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 22^nd November to the afternoon of Monday 23^rd 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.

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 24^th 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.

Kay Duffy receives the cheque on behalf of the support group

Kay Duffy recently received a cheque from husband Tommy and the sisters of the late Arlene O’Hara. The money was raised by the family for the RVH Liver Support Group.

L to R Donald Cairnduff, Wendy Howe, Kay Duffy and Jennifer Cairnduff.

Kay Duffy, Jennifer Cairnduff, Donald Cairnduff and Wendy Howe helped with catering throughout the day and took the opportunity to wear  the RVH Liver Support Group’s new polo shirts, which carry a rebranded logo indicating that we offer support to all with liver disease and their families and carers across Northern Ireland.

L to R Robin Frew, Gloria Fletcher, Daniel Fletcher, Kay Duffy, Jean Frew and Jack Frew

Following on from the generosity of Killowen Contacts  in supplying our help desk desk in Outpatients to support our work, we are happy to report that Frew Business Machines have now donated our leaflet holders AND gave us a very generous cash donation of £1,000.

It is seldom that I single out any committee members but the whole idea of a help desk in Outpatients was the brainchild of our founder Kay Duffy. Kay has worked tirelessly on this and has delivered it all with no cost to the group.

We wish to acknowledge this never ending level of support that the RVH Liver Support Group is so lucky to receive from so many people.