Marie Curie Cancer Care

[amco36]

Hello all,

 

I was born and brought up in Shetland and now live near Edinburgh. I know Shetland folk are a generous bunch , so I am asking you if you will kindly help me fundraise for a very worthy cause - Marie Curie Cancer Care http://www.justgiving.com/Annemarie-Carroll

I plan to climb Ben Nevis at the end of June this year. It's not Kilimanjaro or trekking across the Great Wall of China, but it's 1,344 metres to the summit of the UK's highest mountain, and I'm no spring chicken!

Why am I doing it?

I'm doing it in memory of my aunt, Margaret Watt, who was born and brought up in Scalloway. She died in February this year at the age of 63 after a two and a half year battle with Peritoneal Cancer (which is a rare cancer, but very similar to Ovarian).

Margaret spent her last weeks being cared for at the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth, South Wales. She was in this hospice because she had lived in Cardiff since the early 80s where she worked as a social worker.

I was enormously impressed with the care she received towards the end of her life.

Cancer is a disease that is likely to impact on all our lives at some point? I'm sure you all know someone who is either battling with cancer or who has tragically lost the fight.

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a UK charity dedicated to the care of people with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Over the financial year 2010/11, they reached a total of 31,799 patients.

 

Marie Curie Nurses are best known for their network of 2,000 Marie Curie Nurses, who work in the homes of terminally ill patients across the UK, providing practical care and support.

 

Over the year, Marie Curie nurses provided 1.2 million hours of nursing to 23,406 patients, along with support for their families.

 

There are Marie Curie Hospices across the UK providing expert care and the best quality of life for people with cancer and other illnesses. There are Marie Curie Hospices in Belfast, Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hampstead (London), Liverpool, Newcastle, Penarth (near Cardiff) and Solihull.

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care are the biggest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS, and they are expanding outpatient and day services at all of their hospices. Their hospices reached 8,393 people in 2010/11.

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a leader in research into the best ways of caring for people with terminal illnesses, and how care could be improved in the future. They have our own research teams, and they fund external research programmes.

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care campaigns for more patients to be able to be cared for and die in their place of choice. Research shows around 64 per cent of people would like to die at home if they had a terminal illness, with a sizeable minority opting for hospice care.

 

All of their services are free to patients and their families, thanks to the generous support of the public. They fund their nursing services and hospices in 50/50 partnership with the NHS.

 

Please take a look at my fundraising page http://www.justgiving.com/Annemarie-Carroll and give a little towards this very worthy cause.

[oddtablet]

Good luck with your challenge. Unfortunately I have just sponsored a local person who is undertaking the Edinburgh to Dublin Cycle Challenge on 12/07/2012.

 

best wishes and hope it goes well

[amco36]

Thank you for the good luck wishes.

We have raised a bit of money so far and are happy to puff and pant our way to the top of Ben Nevis for such a worthy cause.

All the best,

AMC

[mogling]

Come on folks - they have very nearly reached their target, and it is for a very worthy cause indeed

 

It was very easy to donate - you can use Paypal or credit card.

[Ironwithin]

I allways give to this. Good to see somthing that may help us all. I have no time for the sadists that keep on throwing their money at people in Africa at places that can not support themselves. Good to see there may be some actual good instead of more coruption and letting them have more children they can not support.

[amco36]

Thank you, thank you, thank you to those who have kindly donated It really is a worthwhile cause and your donations are much appreciated.

 

Someone said 'Wonder if they would like to build one (a hospice) up here??'

 

There is, of course, CLAN Cancer Support that provides cancer support services in Shetland. And I think they are opening a new centre in Shetland (and a shop) in May.

 

Sadly, the Marie Curie Nursing Service is only available to 96% of the UK and it is only NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney (I think) that don't currently commission Marie Curie Nursing Services.

 

I know there is a Macmillan Cancer and Palliative Care Nursing Team in Shetland. Two Oncology Nurses provide a nurse-led chemotherapy service, which enables people to receive chemotherapy in Shetland.

 

Marie Curie nurses and Macmillan's nurses do two different jobs, but are both part of the caring team.

 

Macmillan nurse offer advice, support and liaise between the patient and various members of the care team - Consultants, Dr's, wards and District Nurses. They are skilled in symptom management and offer support to patients & families where there is a cancer diagnosis. They do not (usually) do hands-on nursing.

 

Marie Curie nurses offer skilled nursing care to patients in the last weeks/days of their life, usually in their own homes, although there are 10 Marie Curie Hospices throughout the UK. They are also skilled in symptom management and family support. A Macmillan nurse spends part of her shift with a patient, whereas a Marie Curie nurse spends an entire shift - most often through the night - enabling families to get some well-earned rest.

 

However, even if the service isn't available in Shetland it is still worthwhile to donate since they make a difference to terminally ill patients and their families, providing care to around 27,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its hospices, each year. They also cary out research (The Marie Curie Research Institute) investigates the causes and treatments of cancer.

 

PS- Just to let you know that as well as donating through the just giving page, folk can also donate by text message. Just text SFPF50 (and the amount you want to give) to 70070. I'm sure this was free for Vodophone users.

 

Thank you.

AMC

[shetlandpeat]

Just topped it up for you, with the gift aid you should hit your target. Why I get an allowance.

 

Marie Curie have worked with West Lancs BC and have created Hope Island in Skelmersdale. Perhaps more local authorities could highlight these causes with such brilliant projects.

 

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/64271928

[DizzyKipper]

I added some too

[amco36]

Thank You for all your kind donations! We have gone past our target which is fantastic

 

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

How much does Marie Curie spend on charitable activities?

For every £1 we raise we spend:

 

 

•73p on our work caring for people with terminal cancer and other illnesses

•26p to generate future income

•1p on publicity and governance

How do administrative costs in Marie Curie compare with other charities?

We benchmark our administrative costs against other charities. Our support costs in 2009/10 were 7 per cent below the average of the top ten fundraising charities.

 

Our human resources, finance and IT costs were all significantly lower than the average of other charities.

 

How efficient is Marie Curie’s fundraising team?

For every £1 spent on fundraising costs Marie Curie raised another £3 in income to spend on services for our care and research.

 

Does Marie Curie receive any government funding?

 

Marie Curie receives from the NHS approximately 50 per cent of the cost our nursing care and hospices – the rest has to be raised through fundraising and from our chain of shops each year.

 

 

http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/Documents/WHO-WE-ARE/Strategic-Plan/annual-impact-report-2010-2011.pdf

 

Thank you.

 

http://www.justgiving.com/Annemarie-Carroll