We’d like to give a huge thank you to nine-year-old Saara Ali, of Fulwood, for her very sweet fundraising venture! Rosemere was among one of the many causes that Saara (nine) catered for with her puds, brownies, traybakes and more.
Through her Instagram page (@saaras.snack.shack), which she set up a year ago to sell her indulgent goodies, Saara raised a wonderful £724 for us – which has now been put to very good use with an order of 500 wraps or patient treatment gowns, for patients undergoing radiotherapy at the Cancer Centre,
It means patients can be given their own gown for the duration of their radiotherapy treatment, which typically lasts for up to six weeks when administered daily Monday to Friday. Gowns will be given to approximately 70 new patients a week at their treatment planning appointment. The total cost of the gowns is £1,625 with the shortfall being met by a donation from Tesco’s Bags of Help community grant scheme.
A patient audit of the gowns’ style was carried out on a previous consignment, also funded by Rosemere Cancer Foundation, and received almost 100% positive feedback.
Linda O’Shea, the centre’s Principal Therapeutic Radiographer, who asked Rosemere Cancer Foundation for more gowns, said: “Comments from patients in terms of sizing and dignity, as well as staff ease of access to treatment areas, was very positive.
“In the past, there have been issues with gowns supplied via the hospital laundry room – gowns being lost in transit to radiotherapy so limiting availability, gowns not being the right size or covering adequately, and gowns being creased. The cleaning and storage process can cause creasing but patients have, at times, not believed gowns to be fresh for their use.
Linda added: “We are expecting patient referral numbers for radiotherapy to increase due to the impact of Covid-19 on diagnostic and surgical services. By being able to give patients their own gown, which at the end of treatment is recycled back in to the system for use by other departments, we are not only supporting patients by making them more comfortable, we may also be improving efficiency on the treatment machines.”
Saara’s proud mum Farzana, who is head of Religious Education at Moor Park High School and Sixth Form, Preston, said: “Saara has really enjoyed working with the Rosemere Cancer Foundation team on this project.
“The charity is close to our hearts as we have family members, who have been treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, but it has been good for Saara to learn where her donation is being spent and the positive impact it will have on so many patients.”
