TLF Weekly News

VISITING NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL ONCOLOGY THIS WEEK

Our Co - Founder Lorraine Lewis was at oncology Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust this week topping up our gift shelf for patients which can be found next to the Oncology reception desk.

These gifts are FREE & patients can help themselves to a gift of their choice on the shelf before they check in for treatment.

Huge thank you to our supporter Scott Bader who is funding our gift packs in Oncology - Northampton for the next 12 months. They are one of our incredible long term supporters and we are so grateful for your continued support and kindness to our work.

How you can help?

Donate a gift ( 1 gift pack costs ￡3.60) - either a one - off or monthly donation -

https://lnkd.in/emvDFgrb

Buy an item from our wish list, which will make its way direct into our gift packs for adult cancer patients in hospital - https://www.thelewisfoundation.co.uk/wishlist

RAISING AWARENESS & FUNDS AT THE DUSTON FUN DAY

Brilliant afternoon last Sunday at our local Duston Parish Council Duston Community Fun Day in Northampton.

A fantastic opportunity to:

* Catch up with people we have supported in hospital who have been diagnosed with cancer & members of the community.

* Opportunity to share information with members of the community about our work & how they can be a part of making a difference.

* Raising funds to enable us to provide our free gift packs & support to adult cancer patients in hospital - ￡418.90 raised this afternoon for our cause.

?Where you can find The Lewis Foundation next weekend:

Coffee Shop - The Elgar Centre, High Street, Upton, Northampton - Tuesday and Thursday 9am - 2pm and Saturday 9am - 11.30am

Hollowell Steam and Heavy Horse Show 1st and 2nd July 2023 - Creaton, Northamptonshire

OUR PACK HELPING TO SUPPORT A CANCER PATIENT IN HOSPITAL

Below is an example about how your support helps our charity The Lewis Foundation to make a difference.

A family member got in contact with us today to say their loved one has been going through bone marrow cancer treatment and chemo. The patient has lost their job and is completely worn out. The patient has now been admitted into hospital. The family is having to travel 80 miles each way to hospital to take in items their loved one needs. Due to the treatment & type of cancer the patient cannot go to their local hospital, which is a reality for a lot of cancer patients. Cost of travel then becomes a barrier to frequent visits.

We were asked by the family if we could provide a pack to help?

A quick message to the hospital and Macmillan Team who said they will take a couple of packs down to the patient such an overnight pack with toiletries, underwear, journal book, pen and puzzle book and a comfort pack - eye mask, ear plugs and neck cushion to help in between family visits. Was lovely to be able to tell the family we could help in this way, which brought them some comfort.

Acts like this is why we do what we do to help support not only adult cancer patients but also their loved ones. Simple things that make a difference.

Donate to be a part of making a difference: https://lnkd.in/emvDFgrb

LEXI CUTS HER HAIR TO FUNDRAISE FOR THE LEWIS FOUNDATION

"It would of been my Mama’s (grandma)72nd birthday on the 15th July 2023 so as I can’t give her a present I wanted to give something in her memory so I have decided to cut my hair on her birthday and raise funds for The Lewis Foundation as a thank you for all the little gifts bags they gave to my mama and all the other cancer patients going through treatment."

Love seeing our young fundraiser of our charity The Lewis Foundation UK doing what they can to make a difference to the lives of others by the provision of our gift packs and support to others diagnosed with cancer in hospital.

What an an incredible act of kindness by Lexi in memory of her grandma and legacy to help others in her memory. Lexi was 8 when her grandma was diagnosed with cancer. Her hair will be donated to another wonderful charity The Little Princess Trust who create wigs for others.

We would love if you could donate to support her to show some love to her incredible act of kindness - https://www.justgiving.com/page/lexi-1684870520577?

DIFFICULTIES WE ARE HEARING CANCER PATIENTS EXPERIENCING & HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS

Over the last couple of weeks as we do our charity work, we keep hearing more and more from cancer patients, their loved ones & hospital staff about how a cancer diagnosis has had such a significant financial impact that people are having to go without. More often than not people are struggling in silence, the term is called "Cancer Poverty"

Our Co- Founder Lorraine Lewis wrote about this back in HuffPost in 2017, you can read it here: https://lnkd.in/e2S_4JT5

Now with the cost of the living the situation is worse than ever.

Some of the things we have heard:

* Can The Lewis Foundation provide a supply of sanitary products that could be placed in toilets for patients to use. They are not provided by the hospital

* We love that you provide full sized products such as deodorant, shower gels, toothpaste etc - as some patients can't afford to buy them

* I can't afford to visit my loved one in hospital as much as I would like to cost of petrol/parking - can you provide a pack to help until my next visit

* Food packages being kept for cancer patients in the hospital for those who are struggling - which I have never heard before in the 7 years we have been doing this.

As a charity, we provide a wide selection of gift packages available to all adults diagnosed with cancer for FREE meeting the needs of what patients are asking for. Our items are basic things but they provide not only comfort & support to the cancer patients but also their loved ones/carers as well.

Thank you to everyone who contributes and becomes a part of our mission to make a difference, it has a bigger impact than you can imagine.