Caroline's Blog

I’m still on a high from the fantastic success of the open day on Saturday - it really couldn’t have been better! Around 400 visitors came to see behind the scenes at the Christie, and to hear first hand from our clinical staff, our professors, our chairman and me about the important work taking place here. I met some wonderful people too – an incredible mix of the public, patients and their families, supporters, and even staff who worked here many years ago.

We had some lovely feedback from our visitors and I’ve selected a few comments to share with you which I thought were especially moving:

“My personal thanks to the Christie for all they did for me!”

“I’m coming to the Christie next week for treatment and I feel much less worried now”.

“Fantastic hospital! We would be lost without you.”

There’s no better way to be reminded how important our patients and their families are, and why we need the backing of our supporters, than to meet them face to face. All of us involved in the day were touched by the interest, enthusiasm, warmth, and emotion shown by our guests. So - a huge thank you to all who came – and we’re already thinking about how we can make our next open day in 2010 even better!

Looking ahead in my diary the Great Manchester Run is just three weeks away! I’ve not been out running for a little while as I hurt my back but thankfully it’s a lot better now and I’m getting back in training – got to keep up with everyone in our team. Once that’s done I’ll only have 24 weeks to go until the New York Marathon. It sounds like a long time but it will be my first marathon and I’m a little nervous. And yes – I really will be there for the run and not the shopping (well maybe just a little shopping)!

It’s been an amazing and emotional year here at the Christie since we became a Foundation Trust in April 2007. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be part of such a dedicated and successful team!

I decided to start this blog so I could give you a sneak preview of our very latest developments, and explain the thinking behind some of our work. You’ll also get the inside track on what it’s like being the chief exec of the Christie as well as a mum of two. I already do a monthly podcast but I plan to blog every couple of weeks, or whenever I have some interesting news to share.

I’ve been chief exec here at the Christie for over two and a half years now, but I joined the NHS as a student nurse and then trained as a midwife many years ago. I just loved practicing as a midwife.  Back then I just wanted to make a difference to women and their babies - and of course I still do – but these days instead of helping one person at a time, I can lead on decisions that help many. And as a young woman in a man’s world I find I can sometimes turn that to my advantage by taking a different approach and getting the best for our patients.

Outside work I’m a keen runner and use running time as thinking time. I get fresh air, exercise and solutions together – maximum benefit! I do get carried away sometimes though and a recent quick run turned into a 14mile round trip through Tatton Park. As I didn’t have my mobile phone I had thought my husband might be worried - but he wasn’t as he knows me too well! I’m training for the Great Manchester Run at the moment and there’s a team of us running for the Christie charity. We’re hoping to create a sea of Christie blue t-shirts on the day - raise some money too!

My diary’s mad at the moment – having just kicked off a new financial year there are lots of meetings to sign off the details of last year’s performance and plans for the next twelve months. As a Foundation Trust our annual report has to be submitted a lot sooner than in previous years so we have to get everything ready for it now. We’re also organising an open day so that people can come and see behind the scenes – it’s on Saturday the 26th April and you are welcome to drop in anytime between 10am and 4pm and come and meet me.

I hope this first blog has been interesting and that you’ll come back for another look – and if you have any comments, ideas or questions please get in touch using the link below. I will try to keep up with them and respond whenever I can.