Denise's amazing year of fundraising for her hospital
A member of staff at Kettering General Hospital has raised an amazing £13,964 for hospital equipment through a year-long fundraising campaign
Translation/Patient Information Officer, Denise Thompson, launched her appeal in January after being touched by the care that loved ones and those close to her have received from the hospital.
She has been supported by a huge number of individuals and groups from the local community and from the hospital.
She said: “Over the last two years I have seen many loved ones and those close to me fade and pass away and also many who have been treated and cared for at KGH.
“Last year really hit home for me when my best friend (the man I married, Philip Thompson) and our neighbour both sadly passed away due to cancer.
“Many high profile areas of the hospital receive regular funding but I thought it would be nice to do a year of fundraising for some of the less well known areas as my personal thank you to the hospital for all that it does for local people.”
Denise’s campaign has been used to buy:
- An electrocardiogram (ECG) machine for testing the heart’s rhythm and function for Lamport and Twywell Wards
- Seven fold-up guest beds for the Trust’s medical wards to enable relatives, carers or loved ones to stay with a patient overnight
- Some mobile tablet devices as a pilot scheme to enable patient access (especially those that are bed bound or have special needs) to visual and audio entertainment during their stay at KGH.
Denise, from Kettering, said: “There are many wards and areas of the hospital that receive less in terms of charitable donations and are deserving of support and acknowledgement.
“The equipment bought will support patients in our medical wards and wards for older persons.
“I want to thank all the dozens of individuals, both at the hospital and in the local community who not only have given their time and support but who have also sponsored me to make this project a success.”
Denise’s fundraising campaign included the following:
- February – Valentine Hamper Raffles
- March – Massage treatments held in the hospital Staff Recreation Hall
- April - Afternoon Tea in the hospital’s staff Zone, a hospital tombola and two supermarket bucket shakes
- May –Dance Exercise sessions in the hospital Staff Recreation Hall, another tombola and external raffle
- June - An external coffee morning and a town centre well-being event raising
- July – Goddard Self Storage Golf Club charity event and hospital tombola
- August – The Kettering Soup Day event
- September – The Great Wall of China Trek.
With special thanks to:
- Keith Ogley (Kettering Lions and hospital volunteer) – for standing by and helping her throughout the many of the events and for supporting the China trip
- The Rushden Chichele Rotary Club (with an extended thank you to David Wilson) for their donation of £3,084 towards the ECG machine
- Kettering Lions (and in particular Pamela Aston for her unwavering commitment) for their donation £4,836 towards six guest beds
- Chris Goddard of Goddard Self Storage, Finedon and the Northampton Golf Club for their donation of £2,250
- Barbara Lewis and The Kettering Complimentary Therapy Group for their part in the organisation of the Kettering Town Well Being event that raised £298
- Mr and Mrs Santoro for their donation of £500 towards one of the guest beds