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Over the last 18 months much careful work has gone into funding some very special projects
During this time we have given over £80 000 to fund the research undertaken by Professor Linch and his team at University College Hospital in London. We have funded the purchase of a DNA sequencer and all of the related equipment and software. We have made three visits to the hospital to see the equipment and to learn how it has already made a great difference to research into lymphomas. This equipment has lead to some encouraging improvements in the treatment of infections after bone marrow transplants. This is what caused Carol’s death. It is encouraging to read of this progress in the medical journal The Lancet. Furthermore the team in London are an incredibly enthusiastic and intelligent bunch who are determined to make the best use of this advanced technology.
Another major project started in 2004 and completed this year has been supporting the Acorns Children’s Hospice in Worcester. This is an awe inspiring project which has involved the building of a fantastic new building with wonderful facilities such as a hydrotherapy pool, multi sensory play rooms and beautiful landscaped grounds. The Hospice has cost millions of pounds to build and it came down to charitable donations to build and equip it.
We were keen to express Carol’s love for children as she was an enthusiastic primary school teacher . We spent £40 000 equipping the Music and Craft rooms at the hospice . These rooms are designed with special flooring and fittings and are jam packed with great instruments , toys,,paint, clay and everything else needed to have a great( but mucky!) time. We have made several visits to the hospice during the build phase and also since it has opened in February 2005. It is a brilliant place which takes the sadness you feel for the children and transforms it into a sense of hope and joy.
We have always intended to support NHS hospitals and after an arduous process we have spent over £20 000 on chemotherapy pumps , a defribulator and electronically controlled beds at the Bristol and Cheltenham Oncology centres.
In June 2005 we bought a ventilator for the Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. We are looking forward to visiting this hospital in August and hope that this equipment will lead to an improvement in healthcare in Shetland . The people of these islands provided such wonderful support to Graham during his walk and raised so much money . It is great to give something tangible back to this fantastic community.
As you can see Carol’s Smile has supported a number of worthy, large scale projects . We have also been able to respond to the needs of individuals . A couple of examples illustrate this point.
In the summer of 2004 we heard about Wayne, a young man who had been going through a tough period of chemotherapy to treat Hodgkins disease. His girlfriend told us of Wayne’s struggle and his unhappiness. We organised for him to go on a rally car driving day at a circuit in Leicestershire. He loved it and his morale improved no end!
Late last year we had an urgent call from a Macmillan nurse in North Devon. One of her patients was terminally ill and he was desperate to go home rather than stay in hospital. This was impossible as he would need a chair lift to move him upstairs. We responded quickly and the stair lift was installed within days. Michael was delighted and touched that his last wish had been respected.
Fundraising continues through several sources . Many thanks to our runners Will ( Bristol half marathon) , Scott ( London marathon) and Matt ( Dublin marathon) and the Hip Hips who braved temperatures in the mid 30s during the Cheltenham Challenge in June.
A big boost this year has been the incredible support of Welcome Break. They selected Carol’s Smile to be their national charity between March and September 2005. They collected money at all 24 of their service stations throughout the country and in February 2006 they handed over a mammoth cheque for £31 200!!!!!
Many thanks also to the magnificent Churchdown Male Voice Choir whose fantastic concert in September raised thousands of pounds. Furthermore Rob York and Graham are already talking about another huge Carol’s Smile Dinner Dance in the near future. Get your black tie and ballgown ready!!
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About Carol's Smile
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