Caroline's Blog

We're into our third year as a Foundation Trust, and its sometimes hard to remember how things used to be. So much has changed here in 24 months, in so many ways. In the way we think, the way we work, and the way we are.

Positive change is exhilirating. But some things thankfully remain the same. Big hearted, brave and inspiring people still going to the long-established annual events to raise money for us for example.

I watched the London Marathon on Sunday where we had 49 people running in support of The Christie. I just wished I could have been there running alongside them. After I completed the New York Marathon last November I vowed to run in London. But despite advice that anyone running a 26 mile race should rest afterwards for four weeks I started training 10 days later and tore my hip muscle. Its still not healed properly and I was really disappointed to not be able to join the troops in the capital. I'm still in pain. That'll teach me to run before I could walk.

Next year though. Watch this pace.....

Its countdown time as we count up. Our charity now has just 12 days until they travel down to London on 7th May to deliver the ‘Cash back for Christie’ campaign petition to Downing Street.

Following the Treasury Select Committee report on 4th April which recommended that charities are compensated for money lost in the Icelandic banking collapse they want to strike whilst the iron is hot. 

In just six weeks over 80,000 people have signed the petition – which is tremendous - but they want 100,000 signatures for the Downing Street delivery.  The support we’ve had so far has been fantastic, but the charity is going for one last big push so it would be great if everyone could encourage family and friends who have not yet signed the petition to do so via:  http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TheChristie/

 Thank you and have a lovely weekend

What a difference a bit of sunshine makes! We all seem brighter and bubblier. The winter coats and umbrellas have been ditched for florals and smiles and, despite the recession, everyone seems more positive.

It's put a 'Spring' in our steps, but I never forget that whilst we can leave work and relax over a glass of wine in the garden before the sun goes down, many of our patients are battling some dark times. Our job is to make sure they get better to embrace that wonderful sunshine as well.

And we've had a bright start to our new financial year which is all about improving outcomes for cancer patients. We achieved all our objectives for 2008/09 and are forging ahead with a strong plan for the next 12 months. This will be the year of 'implementation' as our new ambitious developments are built and services for cancer patients are transformed.

I visited the sunny Lake District yesterday. I try to get up to my home town of Kendal as often as I can, but this particular visit was to meet up with one of our fundraisers, Don Taylor. Don is an amazing man who at age of 80 is touring the UK in his caravan to raise £1 million for our charity. He started the 3,500 mile, six-month trek just over a week ago in memory of his wife who was treated here, and  when I heard Don was in the beautiful lakes I felt a visit was a fitting way to show our huge gratitude.

Whilst Don travels the length and breath of the country in his trusty caravan, many of our other fundraisers will be travelling down to London in early May to deliver the petition to Downing Street which calls for the government to help our charity get its £6.5 million back.

The passion and determination of our supporters never ceases to amaze me, and let's hope the sun will be shining on Don's caravan throughout his tour and the petition carriers when they march up to Number 10.

Christie fundraisers, charity staff and Christie Bear hit the city centre today to add thousands more signatures to the ‘Cash Back for Christie’ campaign.  They were based in key locations and all said that the support from the public was really fantastic. We weren’t surprised though.  The good people of the North West have been supporting the Christie since it was founded 108 years ago.  It’s thanks to their generous donations at the turn of the 20th century that the Christie was built, and it is thanks to their support today that the North West has a first-class cancer centre on its doorstep.

Whilst they were planning to swarm Manchester my job took me to Keele this week.  I was at the University to give a lecture to future consultants about NHS policy, focusing on the Lord Darzi report and patient choice and access. I am passionate about patient choice and access, and firmly believe that the best NHS policies come out of carefully listening and responding to patients.

Patient power is an incredible thing. We’ve seen it in our charity’s fight for the return of their money and I talked about it in my lecture to doctors. 

We salute you all.