotel named The Cotton
Rooms is now open for business and has
already been proved to be a success from
recent feedback by patients who have
resided there. The hotel has been built
to a 4* specification and is owned by
UCLH Charity, it is available for use by all
patients that require hotel accommodation, such as those receiving
treatment in Ambulatory Care.
Patients in Ambulatory Care are currently the prime users of the
hotel and have expressed their views which have been very positive.
Already the hotel has made a great impact on the service as it has
been designed with patients in mind and because we have a good
working relationship with their staff, allowing patients views to be
shared. The hotel manager and staff have been incredibly open to
such views and have already taken many on board, altering the
service where possible to better the experience. One example being
they bought hooks that specially fit to the shower rail so patients
can hang their chemotherapy backpacks to them, rather than having
to place them on the floor as they did when using the preceding
hotels.
Having a hotel close to the Cancer Centre also has its benefits as it
allows patients to pop back in between their treatments throughout
the day, rather than wait around which is often unnecessary and
boring for them! It has a dining room, a lounge area and a laundry
room in addition to their individual bedrooms. Also installed are
panic alarms which alert the hotel reception, this provides
reassurance to patients should they feel suddenly unwell and don’t
have someone staying with them. They know how to use this system
and the reception staff can call Ambulatory care for advice or an
ambulance where necessary, meaning that assistance is never far
away.
UCLH Charity said “We took lots of advice from the clinical staff -
people like Paula Statham - so that we could build in as many
useful features as possible to help patients. But it’s great to hear
that our hotel staff are still listening to patients to make things
even better.”
The hotel has proven to be a great success and can only benefit the
overall experience for our patients here at UCLH.
In-patient Physiotherapy in
haematology
By Stuart Spear, Physiotherapist
As physiotherapists working on the haematology wards at UCLH,
our role is to ensure that our patients have access to appropriate
levels of rehabilitation and support during their in-patient stay.
Patients can often become debilitated and deconditioned, not only
due to their illness but also the side effects of treatment that they
are receiving. This not only has an effect on their physical condition
but also their psychological wellbeing, both of which exercise is
proven to benefit.
Physiotherapy takes a holistic approach in enabling patients to
maintain or regain strength, movement, endurance and functional
independence. We aim to provide simple tailored exercise
programmes to appropriate patients during their stay. These
programmes may include exercises such as: mini squats, heel
raises and balance exercises and the use of mini cycles, steps,
ankle weights and dumbbells enable us to provide a much more
varied and motivating programme. Many of our patients find stairs
a challenge after their inpatient admission, so the provision of a
small gym step in their rooms can be used to imitate this activity.
We are aware that patients often go through a tough time here in
hospital and appreciate that rest is an important element of the
recovery pathway. Fatigue is one of the more prominent issues
patients report and can be a huge barrier to daily function. Trying
to get a balance between rest and progressive activity is essential
in the management of fatigue. This is why empowering patients
by letting them direct their own management is central to our
treatment approach and because of this we hope that patients feel
more in control of their recovery.
Working in this specialist area is both challenging and immensely
rewarding, and our aim is to provide the best possible quality of
care to our patients. Thanks to those who have donated funds to
expand our physiotherapy equipment.
Stuart Spear, Carlton Thomas, Jenny Appleby, Katherine Elliot
Holloway Road Waitrose
We are one of the three charities of the month in October in the
Holloway Road branch of Waitrose. Shoppers are given green
chips to slot in one of three charity boxes. Waitrose donates
£1000 per month to charities, which is split according to the
amount of chips in each box. Anyone visiting this branch, slot
a green chip into our fund please?
4 • Autumn 2012 • Wardlines

2013 Jordan Trek
In April 2013 my partner Mark
and I will be taking part in the
Britain v Cancer Jordan Trek, raising
funds for the Leukaemia and
Lymphoma Unit. The trek takes us
from the Dead Sea, through low
lying deserts and the Black
Mountains to the rose coloured city
of Petra. On the way we will trek
along Bedouin donkey trails,
between steep canyon walls and
through barren and rugged
landscapes. This will be a major
challenge for both of us - we have
both taken part in sponsored walks and runs in the past - but
neither of us has experienced trekking on this scale.
Over the course of the last year my Uncle, Alan, has attended the
Unit for numerous consultant appointments, scans and tests. He
has received treatment both as an inpatient and outpatient
including prolonged chemotherapy during which time he has
grown to know many of the staff. The support and care they offered
him and the family made the experience much easier and we have
no doubt it played and continues to play a big part in his ongoing
recovery.
There is no disguising the unpleasant effects of some cancer
treatment but it is important to look forward to better times. For
Alan, being encouraged to carry on being an active person and to
get out and about from his hospital room as his treatment
progressed was so important. It helped him maintain his
independence and control over the cancer and the treatment.
Alan was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and received
an autologous stem cell transplant.
Visiting hospital is so much more than receiving clinical treatment,
particularly when cancer is involved, along with all the worries and
disruptions to everyday life that it brings. The whole patient
experience is vital and we are delighted to use our trek as a
Fundraising focus for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit fund. This
helps to provide important extras that make such a difference.
During the year leading up to our trek we will be training hard and
doing as much as we can to raise funds and gain sponsorship
through local events. We will be paying all our own expenses for
the trek and we will ensure that every penny we raise goes to the
Unit. Anyone wishing to find out more about our trek or wanting
to make a donation can find us at:
www.justgiving.com/gabyandmarktrekjordan
Happy Anniversary to Julian
This year our patron Julian Rhind-Tutt will be
celebrating 20 years since his bone marrow
transplant at UCH on Friday 13th November
1992. His ongoing commitment to the
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit fund greatly
impacts on our fundraising events, with his
official duties including starting the annual
London Bridgathon (see picture), and
attending the patients Christmas party,
this year on 14 December.
Julian is an actor of stage and screen, appearing in many roles from
serious drama to comedy, including, in 2012 The Hour on BBC2
and A Touch of Cloth on Sky. He’ll also be appearing in the BBC
production of The Lady Vanishes this Christmas and the new Ron
Howard film, Rush, the story of the Formula 1 rivalry between 70’s
driving legends James Hunt and Nikki Lauda.
Julian has just become father to month old son, Lucian.
Alpe d’Huez, cycle challenge Part 2
Dr Andres Virchis, Consultant Haematologist
As some as you may know from Wardlines last Autumn, as a long-standing cycling
enthusiast, I achieved a dream of cycling up Mont Ventoux in Provence and in doing
so I raised over £1200 for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit and a similar amount for
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. This summer I completed Part 2.
On the 8th July I joined over 300 hundred other cyclists to tackle Le Grimpée de l’Alpe.
This is a time trial (you cycle up a quickly as possible and are given a completion time)
up Alpe d’Huez, a 14km climb to approximately 1900m at an average gradient of over
8%. It is famous as a result of featuring regularly in the Tour de France, with its 21 hair
pin turns to the summit.
It was tougher than last year, despite being a shorter climb, due to the hair pins and
hitting a gradient of 11%, for the first 3-4km, leaving me ‘begging for more gears’ from
the start. Eventually I got into my rhythm and completed the climb in 1hr 32m 45s,
despite a puncture with 300m to go (I cycled on refusing to walk over the line). To put
this into perspective the record is 38m, the average professional will cycle it in under
an hour and a good amateur club cyclist in about 1hr 15m.
Most importantly I decided to once again raise money for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit, albeit at the last minute, and raised over
£800, enough for 2 oxygen monitors for the new Macmillan Cancer Centre. My JustGiving page is still open for anybody wishing to
donate at http://www.justgiving.com/Andres-AlpedHuez
Wardlines • Autumn 2012 • 5

Lucy’s Story By Lucy Hancock
Exactly one year ago I received the devastating news that I had cancer
(Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). After 12 sessions of chemotherapy and
plenty of fighting spirit I am currently in remission. I would
not have got through this battle without the tremendous support of
my family, friends and employers alongside the fantastic treatment
I received.
I wanted to give something back, not only to the two Units where I
was treated but also to help others who are currently being treated.
For four days starting on March 19th myself and an all girl team of
six friends walked from St Austell Brewery in Cornwall to Woodbury
Park Hotel in Devon covering 100 miles across the South West
Coastal Path to raise money for; the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit,
UCLH Charity and Elf - Exeter Leukaemia Fund.
The event concluded
with a party fundraiser
at Woodbury Park
Hotel with live music,
a buffet and charity
auction on Friday 23rd
of March 2012.
Lucy (centre) and
friends raised a
fantastic £3982.50
for the Unit.
Well done!
Climbing High in memory
of my Uncle By Halit Karakaya
Having visited my Uncle
at University College
Hospital for several years
whilst he received
treatment for Lymphoma,
I found out about the
Leukaemia and Lymphoma
Unit at UCH. After
every visit I was in awe
of the staff for their
dedication to their
profession and was
inspired by the fight and
determination shown by
the patients.
Halit, pictured left with a cousin,
Uncle Osman Karakaya is on the right
My Uncle sadly passed away and in his memory I decided to
raise funds for the Unit. Money raised will go towards
improving the patient’s experience by providing state of the art
medical equipment, complementary therapies and supporting
postgraduate education for nurses. Please donate at
www.justgiving.com/Halit-Karakaya.
Halit is undertaking the trek to the Mount Everest base camp in
October. Good luck and thank you.
Brian trekked to Utrecht
By Brian Kotz, Haematology Unit UCLH
I DID IT! On Sunday June 17th, I set off for a walk..... from Crouch
End in North London, where I live, to the fine city of Utrecht in The
Netherlands. To the site of Da Capo, the wonderful record shop
owned by my great friend Michel Terstegen, who tragically passed
away in July 2011 after battling stomach cancer. On Saturday June
23rd, after six walks totalling 149 miles from London on foot,
taking me 60 hours and 30 minutes altogether (including a 14-hour
stretch from Hoek van Holland to Gouda), I achieved what I had
challenged myself to do and was greeted by friends and staff from
the Diakonessenhuis who had looked after Michel, including the
hospital’s CEO, Rob Florijn.
The walk was a wonderful experience, and every footstep was
worth it, passing through some beautiful Essex villages and picture
postcard Dutch towns, as well as the great modern centre of
Rotterdam. On two separate occasions, drivers stopped to offer me
a lift saying “I saw you further down the road two hours ago and you
look like you need one!” I can assure you that I politely declined,
stating the reason why a lift was the last thing I needed! However,
there was no traffic at all when I found myself on a VERY disused
stretch of the old Harwich Road, beating my way through overgrown
bramble with rabbits running around me.
Brian arriving
at Utrecht
Thank you so much
to everyone who
supported and
helped me with
this challenge to
raise funds for two
great causes. These
are the Leukaemia
& Lymphoma Unit,
University College
London Hospitals
(UCLH) where I am
proud to have
been employed for much of the last five years, where my medical
colleagues save lives as part of their job, where friends have
been patients, and where patients have become friends.
http://www.uclh.nhs.uk/LLU. Also the Oncology Department of the
Diakonessenhuis in Utrecht, who looked after Michel and made
him comfortable. This is the wish of his wife and son, Saskia and
Ramses www.diakonessenhuis.nl/vrienden
My page will be kept open until 31 October. Please visit this link to
sponsor me: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/trekutrecht. Special
thanks to Miriam Okarimia for making the wonderful customised
t-shirts I wore en route. It would be great if you could sponsor me
for whatever amount you can.
SPECIAL DONATIONS
Donations have been received by the families of the following
patients in their memory. Our thanks to them all.
Bryan Archer, Darren Brook, Ashley Camp, Ian Curtis,
Phil Hammond, Colin Harris, David Jacobs, Maria Los Pithis,
Alan Maloney, Doreen Murphy, John David Richardson,
Jonathan Guy Richardson & Paul Shipperlee.
6 • Autumn 2012 • Wardlines

My Marathon Experience
by Wayne Vallentine
Wayne and Vicky at the
London Marathon
I was given the fantastic
opportunity to run the
London Marathon and
raise some money for a
fund very close to my
heart; the Leukaemia and
Lymphoma Unit at UCLH.
Back in the mid nineties,
whilst showing off my
dance moves in The
Playhouse in Basingstoke
and through skill and
good looks I attracted the
interest of Vicky Ellis and
we were soon inseparable.
Six months later Vicky left my 18th birthday preparations with her
Mum for a GP appointment. I received a phone call that shattered
my world. Instead of joining me later, Vicky had been admitted to
the local hospital diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
At the insistence of her family, Vicky was transferred to the
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit at University College Hospital and we
were told on arrival that without treatment Vicky had two weeks to
live. Intensive chemotherapy started immediately and Vicky’s world
was reduced to the hospital room in which she was being treated. I
drove to London with Vicky’s dad and sisters every day to support
her. It was a really hard time for everyone. The treatment was
savage and extremely difficult to watch a loved one go through.
The Unit staff were amazing and their support, kindness and
encouragement really helped us get through this ordeal. Vicky
spent her 18th birthday in hospital and staff helped us decorate the
room so we could all celebrate together. Six months later, after four
lots of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant
from her sister Lianne, the cancer was beaten. Vicky’s treatment
was based on the most up to date research and methods available,
another amazing factor about the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit
at UCLH. I was terrified I would lose the girl I loved and without this
unit I think I would have.
Fifteen years later, (having married on Valentine’s Day in Vegas and
changed my name to Vallentine) Vicky Ellis is now my wife. She
completed her training as a Clinical Psychologist and is now Dr.
Vallentine working with adults with Learning Disabilities and
Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Vicky is my more intelligent and
attractive “better half”, I am, however still the best dancer!
The money raised for this fund are used to support patients
throughout and beyond their treatment, purchasing specialist
medical equipment, funding research and development and
includes a small fund to assist patients in the purchase of wigs
which perhaps helps to retain a sense of normality. I could not
think of a more worthy cause to raise money for.
When I was offered the place I had been running a maximum of
three miles a couple of times a week. I hired a personal trainer
(Campbell Noon of www.re-leafmk.com) and spent the next 12
weeks on a punishing bespoke fitness regime. I wanted a sub 4hr
time and was told numerous times that I was crazy, with the
exception of Campbell and Vicky who knew how stubborn I was.
Then, before I knew it, I was on the DLR on my way to the starting
line feeling anxious and excited. In no time I was up to my target
speed and feeling strong. At mile 14 seeing Vicky and her family
raised my spirits. At mile 18 my sister and her family were
screaming their encouragement and giving me the boost I needed
to keep going. “Easy, easy, this is easy” was the chant I had in my
head but by mile 23 every ounce of strength felt drained and it was
NOT easy!!! Running along the Embankment I could have sworn that
the Houses of Parliament and the Clock Tower housing Big Ben were
getting further away! However I powered through to the end. Seeing
the finishing line was amazing - I had been visualising that moment
in training - and finally here I was.
I crossed the line with my arms in the air, deliriously happy. I am not
an overly emotionally person but I found myself hugging the woman
who gave me my medal! I hobbled to meet my cheerleading squad
and have my first well earned beer since January! I could barely
walk the next day but it was totally worth it and I feel so happy that
I was able to give back to the hospital Unit that did so much for me
and the people I love.
Thanks to all our 2012 London Marathon Runners: Eva Levin,
Simon Quinlan, Craig Smith and Wayne Vallentine who between
them raised over £10,000 for the Unit.
5 a side charity tournament
raises vital fund for UCH
in memory of David Jacobs
In July, 18 teams of amateur footballers from Dagenham raised
over £5,000 for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit at University
College London Hospitals.
The football fundraiser took place at The Goals Soccer Centre in
Dagenham was played in memory of David Jacobs who died in
February 2011, aged 22, after losing his battle with leukaemia.
Prizes in the charity auction
organised by ex West Ham
United Player Alvin Martin
included a cricket bat signed
by The England Team and a
“Red Bull” jacket signed by
Sebastian Vettel and Mark
Webber.
Jan Jacobs, David’s mother
said:”It was excellent to see
so many people taking part
and the money raised will help
raise vital funds for the
hospital. It was a fantastic day
and we were overwhelmed
with the support and
donations made by friends
and family. The tournament
was so successful that it is
already arranged for the
14th July next year”.
David Jacobs
Wardlines • Autumn 2012 • 7

Christmas Cards
Please support the
Unit by buying our
Christmas cards.
As usual all profits
go to support the
Unit. Cards are
also available from
Sara Goldman, Rosenheim Building,
T13N, T16S and in the Cancer
Centre. Please ring Sara if you
have trouble locating the cards.
The Christmas Raffle
Please support our Christmas Raffle and win great prizes!
1st Prize £1,000 Cash prize
2nd prize Weekend for two at the Grange Bracknell Hotel
3rd Prize One night with breakfast at the Langham Hotel
4th Prize One night with breakfast at the Cavendish London
Plus many more including £50 M&S voucher
Tickets are £1 each or in books of 5 for £5 available from Sara at the number below.
CHRISTMAS CARD & RAFFLE TICKETS ORDER FORM 2012
Please print your details carefully and return the order form as soon as possible.
Name
Address
Postcode
Tel
Email
Christmas Cards
Please send me packs of Robins & Baubles @ £3.99
Please send me packs of Noel @ £3.99
Please send me
packs of Let It Snow @ £2.00 each
Plus p&p £1.50 up to 3 packs, £2.00 for 4 packs or more. Orders over £39.99 free.
I enclose GRAND TOTAL £
The cards are in packs of ten with the greeting ‘With best wishes for Christmas
& a Happy New Year’
Raffle Tickets
Please send me
books of raffle tickets (five per book)
Cheques payable to
UCLH Charity 0099
Donations made simple and how they help
The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit Fund 0099 helps improve the environment and
experience for patients in our Unit in the UCH Tower and the UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre.
We buy amenities, support free complementary therapy for patients and families and
postgraduate education for nurses and where possible, purchase state of the art medical
equipment.
To make a donation to the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit, UCLH make a cheque payable to
UCLH Charity 0099 and send it to us at the address below. Please gift aid your donations if
you are a UK taxpayer, we claim back an additional 25% on donations, which is 25p per £1.
Our registered charity number is 229771.
For those taking part in sponsored events please register with justgiving.com or
virginmoneygiving.com (look for the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Unit UCLH Charity) so friends
and family can support you online using credit and debit cards.
To set up a fund in someone’s name, to request our current Wish List where items are listed
from £25 or to find out more about how to support the Unit please contact Sara or visit our
website – see below. Donations to our Sickle Cell Anaemia Fund are via 0099 a/c 23032.
If you would prefer not to receive this newsletter or if it was sent to you incorrectly, just let us know - and please accept our apologies.
Editorial Board: Peter Brown, Sara Goldman, Mark Matharu, Steve Roper, Stephen Rowley
Sara Goldman, Fundraiser LALU, UCLH Charity. 1st Floor Rosenheim Building, Grafton Way, London WC1E 6DB
email sara.goldman@uclh.nhs.uk / Tel 020 3447 9526 / mobile 07908 258272
Website www.uclh.nhs.uk/LLU Please pay cheques to UCLH Charity 0099