Guernsey

Helping to develop the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Southampton General Hospital.

Guernsey appeal

A group of fundraisers from across the island formed the first Guernsey volunteer committee in 2011 and are busy organising events to get the Guernsey community on board with their fundraising plans.

We plan to build a new Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Southampton for young cancer patients living across the region, including the Channel Islands, to be treated with others their own age, in an environment suited to their needs.

The unit will provide 10 in-patient beds plus open-plan social and recreation areas, a kitchen and dining area for patients and parents, digital lighting systems, broadband connectivity , and cutting edge computing, gaming, music, and entertainment equipment. We've already funded an interim two bed bay.

We also fund a Teenage Cancer Trust Education and Advocacy manager who's working hard to educate young people in the region about cancer awareness. He also works with young people once they have been diagnosed to make sure their education and training needs are being met and they can return to school or work when their treatment is over. Our work is only made possible by fundraising and we rely on the generous support of individuals, companies, trusts and community groups. Please support our appeal and help young people fight cancer.

Southampton unit - building well under way

The building of the new Teenage Cancer Trust ward at Southampton General Hospital is well under way and on course to open by the autumn.

When completed, the unit will have 6 en suite bedrooms (with pull out beds for parents or friends to stay the night) and a 4 bed day treatment room. There will be a large social room where patients will be able to mix with other patients their own age, maybe play pool, listen to music or just chat. There will also be a parent kitchen and lounge, so parents can get some time to themselves while meeting other parents.

The unit will be the first in the area and will treat young cancer patients between the ages of 16 – 24 years old, from Hampshire, the Channel Islands, Dorset, Isle of Wight and South Wiltshire.

A group of former and current young cancer patients have been working with the hospital architect to advise on the design and colour themes and what furniture and entertainment equipment should be included to ensure that the particular needs of teenagers and young adults are met.

Louise Hooker, Teenage Cancer Trust Lead Nurse at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust comments: “I know our patients will really benefit from the Teenage Cancer Trust unit, so that they can receive treatment alongside people their own age in an environment that has been specifically designed for them. The Teenage and Young Adult cancer care team based in Southampton help young people and their families across the region to face the challenges of cancer. The magnificent support from the local communities for the Teenage Cancer Trust appeal shows just how much they want to help them too.”

Charlotte Adams, 20, from Bordon, Hampshire, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was 13 and was treated on a children’s ward. “Being a teenager going through cancer is very hard to understand. You are not a child therefore you know exactly what is going on and you know it’s not a nice situation. When I was going through my treatment I didn’t have any teenage facilities, I was put on a children’s ward which was full of babies and young children. The alternative was a ward full of adults. These were my only options. Not having a Teenage Cancer Trust unit meant I never got the chance to speak to anyone my age who was going through the same things as me and so I always felt I was the only one and I was on my own.”

“Fortunately I have a very supportive family and close group of friends who helped me through everything and listened to me. A lot of people may not have this and therefore by being on a ward especially for teenagers and in the same situation would really help them to come to terms with what they are going through and show them they are not alone.”

To build the unit, Teenage Cancer Trust has been running an appeal to raise £2.4 million. The local community, businesses, schools, colleges and families have responded incredibly and by May 2013 we have “just” £100,000 left to raise before it opens. Once the unit is opened we will need to continue to fundraise locally to support the maintenance and services it provides as well as our other work supporting young people, such as our free cancer awareness talks in Schools and colleges. So we would really appreciate our wonderful supporters to stay with us - together we can provide the very best possible support to teenage and young adult cancer patients here in the South.

Up and coming

What's coming up in Guernsey...

50 years of Bond Themes - 15 & 16 June 2013

Featuring local soloists, choir and orchestra

When it comes to movie themes, nobody does it better than Bond. For your ears only, our specially assembled orchestra and singers will perform your favourite Bond classics from Goldfinger to Live and Let Die, Thunderball to Skyfall, not forgetting the iconic James Bond Theme itself. We promise you’ll be shaken and possibly even stirred. Join us for an evening of double-O Heaven ... we’ll be expecting you.

Tickets available from St James: Adults £12, Senior Citizens £8, Children £6

Kindly sponsored by Investec Specialist Bank in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust Guernsey Appeal.

London to Paris Cycle Ride - June 2013

Amanda Hobart and Laura Roberts are undertaking this fantastic challenge in June and training is well under way in a very damp Guernsey. Check out their Do it for Charity fundraising page for anyone wishing to sponsor them.

Latest News

What's been going on in Guernsey...

Afternoon Tea

A luxurious Afternoon Tea was held at the Duke of Richmond Hotel on Saturday16th March in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust Guernsey Appeal and raised and incredible £6,000 towards the building of the new Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Southampton General Hospital. The event was an immediate sell out with over 200 guests enjoying the entertainment provided by Paul Tongs playing the piano and guests indulging in generous portions of Champagne, tea, sandwiches and cakes.

Having held a successful Afternoon Tea as their first ever Guernsey fundraising event in 2011 the local committee wanted to do it again, this time bigger and better. As well as 25 raffles prizes, generously donated by various local companies and retailers, there was a prize draw for two return flights to Jersey and indulgences such as Sweet Petite Cup Cakes, Energetix Jewellery, Paul Gosling Equilibrium Massage and Jane Fears and The College of Further Education Beauty Students to sample.

‘The raffle was a great success and we want to thank everyone who donated so generously to provide such fantastic prizes, as well as those who gave up their time to make this event the success it was. A big thank you goes to the Duke of Richmond for a first class service’ said Anne Ruddy, Vice Chair.

‘This year’s turn out is testament of the fantastic support the charity has gained locally. An amazing £270,000 has been raised since launching the charity in Guernsey in 2011, fully highlighting the incredible generosity of the people of Guernsey. Without the support of the local community such a massive and important contribution to the building of the new Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Southampton General Hospital, which is where all teenagers and young adults suffering with cancer from Guernsey go to receive their off-island treatments, would not be possible’.

Speeches by Jay Aylmer, Chairman of the local committee and Linda Trew, from Teenage Cancer Trust UK, touched everyone present and were an inspiration to many in terms of what they can do to support the charity.

Special thanks to Leapfrog Recruitment Consultants who sponsored the event.

‘Leapfrog Recruitment are privileged to be partnering such an extremely important charity as it highlights a cause that will touch many people locally’ said Chris Gnapp, MD of Leapfrog.

‘Teenage Cancer Trust provides much needed support and this event has been a huge inspiration for us to continue working with the charity. It was fantastic to see such a brilliant turn out for the Afternoon Tea and to see firsthand how well received it was’ said Laura Goguelin, Associate Director at Leapfrog.

Lancresse Golf Club Captain's Drive In

Sunday 6 January was the annual Captains Drive In at Lancresse Golf Club and newly elected captain Tony Blondel asked Stephanie Ballay aged 13, fellow golfer and young cancer survivor, if she would like to nominate a charity to receive the days proceeds. She chose the Teenage Cancer Trust Guernsey Appeal and a sum of £ 698.00 was raised during the day. Stephanie very bravely gave a short, but emotive, speech about the charity to a packed clubhouse.

Six People - 600 Miles cycling and all in the name of Teenage Cancer Trust

The White Mountain to White Rock Challenge was a seven day cycle event from Mont Blanc, across the French countryside, to St Malo where the riders got on board a boat back to The White Rock café in Guernsey.

The team of 6 Guernsey Folk were a bunch of corporate people who work long hours and have a natural inclination to sit in chairs at a computer as opposed to on a bike on the road. To add to the mix of a busy work schedule, they collectively have 14 children between them. So training in itself was half the challenge.

They set off on Saturday 15 September and returned on Saturday 22, most in one piece but one with a broken collar bone and shoulder blade! However, in words of Jay Aylmer, Chairman of the Guernsey Committee, it was “worth all the pain and suffering” to be able to announce that the team have raised a staggering £38,000 towards the Teenage Cancer Trust Guernsey appeal.

Well Done and thank you to everyone who supported this Challenge, including Specasvers who sponsored the event.

Thanks to Guernsey Prison Service

Many thanks to the Guernsey Prison Service whose Staff Social Club have selected Teenage Cancer Trust as their charity of the year.

They held a Staff Recognition Awards ceremony in October and a raffle on the night raised £364.26, with all proceeds donated to our Guernsey Appeal.

Thanks to all those who donated prizes for the raffle: Cimandis, Phoenix Foods, Chris Goldsborough, Spec Savers, Wink Jewellers, Guernsey Re-Cycling, Galaxy Computers, Fusion Night Club, Guernsey electricity, Le Tricoteur, Aurigny and Les Rocquettes Hotel.

Crystal Ball

This year’s annual Teenage Cancer Trust Ball in Guernsey raised a staggering £40,000 towards the Guernsey Appeal. It was held at The Duke of Richmond hotel on 6th October 2012 and was sponsored for the second year running by Investec Specialist Bank.

Due to the popularity of the event last year an extra five tables were added to meet demand for tickets. As well as performing at the charity event, crystal ball manipulators and stilt walkers Calvos entertained shoppers in Town in the afternoon. Blayz, electric string all-girl quartet, also entertained the Ball attendees with a combination of vocals and electric strings

"As always the generosity of the Guernsey public has no bounds and we are delighted that this year’s Teenage Cancer Trust Crystal Ball has raised £40,000 to help fund the build and running of the unit for teenagers and young adults with cancer at Southampton General Hospital", said Stephen Henry, head of Investec Bank (Channel Islands) Limited.

"With Investec’s help and the generosity of many islanders we were able to raise a fantastic sum this year to go towards the build of the new facility in Southampton, which youngsters from the Channel Islands will have much-needed access to", said Teenage Cancer Trust Guernsey chairman, Jay Aylmer. A luxury auction took place on the night and included a Swarovski crystal necklace, two boxes at The Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust’s comedy night performance in 2013 and tickets to the Investec Derby Festival donated by Investec Bank (Channel Islands) Limited.

Our partners

Companies working with us to raise money for the Guernsey appeal.

Special thanks to Carey Olsen who have been and continue to be incredibly supportive of the Guernsey Appeal through staff support and donations towards improving the lives and young people in Guernsey whose lives are turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis.

The Potting Shed Design and Advertising are also a great supporter of our Guernsey Appeal.