FREE C Please take me home Winter/Spring 2014 3 EX PATIENT KATIE BIRCHALL OPENS NEW CHILDREN’S WAITING AREA Read her story inside NEW STAFF ACHIEVEMENT Meet the AWARDS/WINNERS Estates Team New pharmacy Papillon Suite launch Help to give up smoking Charity News THIS ISSUE Welcome Contents 02 Welcome 04 Ex patient Katie Birchall’s story 06 New on-site pharmacy brings patient benefits 07 Maggie’s to open its first Merseyside centre 08 Charity News 09 Update on plans for the new Clatterbridge I would like to wish all our staff, patients and their families, members and supporters a Happy New Year. 2013 was an exciting and busy year for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Cancer Centre in Liverpool This issue will bring you up-to-date with what’s been happening since the last issue and as you will see the year ended on a high with some fantastic new developments. 10 Meet the Estates Team 04 12 Trust is recognised for outstanding care 3 C’s: Centre, Clinic, Charity. 13 New addition to our first class team of cancer experts The Centre welcomed a number of new senior appointments to further strengthen the clinical expertise and eight new oncologists and 20 new radiographers have been added to our team of 14 Help to stop smoking specialists to ensure we always improve our care. You can read all about this on page 13. 15 Meet Ian Boycott-Samuels - Foundation It was great to see one of our ex patients, Katie Birchall, back at the Centre to open a new children’s play area in the radiotherapy department. I am sure you will all agree this is a fantastic addition to Trust Governor the Centre and I would like to thank all of the fundraising supporters who made this possible. 16 Charity News Over the next few months patients will benefit from service improvements thanks to the launch of our first on-site pharmacy – PharmaC and the development of the Maggie’s Centre. Both developments 17 New lead nurse for additional needs will make a significant difference to the patient experience, see pages six and seven. 18 Awards This year will be an important milestone in our plans to develop a new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool. At the end of January we are holding open sessions across the region and during the 19 Consultant profile - Caroline Brammer summer we will launch a formal 12 week consultation period. It’s really important to us that you give 10 us your feedback on the plans. Turn to page nine to find out how you can get involved. 20 Charity News Once again, this year will bring some fantastic fundraising opportunities, including the very first Rock 21 New staff achievement awards ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Liverpool! 22 Charity News Thank you for all of your continued support and I hope you enjoy catching up on all our latest news and developments. 23 Puzzle page and recipe 24 Your views Andrew Cannell Chief Executive 16 20 A PATIENT’S JOURNEY As a networked cancer centre, we us at the door, and we knew straight away Their care and consideration helped Katie work in partnership with hospitals across we were in a special place. He escorted us through this time too. It was reassuring the Cheshire and Merseyside region. Katie personally to the Mould Room. For me to see how both hospitals were working One of these essential partnerships this was one of the hardest times, because together so well. Clatterbridge’s Dr Nicky is with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Katie had already been through so much Thorpe would be sure to be at Alder Hey conquers They refer their young cancer patients with surgery – and now they wanted my for every case review meeting so each to us for daily radiotherapy treatments, fragile four-year-old daughter to lie still while specialist was available and we would not and our expert team of specialists work they put mouldings on her beautiful face. need to wait for results. Small things like WRVS volunteer Joan Chesters made closely with them to manage each But it wouldn’t last for long. The staff were that make the world of difference. After sure Katie’s toast was always buttered delicate case of paediatric cancer care. so understanding and did everything they seeing Katie so upset when trying to get her just right could to make it easier. Katie would simply through the scanners – having to wait days At this most difficult time, we know the not cooperate with the mask fitting and it was for the results would be so much harder. smallest things – like an extra helping of butter decided she would need to be anaesthetised on your toast – can make the biggest difference! for both the fittings and the treatment. Katie is a truly amazing daughter, very Jeanette Birchall shares her story with us. spirited for a 10 year old, but she still doesn’t Treatment started. Every morning for do ‘cuddly’! We say, ‘she will go to the “Katie was only weeks past her 4th birthday six weeks we would drop Jack off at nan’s opening of an envelope’ – because she wants in September 2007 when she was suddenly, at 5.45am. The drive over to Clatterbridge to join everything! Cubs, Girl’s Brigade, violently sick on a shopping trip. She vomited was about 50 minutes. It was in the dead of choir (Young Voices and Haydock Male constantly for the next few days. We were winter and treacherous some mornings. Her Voice Choir are both on her current musical referred to St Helens Hospital, but they too wonderful team would meet us in the waiting agenda), judo, dodge ball and Scouting were baffled by her continuing vomiting. area and Katie would be anaesthetised daily Gang Show are some of her weekly favourites for her treatment, usually by about 7am. Once … but also loves zorbing and airkix flying. It had been decided that perhaps she she had recovered from her radiotherapy Not for the faint hearted I can assure you!! had a ‘leaky valve’ in her stomach which treatment, we would go to the WRVS cafe for would need an operation at Alder Hey. the most delicious toast. The lovely volunteers Words can’t really describe how grateful buttered it extra thick for Katie! Andrew and I we are for the love and support that Katie, and I remember the day so vividly, it was 4th piled the weight on! We left daily around 11am the family, received from The Clatterbridge December 2007 – she was sat on my knee on once Katie had been checked over. Everyone Cancer Centre. She simply wouldn’t be the sofa (quite rare, as Katie is not a ‘cuddly’ at Clatterbridge was so kind to Katie, and us. here with us if not for the expertise of the child), when a call came through from Alder They even made her a special ‘sticker poster’ staff involved in her care, too many to name Hey. Katie needed a CT scan before her op – so she could count down her treatment days. but all as equally important as each other. and they had room to fit her in that afternoon. Katie went into nursery every day after her It’s not until you need it, do you appreciate When my husband came home from radiotherapy, missing only one day. This was the specialist medical expertise we have work that evening, Katie asked could she one of the many factors that won her the in our region. Internationally recognised go on a bike ride. Considering she hadn’t “Young Citizen of the Year” award last year. hospitals like The Clatterbridge Cancer walked unaided in weeks, this was such a Centre and Alder Hey are right on our door turn up that our evening meal was put on step, saving and supporting lives everyday.” hold and off we went to the park, in the dark, “THE STAFF WERE with the bikes. My husband Andrew took the phone call when we returned home. SO UNDERSTANDING AND DID EVERYTHING We had to leave for Alder Hey immediately – they had found a brain THEY COULD TO tumour. Our world imploded. MAKE IT EASIER.” I could fill pages and pages about those days Katie spent in Alder Hey – but let’s 2013 was a good year for us. Katie had just say the care she received was simply her five year scan in June and she is clear brilliant. Katie made remarkable progress of cancer. As Katie was so young, a lot of and was allowed home on 14th December, what went on didn’t really register with the day before her brother Jack’s 6th birthday her. She gets annoyed now when she goes party. By this time we had been informed for a check up because she says “I’m that the tumour was malignant, but we fine, there’s nothing wrong with me”. She had already resigned ourselves to that. miraculously came through this awful time unscathed, and I am sure this is down to Jeanette, husband Andrew, son Jack and Katie We were referred to The Clatterbridge the magnificent care she received thanks were guests of honour at the official opening Katie was awarded “Young Citizen of Cancer Centre the following week for a to the partnership working between Alder of the new children’s waiting area in December. the Year 2013” by St Helens Council radiotherapy mask fitting. ‘Santa Ted’ greeted Hey and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Read more about it on page 16.