Fundraising support to say 'thank you' to Birch Ward

Last year Freya Barlow, a student at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth was diagnosed with leukaemia at just 20 years old. Her strength, determination and the support of her friends and family helped her during the six months in isolation at Derriford Hospital and through aggressive chemotherapy.

Despite the initial success of the treatment, Freya relapsed in October last year and she is now in isolation on Birch Ward awaiting a bone marrow transplant and still as determined as ever to complete her medical degree post operation and recovery.

To thank the staff who have offered her support and care throughout her journey and to raise awareness of blood cancer, she has convinced a group of friends to run the Bath Half marathon next month and raise money to support the Plymouth and District Leukaemia Fund (PDLF), a local charity supporting the development of a new haematology department at Derriford Hospital.

Freya said: “I hope to be in Bath to see my friends but I’m not well enough to run myself. My friends have been so compassionate and supportive since my diagnosis and we are really excited in the hope that we can raise awareness and support the new ward at Derriford.

“The Plymouth and District Leukaemia Fund (PDLF) is an amazing local charity which is supporting the development of Birch Ward as a new transplant centre for the South West. We wanted to do this to thank the staff for their amazing care, help and support.”

Freya’s friends will be running the Bath Half on Sunday 3 March in aid of PDLF and the leukaemia and lymphoma charity. Ella Daniels, from the team explains why this is important to her, “Throughout this last year the staff on Birch ward have provided outstanding care to Freya. Every member of staff has made her stay as comfortable and homely as possible throughout really difficult times. They have been accommodating to plentiful visits from family and friends and have provided her with privacy to spend quality time with loved ones. With Freya spending more time in hospital than out, the staff have become her family from home.

“We have wanted to do something for the last year to show Freya how special she is, but to also thank the people responsible for her being with us today. All the funds we raise will be split between the Leukaemia and Lymphoma research charity to help combat these cancers and PDLF to say thank you to the amazing staff and to help future patients.”

The new Stem Cell Transplant Unit at Derriford Hospital will ensure the Trust is providing world class cancer care. The new specialist high dependency unit will include 10 single rooms with en suite facilities. Two of these rooms will have negative pressure to make them suitable as isolation facilities for patients with infection. A number of the rooms will also be designed for teenagers and young adults in mind.

Consultant Haematologist and Programme Lead for Stem Cell Transplantation, Dr Hannah Hunter, said: “We have had great support and involvement, from patients and from the Plymouth and District Leukaemia Fund whose Trustees have pledged to provide a financial contribution towards enhancements such as smart glass so patients can choose whether, in isolation, they want to watch the world go by through clear glass or prefer more privacy and can switch to opaque glass.”

To support the students from the Peninsula Medical School visit GoFundMe.com/birch-and-blood-cancer