ST HELENS Hospital staff are celebrating raising more than half of their £10,000 goal just four months after its launch for their landmark anniversary.

Instead of just the usual slice of cake, the hospital decided to celebrate their 10th anniversary by raising £10,000 to buy equipment over and above that provided by the NHS.

Less than six months after its launch, due to donations, this has seen them purchase digital sky windows for patients receiving chemotherapy at the Lilac Centre so they can look at a calming view whilst receiving treatment and buy a number of ‘patient pagers’ so that those receiving care in the Burney Breast Unit can move away from the waiting room, have a coffee or sit in the gardens whilst waiting for appointments or test results to come back.

They aim to complete their £10,000 goal, with further funds raised in the next eight months going toward updating the children’s waiting area in the Outpatients Department providing new toys, comfy seats and a more welcoming environment; making over the hospital’s counselling room and providing iPads and other technology to long term patients to use as part of their therapy sessions on Seddon Rehabilitation Unit.

Elizabeth Titley, charity manager, said: "We have been blown away by the support coming from patients, staff and the community. Everyone has taken this appeal to their hearts and wowed us all.

"We are delighted to be able to buy digital windows for the Lilac Centre and patient pagers for The Burney Breast Unit more than six months ahead of our appeal end date.”

"However, there is still more to do and the charity would be delighted to hear from anyone who can help them not just achieve their goal but smash it!

"They are halfway to raising the funds needed to makeover the hospital’s counselling room, and need further funds to purchase four iPads for patients to use on the hospital’s rehabilitation unit as well as £2,000 to provide a modern and welcoming children’s waiting area.

“The waiting area would be a fantastic project for someone to adopt, be it a local company or maybe even a school.

"We need to raise funds for toys, comfortable seating, wall murals and magazines, anything that can help to distract children and help parents whilst they are visiting our hospital.”

Not satisfied with these improvements, the hospital is also looking forward to working with a patient group to provide Accuvein machines which electronically scan for veins across the hospital making the inserting of ivs and blood tests a less stressful experience for patients.

Anyone wanting to contribute to the appeal can do so by calling the charity office on 0151 2904400 or visiting justgiving.com/wshospscharity

For more information email Elizabeth.titley@sthk.nhs.uk or call 0151 2904400.