NHC Pulse SpingSummer 2017-v3 FINAL VERSION

Special appeals – together
we can change lives
Meet new Trustee
Harish Vyas
Professor Harish Vyas has joined the Charity as
a Trustee after retiring from his role as Senior
Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care.
His illustrious medical career spans four decades and includes studying at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and
then working at Great Ormond Street, Westminster and the Sultanate of Oman where he set up paediatric
services from scratch at a brand new hospital. At Nottingham he brought together children’s units from the former
City and QMC hospitals to form Nottingham Children’s Hospital, and led the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Prof Vyas, along with Dr Andrew Prayle and their team at Nottingham Children’s Hospital, recently reached their
fundraising target to buy a brand new piece of pulmonary function testing equipment for the Children’s Hospital
– the ProLab – which will support early diagnosis and treatment of children’s lung disease.
Pulse caught up with Harish to find out what the future holds.
Q. Your career has taken you to many places but
you seem to have a soft spot for Nottingham
– can you tell us why that is?
A. I came to Nottingham in 1978 at the age of 27 because it
had an amazing reputation for paediatric training. I have
also worked in London and Oman but settled in Nottingham
because I met my wife here and made lots of friends.
Nottingham is my only real home.
Q. How do you think the Charity helps the work
of clinical teams and consultants at
Nottingham’s hospitals?
A. The Charity has been hugely supportive in helping to provide
equipment, research and training to enhance the paediatric
and respiratory services. When we revamped the High
Dependency Unit a lot of the funding came from the Charity.
Q. What made you decide to become a Trustee?
A. I come from a family with a strong tradition of charitable
work. My grandfather worked for a Charity in Kenya which
helped prisoners find jobs and for a hospital that gave free
maternity care for African women. Charity is synonymous
with the name Vyas!
Q. How do you see the Charity developing?
A. The Charity has become a lot more professional in recent
years and is developing a distinct identity and a tremendous
reputation both in Nottingham itself, throughout
Nottinghamshire and beyond.
Q. What difference will our BIG Appeal make to
children such as your patients?
A. Parents’ accommodation is very important. You often see
parents sleeping by the child’s bedside. There is a real need
for decent accommodation, particularly for parents of
chronically ill children who are in hospital for a long time.
Imaging equipment is also crucial. Children’s diagnostic
needs are different from adults so it will be fantastic to have
dedicated imaging equipment which will mean children get
diagnosed quicker.
Q. Having been until very recently a senior
Consultant at the Children’s Hospital, what
special insights do you bring to the Charity?
A. The Charity often gets approached for funding for research
projects. Having been a researcher as well as a clinician I can
provide a service both in vetting and arranging peer reviews
for research projects.
Q. Apart from working with the Charity, how else
are you planning to spend your retirement?
A. I am working as a specialist adviser for Médecins Sans
Frontières. I get up very early each day to respond to emails
from young doctors working out in the field who want
advice on paediatric cases. I am also planning to learn to
play piano, spending more time with my wife Catherine
and going for long country walks with my lovely black
Labrador Poppy.
Follow us on Twitter @NUHCharity 3

Special appeals – together
we can change lives
BIG Appeal goes
to the movies
If you are planning a trip to Showcase Cinema over the next few months you
will see Nottingham Children’s Hospital’s Robin mascot on the big screen!
In a short animated film, Robin takes you on a
whistle-stop tour of the Children’s Hospital and
shows how you can support the Charity’s BIG
Appeal to raise £3 million to help young patients.
The cartoon - showing at Nottingham’s Showcase Cinema
for the next six months – shows Robin trying out a whole
range of fundraising challenges, from skydiving to getting
in a bath of beans, all putting the “fun” into fundraising.
The BIG Appeal is raising funds for much-needed parent
and family accommodation, state of the art diagnostic
equipment, and life-saving research into
childhood illnesses.
If you’d like to show the short film at your
school, community group, organisation
or business, please call us on 0115 962 7905
or email charity@nuh.nhs.uk
Hayden gets on his bike for BIG Appeal
One parent getting behind the BIG Appeal is Hayden Whitehead, who is gearing up for a
24-hour, 300-mile Nottingham to Edinburgh cycle challenge in July, inspired by his son’s illness.
Hayden’s four-year-old son George
was diagnosed with leukaemia after
collapsing at playgroup in March last
year. He immediately required blood
and platelet transfusions along with
chemotherapy and is now on a
three-year programme of
chemotherapy, weekly home visits
from community nurses and frequent
visits to the Children’s Hospital.
Feeling helpless in the face of his
son’s diagnosis, Hayden decided to
raise money for Children’s Ward E39
and for Children’s Oncology Day care
where his son is treated. He has
already raised more than £9,300 of
his £10,000 target.
Hayden says: “Visiting Daycare
Oncology unit three to four times a
week has opened mine and my wife’s
eyes to the fantastic work all the staff
do. They are there 24 hours a day,
seven days a week helping children as
young as three months old battling
cancer and offering kind words of
support and encouragement to the
parents. We cannot change George’s
diagnosis but we can support the
ward where these brave babies,
toddlers, children, and teenagers
spend so much of their time in
treatment.”
If you would like to support the BIG
Appeal go to the Nottingham
Hospitals Charity’s donation page at
http://nottinghamhospitals
charity.org.uk/donate/ or call the
Charity team on 0115 962 7905 to
make a donation or to volunteer, or
you can Donate by Text by typing
‘NUHC13’ and your chosen
amount (£1, £2, £3, £4,
£5 or £10) into a text
message, and send it to
70070. For example,
write NUHC13 £5 to
donate £5
via text.
4 Follow us on Twitter @NUHCharity

Special appeals – together
we can change lives
Zephyr’s opens its doors
If you or someone in your family has
been affected by the loss of a pregnancy,
baby or child, there is now a special
support centre at the City Hospital
offering counselling, bereavement
support, healing arts activities and
complementary therapies.
The centre, in a former flat on the
hospital campus, was set up by
Nottingham couple Carly Williams
and Martin Sommerville whose
son Zephyr was stillborn at the
hospital. Supported by Nottingham
Hospitals Charity, and working
with other families, NUH staff and
volunteers, they raised over
£20,000 to create Zephyr’s – a
centre where families can access
counselling and peer support away
from the hospital wards.
More than 200 people attended
an open day in April at Zephyr’s
where they took part in arts
activities, met staff and families
and helped plant apple trees and
flowers outside the centre.
Lisa Brewer, who went to the
Open Day, said: “What a fantastic
space which is so needed. You
are truly amazing people,
channeling something so
devastating into a huge positive
achievement which will benefit
so many.”
Carly said: “We set up Zephyr’s in
our son’s name to create a better
place for families and staff to
come together in compassionate
surroundings, to find strength to
talk openly about our children and
our grief and be in the company of
others who understand. Heartfelt
thanks to everyone who was part
of Zephyr’s opening and to all
those who’ve got the place to
where it is by lovingly giving their
time, care and creativity.”
To keep up to date with
developments, please like the
Zephyr’s Facebook page:
ZephyrsNottingham
To access services at Zephyr’s
please contact the Child
Bereavement Team on 0115 924
9934, ext 66276, or the
Bereavement Midwife, Mandy
Dann, on 0115 969 1169, ext
55186, or 07812 268 105.
Get in touch by calling 0115 962 7905 5

What you have
made possible
How your donations have helped
With your help we are able to give around £4 million each year to fund lifesaving
equipment, ground-breaking research and environmental enhancements to help patients
at Nottingham’s hospitals. Here are some of the projects you have helped us fund across
all areas of your local hospitals.
£175,000
to fund a clinical research
project to develop new and
effective treatments for
Multiple Myeloma.
£200,000
to refurbish the lounge and
recovery areas at Trent Cardiac
Centre so that heart patients are
admitted to and discharged from
patient-friendly areas close to
where they are treated rather than
needing to be transported some
distance from a ward.
£32,000
for a thermal imaging
camera to help develop
better quality breast
reconstruction for cancer
patients.
£988
for special temperature
controlled blankets for
the Paediatric Intensive
Care Unit.
£47,500
to fund complementary
therapies including hand
and foot massage for
Myeloma patients.
Nottingham Hospitals Charity: at
6 Donate now at www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk

What you have
made possible
£23,500
for an activities co-ordinator
to run creative activities
including arts, drama and
singing for Cystic Fibrosis
patients.
£15,000
to fund a lab technician to
develop 3D models of
oesophageal cancers to
help with research into
individual treatment
options.
£1,900
for a ramp and safety
rail to allow less
mobile patients to
access the ENT
garden.
£12,100
to fund musicians to
enhance the care of
dementia and stroke
patients.
£282
for a Lego Linac model of
the radiotherapy unit to
help explain to young
patients what to expect
during their treatment.
£27,000
for lung function testing
equipment for children.
the heart of your care – for life
Get in touch by calling 0115 962 7905 7

How you can help
Get involved!
We’ve got a whole host of events you can get involved in to raise money for Nottingham’s
hospitals. Whether you want to get fit, do something daring or just have fun, you will find
something to suit you! Call us on 0115 962 7905, email charity@nuh.nhs.uk or visit
www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk to find out more!
Dragon Boat Race
Date: Saturday 1st July 2017
Location: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Details: Come along for a day out,
watch our teams paddling and enjoy
the family fun day.
Robin Hood Marathon
- Join #TeamRobin and
support the BIG Appeal!
Date: Sunday 24th September 2017
Location: Nottingham
Details: The Robin Hood Marathon guides you
through Nottingham’s iconic landmarks and
stunning parkland, this flat and fast course is
perfect for experienced runners and beginners alike.
Total Wipeout & Big Fun Day
Date: Saturday 2nd
September 2017
Location: Cricket
Field, City Hospital
Details: Take part
in a hilarious day of
competition and
bouncy fun, based on
the popular TV show.
Teams of six will tackle
the Wipeout Sweeper, Big
Red Balls, Dash ‘n’ Grab, Demolition Ball
and a 70 foot Inflatable Obstacle Course!
Register your team for £60 with a
fundraising commitment of £180.
8 Get in touch by calling 0115 962 7905

How you can help
Thoresby 10K
Date: Sunday 22nd October 2017
Location: Thoresby Hall and Estate, north Nottinghamshire
Details: Taking place in the stunning grounds of Thoresby Hall, you can
take park in the 5k, 10k or 10 mile run. We have a limited number of free
spaces available.
QMC Abseil
Date: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17
September 2017
Location: Queen’s Medical
Centre, Nottingham
Details: Abseil down the side of
the Queen’s Medical Centre to
raise money for the Big Appeal,
and help young patients at
Nottingham Children’s Hospital.
Hold your own Event
Cyclone24
Date: Saturday 3rd
February 2018
Location: Derby Arena
Details: A unique 24 hour
team cycling relay challenge
at the Midlands’ new hub for
track cycling, Derby Arena.
The 250m track has already
been ridden by some of the
world’s top cyclists – now it’s
your turn! You will need six
people in your team.
You can choose the time, the place and the details by
staging your own fundraising event for your chosen appeal!
Organise a dress down day at your workplace or school, hold a
book stall, run a cake sale, or embark on a sponsored event such as
a swim or silence.
For more information or to receive a pack full of great ideas and
advice, call us on 0115 962 7905 or email charity@nuh.nhs.uk
Charity Skydive
Date: Any date of your choice
Location: Langar Airfield, Nottinghamshire
Details: A day you will never forget, performing an exhilarating
10,000 ft tandem skydive in aid of Nottingham Hospitals Charity.
Jump for free by committing to fundraise £395 or more.
Get in touch by emailing charity@nuh.nhs.uk 9

How you can help
Backing our appeals
could boost your business
By working with us as a corporate partner, you can build your brand, improve
team spirit, raise your profile and attract new clients. Here’s just a few of the
companies who are already supporting Nottingham Hospitals Charity.
DC Training & Development
Services Ltd organised a gala dinner,
raising more than £13,400 to support
the Nottingham Children’s British
Transplant Games team who are
competing in North Lanarkshire in July.
The company has raised more than
£70,000 to help patients at
Nottinghamshire Hospitals during the
last seven years. Managing Director
Darren Calow’s young son Daniel, who
has himself had a transplant, is taking
part in the games.
British Edible Pulses Association
raised more than £11,000 for QMC
Neonatal at their annual dinner –
inspired by the care of Amaya Ibrahim,
born 16 weeks premature and treated
at the unit for chronic lung disease.
Amaya’s grandfather Paddy Barrett is a
member of the Association and he and
Amaya’s mum Melanie are keen
supporters of our BIG Appeal.
Lincolnshire company Inzpire Ltd
donated £3,720 for the Paediatric
Intensive Care Unit in recognition and
thanks for the care given to the
daughter of a staff member. This is the
third year running the company has
supported the Charity.
If your business would like to support Nottingham Hospitals Charity,
please call us on 0115 962 7905 or email charity@nuh.nhs.uk
Could you volunteer for us?
We could not achieve all that we do without the tireless efforts of a team of committed
volunteers who give their time to support the Charity. Volunteers help in many ways, from
carrying out collections at the theatre to marshalling at marathons and setting up stalls as
well as helping our busy calendar of events to run smoothly.
We are keen to bring in more volunteers from all cross sections
of the community and Charity Assistant Lucy Fisher is working
hard to develop voluntary activity across all aspects of our
work. Lucy says: “As summer approaches it looks set to be
another busy year for Nottingham Hospitals Charity so we are
keen to hear from volunteers of all ages, with a wide range of
experience and interests, who would like to support our office
and community activities. In return, we hope to offer a
supportive environment in which you can enhance your skills
and feel valued as part of a friendly
team, by carrying out a varied role
that is stimulating and rewarding.”
To find out more call Lucy Fisher
on 0115 9627905 or email
lucy.fisher@nuh.nhs.uk
10 Follow us on Twitter @NUHCharity

How you can help
Lord Mayor champions tiny babies
Personal experience of his own children being born
prematurely inspired Nottingham’s Lord Mayor,
Councillor Mohammed Saghir, to choose Nottingham
Hospitals Charity’s Tiny Babies Appeal as one of his
nominated charities during his year in office. Councillor
Saghir experienced the heartbreak of losing his son at
three months old after a premature birth. Both his
daughters, now 16 and 26, were also born prematurely.
During his tenure as Mayor,
Councillor Saghir visited the
Neonatal Unit, took part in the
Charity’s BIG Appeal launch and
hosted a ‘thank you’ afternoon
tea for 28 families who raised
more than £27,000 for the
Neonatal Units to mark World
Prematurity Day.
Councillor Saghir says: “I wanted
to choose a charity that would
reflect my personal experience of
having a premature baby.”
Charity funding is vital in
providing state-of-the-art
equipment, funding research to
improve care for tiny patients and
supporting parents and families at
a difficult and emotional time.
Golf clubs drive to support full
spectrum of life
Mapperley Golf Club is teeing off to support Nottingham’s
hospitals, with both ladies’ and men’s captains choosing
Nottingham Hospitals Charity as their charity of the year.
Between them they are supporting the whole spectrum of
care from premature birth to end of life.
The ladies’ team chose the hospital’s Neonatal Unit and the
men’s team have chosen Hayward House palliative care
centre.
Ladies’ captain Maria Timson says: “I wanted to help tiny
babies at the beginning of their lives. I also wanted to support
a local charity. Nottingham Hospitals Charity allows you to
choose exactly where your money will be spent.”
Men’s captain Dave Olley chose to support end of life care
because both his parents died of cancer and because he
volunteers at Hayward House. Dave and team-mates
have planned a host of fundraising events including a Charity
Golf Day on 30 July, a charity auction and a quiz night.
Mapperley is one of several Nottinghamshire golf clubs
choosing to support Nottingham Hospitals Charity. Beeston
Fields Golf Club raised more than £6,200 and Radliffe on
Trent Golf Club recently donated £5,270.
If your sports club would like to support Nottingham
Hospitals Charity, please call us on 0115 962 7905
or email charity@nuh.nhs.uk
Get in touch by emailing charity@nuh.nhs.uk 11

Fundraising
hall of fame
A massive thank
you to everyone
Huge thanks to Plumtree School
who donated £2,000 for the BIG
Appeal raised at their Spring Stroll
and Charity Ball.
Special thanks to June Baines and
members of the GMB union who donated
more than £3,500 in memory of June’s
husband Vic to the oncology department’s
SCOPES unit (Systematic care of older
people in elective surgery).
Special thanks to the families of
Zach Sinclair and Bella Hurst
who have funded two paediatric
care cots for the Paediatric
Intensive Care Unit.
12 Get in touch by emailing charity@nuh.nhs.uk

Fundraising
hall of fame
Thank
you for
your
support!
Massive congratulations to Brent
Stojanovic who ran 58 km in four hours
50 minutes to raise money for the
Hepatology department at QMC, where
his Dad was treated. Brent raised
£1,635. Thank you so much!
A huge well done to Hospital Chief Executive Peter
Homa, Chief Nurse Mandie Sunderland and others from
the NUH Executive Team for taking part in a daring
10,000-foot skydive which raised more than £3,700.
A big thank you to Abbie
Anderson who asked for
money for charity instead of
presents for her ninth birthday.
She donated £165 to the
children’s cancer wards.
Follow us on Twitter @NUHCharity 13

Fundraising
hall of fame
A massive thank
you to everyone
Special thanks to Gethin Edwards who is getting in
training to run 177 miles from North to South Wales and to
heights totalling 28,000 feet in October to raise funds for
the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where his son Leo was
treated after being born prematurely at just 28 weeks.
Huge respect to Connor Mulcahy, a teenager
treated for Lymphoma at Nottingham Children’s
Hospital. Having recently finished chemotherapy
treatment, and got the all clear, Connor climbed
Snowdon last month, raising more than £2,000
for the ward where he was treated. Thank you so
much Connor!
Special thanks to Ann Keeling who
asked for donations instead of flowers
at her husband David’s funeral and to
the hospital Pharmacy where David
worked: between them they donated
more than £600 in David’s memory.
14 Get in touch by emailing charity@nuh.nhs.uk