Local Charity brings new investment in patient care

Healthcare charity, the Cancer Care and Haematology Fund (CCHF), has announced funding of more than £60,000 for new equipment to enhance patient care at Buckinghamshire treatment centres.

CCHF has agreed to pay more than £41,000 for 32 new reclining chairs for use by patients undergoing chemotherapy at Stoke Mandeville Hospital's Cancer Care and Haematology Unit (CCHU) and Wycombe Hospital's Sunrise Unit.  A further £19,000 has been committed for the purchase of an additional scalp cooling system with cool caps for use at CCHU.

CCHF was set up in 1990 to raise funds to help patients diagnosed with cancer or haematology disorders by funding the construction of a specialist unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, near Aylesbury.  Today the charity continues to provide financial support for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust treatment facilities.

Michelle Pearsall, Macmillan Matron for Oncology and Haematology for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, explained: “The reclining chairs will replace all of the existing ones at both CCHU and Sunrise Unit – all of which are now well worn and some are broken.  The chairs are used every day in our busy treatment units and our patients have told us how important comfortable chairs are to them when undergoing their treatment. Scalp cooling can assist patients to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy and while it is not suitable for everyone, this additional system will allow us to offer the service to more patients at CCHU.”

CCHF's Chair of Trustees, Dr Ann Watson, said this was a further significant financial commitment by the charity: “It is time for the existing treatment chairs to be replaced and these comfortable, specially designed new chairs – as well as the extra scalp cooling system – are not routinely provided by the NHS, so we're delighted to be able to continue to enhance the experience of those people undergoing treatment for cancer and haematological illnesses in Buckinghamshire.”

The Sisco Twin Motor Tilt In Space Recliner chairs are being supplied by leading British contract furniture company, Knightsbridge Furniture Productions Ltd, of Bradford.  The scalp cooling system has been supplied by Huddersfield-based specialist, Paxman, and represents latest technology.  CCHF paid £52,000 for new scalp cooling systems at CCHU and Sunrise Unit in June 2022 and they have proved popular.