Presidents charity is top of its class

Rotary Club President Jon Wassall invited Carol Connor from the Aylesford Unit at Warwick Hospital to the club this week to talk about their work. Jon has chosen the chemotherapy Unit as one of his charities in his year as Club President, and his members have been keen to raise funds for them through raffles and bucket collections.

Carol has been nurse consultant in charge of the unit for over 10 years. In that time it has grown from treating blood cancers to offering a full range of cancer treatments, 6 days a week. From the start Carol was challenged to get a new building funded and built, and having done that to deal with the increasing number of patients. Her team has recently been shortlisted for a national award as Cancer Team of the Year, an achievement reflected in the appreciation of their patients.

A new cancer unit is currently being built at Stratford Hospital which will help take some pressure off, but with an ageing population and more people coming to live in the area, the team is looking to improve delivery of chemotherapy with new working practices. Donations to the unit help to supplement NHS funding with furnishings or improved equipment.

Many club members have cause to be grateful to the care either they, or relatives have received at the Aylesford, and expressed their thanks to Carol. A donation will be made at the end of Jon’s year as President in July.