RUH patients are faces of Therapies Matter campaign
Real life stories from patients are the focus of the appeal’s ‘Therapies Matter’ campaign. It features people of all ages and backgrounds who have received therapy to aid their recovery, or for some to learn how to manage their long-term condition. Head of fundraising Tim Hobbs said: “We’ve created a campaign to highlight how RUH patients benefit from therapies and how important they are - and we’ve got some remarkable stories to share. For many patients, their lives have been completely turned around from having intensive treatment such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy and others. That’s why it’s so important the RUH has this new innovative, state-ofthe-art RNHRD and Therapies Centre, so they can continue to provide the much-needed therapy services to the some 25,000 people who are treated each year. “The appeal’s ambassador is former rugby player, Ed Jackson who was told he may not walk again after suffering a broken neck in an accident in April 2017. Ed received intensive physiotherapy as an inpatient at the RUH and visited Orthotics as an outpatient to help him walk again. He is making incredible progress. Ed said: “As a spinal injury patient, I have learned just how important the environment is to wellbeing and recovery, having spent so much time lying down and staring at the ceiling, and unable to leave the hospital setting. Therapeutic environments, calming surroundings and mental stimulation are hugely beneficial. “Staff at the RUH do an amazing job, and I believe that they should be supported by working in the right environments to help them to deliver the best level of care too. We need the public’s support to help raise the funds needed to build this innovative and therapeutic new centre.” Head of therapies Gina Sargeant, said: “We run a variety of inpatient and outpatient specialist services for patients, from those who have acute injuries, right through to teaching those who have a long-term condition how to self-manage. “The new RNHRD & Therapies Centre will bring all these services together and create a nurturing environment with dedicated specialist facilities for all our patients.”