In December 2020, Cardiff & Vale Health Charity celebrated 10 years of making things better for patients, visitors, staff and the wider community.
The Health Charity had planned to hold a 10 year celebration event, looking back at the major projects it has funded and celebrating the contributions of their donors, fundraisers, volunteers and community partners during the past decade. Unfortunately, due to Coronavirus these plans were cancelled. Instead, the Health Charity will be taking a look back at how its fundraisers, donors, volunteers and community partners have helped to change things for the better over the past ten years.
In 2011, the Health Charity financially supported a number of initiatives within the Health Board:
- The Breast Centre received funds to upgrade their mammography equipment
- Funded STAN monitors for fetal monitoring
- Funded quiet rooms for staff to take a well-deserved break
- Funded equipment for the Outpatient Hand Therapy Unit at University Hospital Llandough
- Funded bedside sleep chairs so that parents could stay with their children while they were in hospital
Boost for Breast Cancer Patients – In 2011, the Health Charity upgraded the mammography machines at the Breast Centre to provide the latest 3D imaging. 3D breast screening increases mammographic sensitivity for detecting breast cancers, enabling detection of cancer at a smaller size and an earlier stage, enabling less invasive surgery.
Dr Philippa Young, Consultant Radiologist, explains: “Using these machines reduces the need of repeat radiological tests as it is much more sensitive and this in turn would reduce the anxiety of patients for a diagnosis.”
STAN Foetal monitors – In 2011, the Health Charity purchased innovative equipment for use on the Maternity Wards during childbirth. STAN Foetal monitors complete high-tech analysis combining foetal monitoring with a foetal electrocardiogram and provides an advanced method for monitoring babies during labour.
Equipment for the Hand Therapy Service was provided for people who have acquired problems with their hands or upper limbs, or have undergone surgery or have rheumatoid conditions. The equipment provided in 2011 included a flexible hand bar, a proprioception board, a sensory testing shield and a vertical ring tree amongst many other items.
An Occupational Therapy Technician from the team said: “Our care incorporates many areas – one of which is remedial activities. Our aim is to teach patients how to use various items to help themselves get back to normality. The equipment is designed to show patients that they don’t need to struggle.”
Fundraisers – without fundraisers, none of the above would be possible. Staff also raise money to make a difference to their wards and departments. In 2011, Health Board staff members from Urology climbed the Welsh 3 Peaks to raise money for a bladder scanner.
An intrepid group of explorers from the Urology outpatient clinic at the University Hospital of Wales succeeded in climbing the frosty peaks of Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen-y-Fan.
The climb team hiked the Welsh 3 Peaks within 24 hours to raise money for a new bladder scanner, which is an essential piece of equipment used daily in the outpatient clinic to carry out patient investigations. They raised over £9,300.