As one of our committee members, Dr Judy Grant sees first-hand the difference made by Friends of ANCHOR’s support. In the latest edition of our Spotlight magazine, Dr Grant shares what stands out most to her about the help that we offer to patients every day.
Tell us a bit about your career to date and what steered you towards oncology? I’ve been a consultant in the Unit for 11 years, having also trained in the department as a specialist registrar. I had an interest in oncology from the very start of my medical career, recognising the specialty as an exciting, rewarding and rapidly evolving branch of medicine.
Two years ago, you joined the committee board of Friends of ANCHOR. Has that given you a new perspective of the charity? The support provided from Friends of ANCHOR is visible throughout the ANCHOR Unit. However, what struck me when I joined the committee was the sheer breadth and depth of the charity’s reach.
The support extends from something as simple as a chilled bottle of water in a clinic waiting room or a morning delivery of a newspaper to an inpatient, right up to the funding of leading technology and equipment used in diagnosis and treatment. This support runs alongside laboratory-based research projects which enhance our understanding of disease biology and pave the way for the development of new diagnostic measures and therapeutics.
Despite the extensive range of services and funding already in place, Friends of ANCHOR is constantly striving to bring the best for patients, always seeking new and innovative ways to expand its support - the enthusiasm from the team is unwavering… and infectious!
You are on the Making Memories panel at Friends of ANCHOR. What is your personal take on that service? It’s an honour to be part of the Making Memories panel. The dedicated funding allows for the arrangement of bespoke experiences for patients and their families, often during the most difficult of times, to create a lasting memory.
Once applications are accepted, it is clear to me that the team swing into action, pulling out all the stops to create an experience to the highest of standards, going above and beyond to make the memory as special as possible. It is humbling to see the feedback from patients, relatives and staff and hear of the impact that they have made.
We are getting ever closer to the opening of The ANCHOR Centre. What will this mean for patients? At present, outpatient oncology and haematology care is delivered in various sites across the hospital. Having the different aspects of care unified in the new Centre will undoubtedly provide a more accessible and welcoming environment for our patients. To have all the clinical and non-clinical support services readily available under one roof will make a tremendous difference to our patients’ experience.
Friends of ANCHOR’s funding will allow for further enhancements to the Centre which would otherwise not have been possible – like upgraded equipment and furnishings, a refreshment area and a dedicated complementary therapy room, run and staffed by the charity. It will be wonderful to see Friends of ANCHOR’s daily presence enhanced even further when we’re in the Centre, with their welcome team and wellbeing staff providing an added layer of support.
As a committee member and NHS staff member, what is your message to all those who support the cause? I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you all Friends of ANCHOR’s supporters for the dedication shown over the last 26 years, and for the opportunities that have been provided to patients and staff alike thanks to your donations and fundraising efforts.
As the charity continues to go from strength to strength and with the opening of our new ANCHOR Centre just around the corner, please continue your generous support. Every penny goes towards the cause and I can see on a daily basis the difference it makes.
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