Community in the pink for charity
SCHOOLS, businesses, NHS staff and members of the public all joined forces last week to raise money for a new breast cancer “centre for excellence”.
Let’s Turn Cwm Taf Pink for the Day, an event held across Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil, aimed to generate thousands of pounds for a new breast cancer unit at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
Cwm Taf University Health Board confirmed last month that integrated breast care services will be established at the Royal Glamorgan in Ynysmaerdy, near Llantrisant, from early 2017.
A team of three surgeons currently work on three sites in the area – and the facilities have been described as “old and in desperate need of replacing”.
While the health board will foot the bill for the state-of-the-art unit, funds will be given to the scheme from the charity Giving to Pink which will help patients feel like they are away from the usual hospital setting.
As part of ‘Let’s Turn Cwm Taf Pink for the Day’, children at 21 schools were asked to wear pink and some of the most recognisable buildings in the region turned pink for the day.
The event kicked off with two breakfast launches at Frankie & Benny’s in Talbot Green and Merthyr Tydfil before people across the region held their own fundraising events.
The Welsh Ambulance Service, South Wales Police and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service competed against one another in a static cycle challenge at Talbot Green Shopping Centre.
Allison Williams, chief executive of Cwm Taf Health Board, paid tribute to Giving to Pink founder Clare Smart, whom she described as “an inspiration”.
She said: “Clare Smart has been an inspiration to us all. Clare, together with the support of volunteers, her family and friends and our amazing health board breast care team, managed to pull this off.
“It’s also thanks to you, the community – without your support and participation this wouldn’t have been such a success.”
More than 100 companies in RCT and Merthyr pledged their support to the event.
Special mention was given to residents of Beechwood Drive in Merthyr Tydfil who held a cake sale that raised a whopping £1,400.
A finale party took place at the Three Saints Hotel in Llantrisant, which was hosted by Cwm Taf’s Breast Care Team and raised an incredible £5,221.33 on its own.
Giving to Pink founder Clare Smart, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, said: “On behalf of the Giving to Pink and the Breast Care Team I would like to thank everybody who supported ‘Turn Cwm Taf Pink Day’ and helped to make it such an incredible success.”
For information relating to cheque and BACS payments email mike.hopkins@wales.nhs.uk
All cheque payments should be made payable to ‘Cwm Taf University Health Board’.
Reference Giving to Pink and the organisation the donation relates to on the reverse of the cheque.
If you have any general queries relating to Turn Cwm Taf Pink Day email info@givingtopink.com