Lewis-Manning Hospice Care is the latest charity working on the frontline to be awarded an Emergency Covid Grant by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.
Earlier in the year, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care launched a new Mobile Clinic to support and treat cancer patients in Dorset with lymphoedema.
This is a painful side effect of a patient’s cancer treatment, which occurs when the body’s drainage system doesn’t work properly. It can often lead to severe swelling in the arms, legs, feet and other parts of the body, causing mobility problems, acute pain and potentially infections.
The mobile clinic is part of the hospice’s plan to bring its services closer to people’s homes, a particularly important issue for vulnerable cancer patients during the pandemic.
A £21,000 grant from Walk the Walk has meant that the mobile clinic will be able to continue for a further three months, until the end of August 2021. Support has also been shown by AFC Bournemouth, who have allocated space for the unit to park up each week in the car park at the Vitality Stadium.
Clare Gallie, Chief Executive of Lewis-Manning Hospice Care said: “We are delighted with this support from ‘Walk the Walk’.
“The pilot has been a great success for Lymphoedema patients over the last 2 months, bringing treatment and services closer to home and giving patients the ability to get to their appointments more easily and receive their vital treatment in a relaxed and stress-free environment. The extended pilot will allow us to support even more people closer to their homes.
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said: “We are delighted that our grant awarded to Lewis-Manning Hospice Care will allow them to run an extended pilot study on their mobile Lymphoedema Support Unit for June through to August.
“During these very uncertain and worrying times, this charity’s role in providing support “Close to Home” for cancer patients in Dorset is absolutely crucial – lymphoedema can be one of the most painful side effects of cancer treatment.
Grants like these are very exciting news for Walk the Walk’s wonderful fundraisers, who have continued taking part in virtual walking events throughout the pandemic. Thanks to these fantastic people, we can continue helping to make a difference where we can, and where it is needed most.”
Amy Marks, Partnerships Manager at AFC Bournemouth said: “We are so pleased to have the mobile unit on our site as we had heard about the fantastic services that the hospice is bringing out in the community to patients, it’s a real pleasure to host every week.”
To find out more about Walk the Walk and to sign up for Virtual Challenge, go to www.walkthewalk.org