North-east cancer charity receives £25k donation boost
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A £25,000 donation to north-east charity Friends of ANCHOR will directly support two of its vital services.
The funding from the bond committee of Apache North Sea, a subsidiary of Apache Corporation, which manages funds generated by the company’s offshore workforce, will pay for two months’ worth of patient-facing support from the charity’s ward assistants, with the remainder going towards the Making Memories initiative, which pays for experiences for patients receiving end-of-life care.
Friends of ANCHOR director Sarah-Jane Hogg said: “Apache’s donation will support one of our longest-running services; our ward assistant provision, and one of our newest initiatives, Making Memories.
"This big-hearted gift will bring a significant boost in both areas, funding two months of ward assistant provision, and four Making Memories experiences for patients and their loved ones.
“We’re very grateful to Apache for choosing Friends of ANCHOR to benefit from this donation, and to the workforce who show such kindness in keeping such a fantastic fund topped up for the ultimate benefit of the local community.”
Karen Williamson, senior HR manager and Apache bond committee member, said: “Community wellbeing is a core element of Apache’s strategy for charitable giving, making it an easy decision for us to support Friends of ANCHOR.
"The practical and emotional support they provide to patients, and their family members, whilst undergoing treatment, helps to ensure people feel supported and cared for at a time when they need it the most.”
The charity fully funds the salaries of six ward assistants, non-clinical staff members who work within the ANCHOR wards, directly supporting patients and staff.
One of the ward assistant team is Lynn Ingram, who has worked in the haematology inpatient ward, ward 112, since 2013.
She said: “I see first-hand how beneficial it is to have ward assistants working throughout the unit, supporting patients and the multidisciplinary team.
"It’s an extra pair of hands that eases the pressure on everyone, taking the weight of some of the non-clinical duties that are so vital to the overall operation of the ward.
“In ward 112, I’ve had the capacity to coordinate the visitor service, which due to Covid, currently involves several layers of communication with visitors.
"It would be a time-intensive task for the nursing staff to undertake, and it’s just one of the additional pressures that have come into play since the pandemic.
"The support given by the ward assistants this past year or so has been even more apparent, and we’re all very grateful to Apache for such generous support of the service.”
