The Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund (LINC) is an important local healthcare charity giving total support to patients with leukaemia and other blood cancers who are being treated within Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Originally this covered patients from the whole of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, parts of Worcestershire and South Powys. Nowadays it is mainly patients from Gloucestershire.
In 1998, a new wing opened at Cheltenham General Hospital with 8 dedicated side rooms for severely ill haematology patients, opening the way for stem cell transplants to be carried out locally for the very first time.
It soon became apparent that these patients needed a great deal of support. Many were in hospital for anything up to six months and some faced loss of income as they were likely to be off work for a year.
In the Spring of 1998 whilst recovering from major surgery for bowel cancer, my colleague, Dr Robert Dalton, suggested I might like to raise £30K for a blood analyser whilst I was recuperating. This machine was to reduce the patient waiting time for their blood test results. This was quickly followed by a very emotional situation. A young newly diagnosed lady with leukaemia had a baby who was a few months old. She was refusing treatment because she had no one to look after the infant if she was in hospital for several months. So LINC was born and we raised not only the 30K for the blood analyser but also money to provide care for the baby. Eighteen years later that baby ran the London Marathon in support of LINC proudly watched by her mother. Such stories warm your heart and make you more determined to help others. LINC was registered with the charity commission in the autumn of 1998.
Severe illness is costly and can often lead to financial difficulties. We decided early on that LINC would provide financial grants to those in need until other services could be organised. Amounts varied from £300 to £1000 depending on circumstances. Alleviating these worries allowed a patient to concentrate on their treatment.
Following on we raised £350K to fund a new haematology outpatient department at Cheltenham General. This was situated in the pathology wing making it much easier to see patients whenever the need arose – the oncology department being so crowded most of the time. This unit was completed in 2002 and officially opened by Jose Carreras in July 2003. A further £120K was raised for a flow cytometer which helps in the diagnosis of leukaemia.
LINC however, doesn’t just cover Cheltenham and Cirencester. Patients from Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean have to travel to Cheltenham for their in-patient chemotherapy but for less intensive treatment and check ups they can be seen at the Edward Jenner Unit in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. This unit needed refurbishment and I was asked if LINC could raise £650K for this refurbishment and for a small extension to the unit. We were extremely fortunate to attract a grant of £250K from the Kay Kendall Fund which helped considerably towards the total. The new LINC Edward Jenner Unit was officially opened in April 2012 by patrons Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen.
Since then, LINC has funded two Clinical Psychologists, to work with our severely ill patients and their families, funded research nurses and continued to provide equipment and financial grants. One of the most popular things we did was to fund Sky TV for each of the eight isolation rooms and the day room on Rendcomb Ward in Cheltenham. Individual fridges allowed patients to eat when they felt they could rather than at set times. New reclining chairs and rolling bed trays were just a few of the other items we have provided. In 2018 LINC funded the transformation of the isolation side rooms to include new shower rooms and the Sanctuary Garden has been created to provide a place for those seeking a place of tranquility away from the confines of the hospital.
We opened a charity shop on the Bath Road which goes from strength to strength.
LINC will be 25 years old in August this year and I feel privileged to have led the charity through all that time. I couldn’t have done this without the support of my husband, Michael and my family. My daughter Claire was Head of Fundraising for the past ten years. I feel grateful to everyone who has supported us on this journey and touched by the kind messages I have received from patients and their families when I announced my retirement. It’s wonderful to hear that LINC has touched so many lives.
Gill Rouse, Founder.
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