£26k appeal brings child cancer care closer to home
The Chartwell Children's Cancer Trust has successfully raised £26,800 to fund four specialist high-acuity observation monitors for Tiger Ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The equipment will support the Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Unit as it expands its services to provide infusional chemotherapy locally. This treatment involves the prolonged administration of cancer drugs and requires continuous, high-level monitoring so that clinical teams can detect changes early and respond quickly.
Tiger Ward currently supports around 40 children receiving cancer care and is developing a dedicated Infusional Chemotherapy Suite so that more treatment can be provided closer to home. The new monitors, costing £6,700 each, will help equip the suite safely, supporting children and young people who need complex treatment while reducing the need for some families to travel longer distances to specialist centres.
For families, receiving more care locally can make a significant difference during treatment. It can help children remain closer to home, school and support networks, while easing some of the emotional, practical and financial pressures that come with repeated hospital journeys.
Samantha MacDonald, Paediatric Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist on Tiger Ward, said: “The new monitors will make a significant difference to both our patients and staff on Tiger Ward. They will allow us to closely monitor children and young people receiving complex treatments, helping us to provide safer and more responsive care whilst also giving families additional reassurance during what can be a very difficult time.”
Michael Douglas, Founder and Senior Trustee of The Chartwell Children’s Cancer Trust, added: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who helped make this appeal a success. This undertaking was about more than funding new equipment it was about helping children and young people receive specialist cancer care safely, locally and with the reassurance of being closer to home. Tiger Ward plays a vital role in supporting young patients and families facing cancer, and we are proud to help strengthen the care available through this expanding local service.”
The Chartwell Children’s Cancer Trust was established in 2015 and supports children and families affected by cancer across South London, the South East, East Surrey and North Kent. The charity funds ward improvements, equipment, capital projects, family support groups, respite provision, AV1 “No Isolation” robots to help children stay connected to school, and direct financial assistance during treatment.
