We are very grateful to Ballymoney Soroptomists for their hard work in fundraising for us. Their representatives recently preesnted a cheque to our founder Kay Duffy.
L to R Cheryl Blair, Kay Duffy (RVH Liver Support Group), and Helen Patterson, President of Ballymoney Soroptomists
On Friday 5 February those committee members who were available to attend and a few ex-committee members who had had transplants hosted a lunch in the King Edward Building to mark Professor John O’Grady’s retirement. It was a very pleasant occasion and was attended by our four consultants as well as Dr Michael Callender, Prof. O’Grady and Dr Michael Heneghan, who is taking over from him.
It was decided that our group should mark the professor’s retirement and our founder Kay Duffy presented him with a momento bearing the O’Graduy coat of arms. He responded by saying how grateful he was for our support over the years and wished the group every success going forward. Our President, Gordon Cave, responded on behalf of the group.
Here are a few pics from the day.
L to R Dr Cash, Dr McCorry, Dr Cadden, Professor O’Grady, Dr McDougall, Dr Callender, G Cave and Dr Heneghan.
Professor John O’Grady on his last visit to Belfast
Sydney Hyland presented the RVH Liver Support Group with a cheque in memory of his late wife Betty.
Sydney Hyland and his daughter Charmaine present the cheque to Kay Duffy, Founder of our Group.
Daniel Fletcher receives a cheque from Robin Frew, Frew Business Machines (Right)
Robin Frew, on behalf of Frew Business Machines, donated a cheque for £1,000.00 to the RVH Liver Support Group.
This excellent cause is special to FBM Management and Staff as one of the Sales Team, Daniel Fletcher, had a liver transplant in March 2015, curing him of a life-threatening illness he suffered for 25 years.
All money donated to this excellent cause stays in N. Ireland. The RVH Liver Support Group help families who need to travel to the UK for treatment and surgery for liver disease.
Donald and Kay with Wendy Littlejohn, Transplant Co-ordination Services
Our founder Kay Duffy and Donald Cairnduff, our chair, spent just over 24 hours at King’s from the afternoon of Sunday 22nd November to the afternoon of Monday 23rd November on a fact-finding visit. They had a very full schedule of meetings that Kay had arranged in advance and returned much better informed than when they left.
Meeting with Martin Vaux, Chair of the Listen Charity
Martin met Donald and Kay on Sunday afternoon and talked about the work of the Listen charity, now 10 years old. He also showed us the areas of the Hospital that liver patients and their families become very familiar with and the new Listen Lodge accommodation. He mentioned meetings held once a month by Listen which are a great support to relatives and carers.
Left to Right – Donald Cairnduff, Kay Duffy, Wendy Littlejohn and Paul McKee (Social Worker)
Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Kay and Donald visited their office and Carol explained that PALS dealt with concerns about accommodation and concerns about the treatment of patients that could not be sorted out at ward level. They are also a fund of willing information about life in Camberwell – bus routes, directions, taxis etc.
They had other meetings and visited areas of the hospital over the course of a busy two days. Any information regarding new procedures in King’s will now be updated in the FAQ’s section of our website and in any documents our Patient Care team use when offering advice.
Conclusion
Our two hard-working representatives said afterwards “At the end of the visit, we knew a good deal more about King’s and King’s knew a good deal more about us. This was exactly what we had aimed to achieve. A very satisfying couple of days’ work”.
As a result of this visit our Support Group are in an even better position to give the best advice to patients going across to King’s.
The RVH Liver Support Group received a significant donation from Deborah McKillop on behalf of the Heart of the Glens Festival. As always, we are very grateful to all our fundraisers which enables us to carry out our important work with liver patients and carers throughout Northern Ireland.
Deborah McKillop presents a cheque to Gordon Cave, President of the RVH Liver Support Group
Tullylagan Cheque Presentation
In the spring of 2014 the Tullylagan Vintage Association approved us as their charity of the year for 2014-15.
This was the start of a close bond between ourselves and the Association that culminated in the handing over of a cheque for £9,000 to Kay Duffy (Founder of the Group) and Donald Cairnduff (Chair) at the Tullylagan Country House Hotel on Thursday 12th November.
Over the past year we have attended and helped with a number of memorable and lively events run by the Assocaition– a Hallowe-en supper dance; a St.Patrick’s night supper dance; a tractor push through the streets of Cookstown and a family fun day at Loughry College. Kay Duffy and Donald and Jennifer Cairnduff were also guests Association’s AGM in January, when they were able to talk in detail about the work of the RVH Liver Support Group.
We are very grateful to the Association for their magnificent contribution to our funds and also for their invariably warm welcome whenever we met and their genuine interest in our work in support of those with liver conditions throughout Northern Ireland.
Best wishes for the future to Alan Graham (chairman), Robert Beggs (secretary) and to all members and friends of the Tullylagan Vintage Association. Let’s hope our paths cross again.
Presentation of the cheque with front row, L to R, Glynis Graham, Alan Graham (Chair of the Association), Kay Duffy (Founder of RVH Liver Support Group), Donald Cairnduff (Chair RVH Liver Support Group), and Robert Beggs, Secretary of the Association
Over 60 members and friends attended the October members’ meeting on the evening of Thursday 22nd October.
The meeting began with a quick review of current news from Chairman Donald Cairnduff, including the very good work being done on the Helpdesk in Outpatients; the success of two NI liver recipients in the recent World Transplant Games in Argentina, Catherine Annesley and Philip Cairnduff; and the brilliant promotion of organ donation by someone who would have been at these games had she been well enough, Lucia Quinney-Mee.
If you haven’t seen Lucia’s Live Loudly Donate Proudly Facebook page, including a video made by Lucia’s family at her bedside in Birmingham which has had over 16,000 views, please visit it.
Margaret McAllister presents a cheque for £1,100 from Belvoir Players.
A cheque for £1,100 was then presented by Margaret McAllister of Belvoir Players, proceeds from their production of ‘Allo ‘Allo in September.
Chairman Donald Cairnduff with guest speakers: l-r Sister Betty Boyd, Staff Nurse Debbie Walker, Deputy Sister Geraldine Casey and Sister Gillian Boyd.
The main business of the evening was a series of fascinating presentations on the life and work of two areas of the hospital. Staff Nurse Debbie Walker traced the history of care for outpatients in the RVH and Sister Gillian Boyd outlined how nursing staff were currently working to very high standards of care in an age when the number of people needing the service was increasing. Sister Betty Boyd and Deputy Sister Geraldine Casey gave a detailed overview of the Programmed Treatment Unit, which among other things has succeeded in preparing patients for transplant assessment in one day, when previously this had taken 11 days.
Saintfield Ceilidh
Donald Cairnduff, Philip Cairnduff, with the Alastair Scott Ceilidh Band. Front is Emma Welch, promoting Organ Donation
Thanks to the organisers of the HARFEST Music Festival in Saintfield for choosing the RVH Liver Support Group as beneficiaries of their fundraising ceilidh in Second Saintfield Presbyterian Church hall on Saturday 24th October.
As well as raising funds for the Group and awareness of its work, the evening celebrated the achievements of Northern Ireland athletes in the recent World Transplant games in Argentina. Kathryn Glover and Philip Cairnduff represented these athletes and sharedstories of how the gift of life has given them the energy and motivation they need to succeed as transplant athletes at the very highest level.
Claire McAteer and Julie Gowdy at the Ceilidh
A very wide range of ages, rhythmical awareness and physical co-ordination took to the floor. Music was provided by the Alastair Scott Ceilidh band. It was a hugely enjoyable evening which brought in £360 for the work of the Group.
