24/06/09

Turning pennies into pounds for cancer patients

They’ve looked after the pennies and the pounds have looked after themselves.

Fundraisers have proven the old English saying true at Ipswich Hospital as a campaign collecting loose change has raised £1,000.

Colleagues in the hospital’s Cancer Information Centre are celebrating its fifth birthday this year by asking people to donate their small change.

The fundraising campaign launched in April and a count this week revealed £1056.28 has already been left in the collection buckets around the hospital.

The money raised so far has been put towards expanding complementary therapy services available to cancer patients. Services including acupuncture, reiki and relaxation workshops have been added to the services on offer alongside existing treatments such as massage, reflexology and aromatherapy.

Fundraising will continue to further support the work of the centre.

Cancer information nurse specialist Louise Smith said: “We are over the moon at the generosity shown here.

“We are in a credit crunch and people do not have vast amounts of cash to spare but this shows that small change make a huge difference.

“Every penny is gratefully received and the campaign has been helped enormously by people bringing in jars of loose change that they’ve collected at home.”

The fundraising began when colleagues discovered a drawer full of change labelled for charity following the death of Dr John LeVay in 2008. Dr LeVay, an oncology consultant, was the inspiration behind the Cancer Information Centre.

Collection buckets are situated throughout the hospital for people to donate their loose change. Sites include the Oncology reception and the Courtyard Restaurant.