Local business helps support young people with sickle cell disease
A local business has donated items to help support young people with sickle cell disease while they’re on our Skylark ward.
Rich is the General Manager of The Roebuck, Market Harborough. They hold regular charitable fundraisers. The team wanted to support our children’s ward and got in touch to find out how they could do this.
Rich said: “I spoke to the Play Team at Kettering General Hospital and asked what they’d like us to raise money for. The team told us about how they support young people with sickle cell and told us about the items we could supply to help these patients.”
With sickle cell day on Thursday 19 June, it was a chance to raise awareness of the condition. Sickle cell disease is the name for a group of inherited health conditions that affect the red blood cells. Acute sickle cell pain – also known as a sickle cell crises – can happen anywhere in the body. It can come on suddenly and range from mild to severe. Young people experiencing this will be admitted to Skylark ward.
Claire, Lead Haemoglobinopathy Specialist Nurse.
“The boxes contain everything our patients need when they’re going through a crisis. We need our patients to stay warm, which can be difficult on an air-conditioned ward, the blankets and socks help to warm the body and encourage the flow of blood.”
The boxes are supplied with drinks, socks and a blanket to support those young people who are experiencing a crisis.
The team across both Kettering General and Northampton General Hospitals see over 100 young people with the condition over the course of a year. To avoid experiencing a crisis, the team advise people with the condition to take their medication, and to stay both warm and hydrated.
Mabel, Paediatric Clinical Specialist Nurse said:
“With the number of young people we look after across the county, these donations will make a real difference to the young people who are admitted to the ward”
The Play Team hold a key role helping those on the children’s ward understand their new environment and reducing anxieties.
Louise, Play Specialist on Skylark ward added:
“We use play and activities to divert the attention of our patients with sickle cell when they tell us they’re in pain. This really helps those who are experiencing a painful crisis.”
Rich explains that as part of the fundraising, he had to undertake some research on the condition to fully understand it. “I’ve learned so much. Reading the stories and comments on the forums really opens your eyes. It’s a hidden disease that has such a huge impact. We’re so happy to have helped”.
We’d like to offer our thanks to Rich and the fundraisers at The Roebuck for their generosity. Learn more about Sickle Cell disease on either the Sickle Cell Society website or the NHS website.