Nicola Wheeler, from Silsden, has raised £4,729 for Airedale Hospital’s Haematology and Oncology Day Unit. To raise the funds, Nicola did a sponsored head shave and then she completed a month of wild swims challenge in April. To increase the total raised, she held a barbecue and afternoon tea party for friends and family in August and asked for donations at the events.
Airedale Hospital and Community Charity is the official NHS charity for Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and handles all charitable donations on behalf of the Trust.
HODU provides care for patients with a variety of haematology and oncology conditions, many of whom visit the unit on a regular basis for chemotherapy and other treatments.
Thanks to charitable donations and the support of the Airedale community, Airedale Hospital and Community Charity is currently funding a £175k refurbishment of HODU which is due to be complete in mid-September.
Nicola said:
“My friend and colleague was diagnosed with terminal cancer just before new year 2021. Unable to fix it, and feeling completely hopeless, I decided to shave my head for charity along with a wild swim every day in April when the water temperature was between 8° and 15° to do my bit.
“She had already had a couple of rounds of treatment when I asked her where she would like the money to go. She had been so overwhelmed by the care and support she received on HODU, that she said right away she’d like it to go to them. As her treatment progressed, she mentioned that there was a refurbishment starting soon, so I arranged a barbecue and an afternoon tea party to raise a bit more. I’d set my initial target at £300 so I’m delighted with the final total.
“I had lots of support from family and friends and colleagues and couldn’t have done any of it without them; some even got in the river with me!”
Ciara Walsh, from Airedale Hospital and Community Charity, said:
“Nicola has done a fabulous job fundraising for HODU and we’re all really grateful for her hard work and ongoing support.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to Nicola on behalf of everyone at Airedale. Her donation will make a huge difference and will allow the HODU team to invest in new and innovative equipment to benefit future patients.”
If you would like to donate to Airedale HODU please visit: www.airedalecharity.org/donate-to-one-of-our-appeals/.
Photographed: Nicola Wheeler (L) and Ciara Walsh from Airedale Hospital and Community Charity (R) with branded Airedale Charity HODU cheque
