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The Matron and Senior Nurse of the Epsom Emergency Department are soaring to new heights to support patients, families and colleagues.

The start of this year has seen unprecedented demand in our Emergency Departments, with record-breaking numbers, of over 1,000 patients visiting A&E on some days. Despite the immense challenges faced by the team, they consistently exceed expectations and demonstrate remarkable dedication.  For two staff members, this commitment has led them to jumping 13,000ft out of an aeroplane.

Christiana, ED Matron said “Working in the Emergency Department has been very challenging, particular with the recent surge in patient numbers. Having said that, the team’s resilience and the support shown by our local community is truly admirable.”

Christiana and Rianne Elliot, a Senior Staff Nurse are challenging themselves to Skydive in support of Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity. The funds raised will go directly back to supporting the Emergency Department with a big focus on improving staff wellbeing and patient experience.

Rianne emphasised “The funds we raise will contribute to various projects within the department. We hope to refurbish our staff room into a more relaxing space for staff, we are renovating our relatives room, used for delivering news to family members and we hope to start providing care packages for patients in need.”

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity play a crucial role in supporting patients, their families and our hospital staff. Donations and fundraising efforts help to support over and above what is normally provided.

Make a donation today to support Christiana and Rianne’s skydive by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/page/epsomedskydive

Your contributions will not only support the Emergency Department, but also help alleviate their nerves!

Or maybe you fancy joining them to take to the skies? You can sign up today to Skydive and support our hospitals.

Thank You

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Jamie is taking the leap in support of his department!

Jamie Bowbrick, Operational Manager for the SDH&C Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service, is taking the leap from 13,000ft in a skydiving adventure to support Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity.

The MSK Service is an integrated specialised service comprising of an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner (APP) led Community Assessment & Triage Service (CATS), a team of First Contact Practitioners (FCP), a Hand Therapy Service and a Community MSK Physiotherapy Service.  The Team provide support for Surrey Downs residents with assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of conditions affecting the MSK system, from muscle strains to post-operative rehabilitation.

In his role as Operational Manager, Jamie plays a pivotal role in coordinating various team members, including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Technical Instructors, Rehab Assistants and associated Administrators across Surrey Downs. His role helps ensure our hospitals are able to deliver outstanding care to our community.

Jamie shared “It’s a demanding role but the dedication and proactive approach of the team make it incredibly fulfilling. It’s the people I collaborate with and support that make all the difference.”

Jamie is going above and beyond his managerial duties by taking part in a Skydive, jumping 13,000ft out of an airplane to raise funds for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity. The funds he raised will directly benefit the Surrey Downs Health and care Fund, helping to buy new equipment and provide more support for the team.

When asked about why he decided to Skydive Jamie said “A Skydive has always been on my bucket list but my wife would simply say that it is just part of my mid-life crisis!”

Support Jamie as he embarks on this crazy challenge to raise funds to enhance services upon which our community rely on. Donate today at https://www.justgiving.com/page/jamies-skydive-for-eshcharity

Or why not join Jamie and take the leap? Find out more by checking out all our events here.

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“We can’t thank the Maternity Teams Enough”

Trigger Warning: Miscarriage

“We can’t thank the Maternity teams enough” Krissi and Sam are raising money by running the Rome Marathon to say thank you after the care they received.

Krissi said “2023 was a really tough year for us.” At Krissi and Sam’s 12 week scan in February 2023 they were told that their baby had no heartbeat. After taking some time to recover, they fell pregnant six months later, with twins, to only be told again at their 12 week scan that neither baby had a heartbeat. Krissi said “Dealing with this the first time round was very tough but the second time felt like we had been hit by a bus.”

The pair has now been referred to the recurrent miscarriage unit where they will be cared for by our teams.

“We can’t thank the Maternity Teams enough.”

Krissi and Sam wanted to give back and say thank you to the teams that looked after them. They wanted to focus on something positive, do something a bit crazy and raise awareness of miscarriage, something they find is not often spoken about.

“We wanted to share our story so that others don’t feel so alone. We took great comfort from others sharing their personal journeys and so wanted to do the same. For those reading this my biggest piece of advice is to be kind to yourself. Also, don’t blame yourself- if it’s meant to be it will happen.”

Krissi and Sam have already raised a staggering £1,800 and the total keeps increasing. The money they have raised will go towards the Maternity Unit at Epsom Hospital. It will help support other patients, their families and the incredible staff who care for us all. It could be buying new medical equipment, improving facilities, supporting staff training and so much more.

You can support them by making a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/page/kristina-nesbitt-1708251376601

Or perhaps you are feeling inspired to give back yourself? You can take on any challenge big or small and raise money to support our incredible hospitals. Find out more by visiting our get involved section.

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Cancer Hub officially opened at Epsom Hospital

Thanks to a generous grant from Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity, we’ve launched a new Cancer Hub, providing a dedicated space for our incredible Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists to collaborate.

CNSs play a vital role in supporting patients and carers, offering expert care, emotional support, and guidance through treatment decisions. With the growing number of patients across Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, having a centralised hub ensures better coordination and accessibility for both staff and patients.

This new space allows our CNSs to work more efficiently, share best practices, and provide real-time support to patients. It’s a significant improvement that enhances the quality of care and patient experience.

Yesterday we celebrated this milestone, bringing together our charity, CNSs, wider Cancer Team, our Senior Leadership Team and patient forum to officially open the space.

James Blythe, Managing Director for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals said “I’m so proud to see the positive impact this space is having and will continue to have for our patients.”

We want to share our gratitude with the amazing donors who made this possible. Together, we’re making a difference in cancer care!

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Cardiac Rehab team continue to strengthen hearts, thanks to new equipment funded by Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity.

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity are thrilled to have granted funds for new equipment, including a shiny new rowing machine, at St Helier Hospitals gym. The dedicated Cardiac Rehabilitation team support patients recovering from various cardiac conditions, such as angina, heart attacks, and cardiac arrests. The exercise specialists guide them through their rehabilitation journey to help minimise future cardiac risks.

Tim Teasdale, exercise specialist shares “We often hear from patients how our rehab programme has restored their confidence and allowed them to return to things they enjoy.”

Equipped with excellent facilities, including the latest addition of the rowing machine, our gyms on site ensures patients receive specialised rehab from our expert team in their local hospital. The new equipment not only offers low impact cardio but also provides a nostalgic rowing experience for those who previously rowed on the Thames.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to patients, families, and donors who continually support the service. Thanks to your donations we are able to continue to support services and provide a better experience for patients who visit our hospitals.

You can continue to support and spread the love this valentine’s day by making a donation.

Thank you

Any questions? Get in touch on esth.charity@nhs.net

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Lace up those running shoes!

Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity are delighted to announce five incredible running events you can get a place in today!

Lace up those running shoes, get involved and support your local hospital by raising much needed funds.

We have places to fill in:
– Hackney Half Marathon
– London 10K
– Surrey Half/5K/Kids
– Hampton Court Half
– Inflatable 5K/10K/2.5K

Sign up today and raise funds to support Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity. Places are limited so check out our events page and don’t delay.

Any questions? Get in touch on esth.charity@nhs.net

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Epsom NHS Staff Benefit Concert

Epsom Music Charity will host an NHS Staff Benefit concert, featuring the Salieri Quartet, as part of local Jubilee celebrations on 27 May at midday at the Epsom Playhouse in the presence of Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Mayor Elect of Epsom and Ewell. 

The long established and experienced Salieri Quartet, whose members have played with orchestras across Europe and worked on West End shows, will treat the audience to a relaxing hour of classical favourites such as the Pachelbel Canon along with works from famous and familiar composers like Bach and Mozart to name but a few.  The quartet will then ‘string out’ the entertainment by setting up in Market Square to entertain shoppers and businesses with a more contemporary programme, ranging from Beyonce to Game of Thrones, and where donations will also be gratefully received!

Sasha Phillips from Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity said: “A huge thank you to the Epsom Music and the Salieri Quartet for dedicating their time to organise this event to support our charity; our people and the NHS.  We are very grateful for the effort that has been put into this and would encourage people to come along and support this special day-time musical interlude.”

Lionel Blackman, Trustee of Epsom Music, said: ‘Our charity supports the education and performance of all music throughout Epsom and Ewell.  Many in the music community were sadly affected by Covid in one way or another, and now that events can once again take place, we wanted to take the opportunity to show our immense gratitude to our local NHS.  We are honoured the Mayor Elect can attend, and we hope other people can show their support by getting a ticket and coming along!”

The concert will be for one hour and start at midday on Friday 27 May.  A minimum donation of £10 per ticket is requested which can be made online at www.epsommusic.org and all funds raised will go to Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity.

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Calling all cyclists!

Our Divisional Director of Operations – Women & Children’s Services, Kathryn Hughes, is keen to form a an ESTH Charity Team for the Onyx Team Time Trial Road Bike on Sunday 15th May 2022 at Thruxton Race Track, Andover at midday (exact timings TBC). 

What is Team Time Trial cycling you may ask?  Quite simply it’s a road-based or arena bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock.  But it’s a very different type of challenge to an individual distance road event, involving strategy, team tactics as well as speed of course! Think of it as an opportunity to ride fast with a group of fellow cyclists on smooth tarmac and not a car in sight! 

Although Kathryn is already a super-duper TTT cyclist herself, what’s great about the event is that you don’t have to be!  Kathryn will be providing 2 x training rides (dates and venue TBC) and lots of tips.  The only requirements are that you can ride in clips on a road bike (no TT bikes allowed), are committed to the challenge and the charity fundraising of course.  The fundraising target is £400 (for the team) but there’s also the potential to win the event’s first prize which is £1000! 

If you’re interested and would like to know more, Kathryn will be holding a Teams call to answer any queries on Tuesday 5th April at 4pm. Or you can get in touch with Kathryn directly on 07812555994 or kathryn.hughes13@nhs.net.

For more information check out the Onyx event website and get more of taster from the You Tube Video below!

The entry cost per person is £27 and the deadline to sign up for an ESTH Charity team is 12 April. 

Each team consists of 4 people so the more people who sign up, the better! 

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Bowling club president bowls over St Helier staff with £2,000 donation!

Just over a year on from collapsing with Covid, Keith Woods, 75, and Wallington Bowling Club’s President and Men’s Captain, returned to St Helier Hospital to thank the team which saved his life and to present them with a generous £2,000 cheque.

Keith was admitted to St Helier’s respiratory ward in November 2020 where he remained in a critical condition for three months.  He was eventually allowed to return home and although his rehabilitation is ongoing, his family and many friends at Wallington Bowling Club continue to be amazed and overjoyed to have him back!

To show their appreciation, last year Keith and his fellow members unanimously chose to dedicate the fundraising from the club’s (delayed) centenary games to their local NHS.

Unfortunately, Keith himself wasn’t able to play but he said: “The £2,000 raised is just a small token of our immense gratitude to the all the wonderful doctors, nurses and other staff who looked after me.  Covid has changed my life forever but I know I’m one of the lucky ones and that I wouldn’t be here today were it not for all their hard work and dedication.”

Dr Thomas Medveczky, Consultant Physician in Respiratory and General Medicine at St Helier, who led on Keith’s care said: “We are delighted to see how well Keith is doing!  Of course we strive to do the very best for all our patients but it was such a nice surprise to learn about Wallington Bowling Club’s fundraising– it makes us very proud and privileged to have touched so many lives in this way and the money will help fund life-saving equipment for many more patients with Covid and non-Covid respiratory problems.”

Keith and his family also attribute his recovery to the Trust’s ‘Letters to Loved Ones’ service.  With no visitors allowed at the time, people could instead use the service to send in their well wishes which a staff member would then read aloud to Keith at his bedside. He received 87 letters and emails! Keith’s daughter Sarah, who lives in Australia, said: “During the most difficult time for our family, and with Dad in isolation in hospital for months, there’s no doubt in my mind that these supportive messages from family and friends made Dad keep fighting.”

So thanks to the care he received from all the teams at St Helier, Keith can hopefully look forward to getting back on the green and having a game or two again in the not too distant future. 

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Half Marathon for St Helier ICU

In March Natasha Flatt will be running the Hampton Court Half Marathon to raise money for St Helier’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who recently saved the life of one of her closest friends and the money raised will be used to save many more. 

Just before Christmas, Dom was put into an induced coma which lasted for over 3 weeks and was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune form of Encephalitis. Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain which can have life changing effects and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent brain damage. Without the care from St Helier ICU and their prompt response, it could have caused long term complications.

Dom is now on the road to recovery and to say that all of his family and friends are thankful to St Helier ICU is an understatement.  

If you would like to support Natasha’s challenge please go to: justgiving.com/fundraising/natasha-flatt2