Dentists extract max efforts in £4.5k boost
Infinityblu team backing Macmillan Cancer Support
Staff at a Perthshire dental practice have spent the whole of last year fundraising, and have managed to raise over £4500 for charity.
Infinityblu Dental Care’s staff members have successfully managed to generate £4549 for Macmillan Cancer Support, thanks to a number of special efforts throughout 2017.
One of the biggest tasks the team took on saw six members undergoing a punishing 24-hour hike around Loch Lomond alongside some cancer survivors. Although the hike involved blisters, bruises and aching limbs, the team said it was worth it.
One of those participating in the Loch Lomond hike was Nadia Bell, who works as a trainee dental nurse at Infinityblu’s Dunkeld practice. Nadia was motivated to take part in the fundraising as her mother Nicola has previously been treated for breast cancer.
She said: “There were some blisters and a lot of pain and we probably didn’t do enough training, but it was worth it.
“A few years ago my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer and it is nice to know that people who maybe don’t have lots of family support have got Macmillan nurses, the resources and the organisation to support them.”
She added: “Although we did not use Macmillan ourselves, I know of other family members who have used Cornhill Macmillan Centre at Perth Royal Infirmary for respite. It is such a vital service and something close to our hearts.”
Among the other activities throughout the year was a bake sale and a guess the doll’s birthday competition.
Julie Cockbill, practice manager at Infinityblu, said: “For the patients of a dental surgery, to see staff selling cakes was quite a fascination but it did really well.
“When we were training for the hike, people joined us and got really behind what we were doing.
“One of our team, Anne Duff, is really good at sewing and she made a doll, with people guessing the birth date.
“It was a real team effort for a worthwhile cause.
“Everyone, in some way, shape or form, is affected by cancer. That spurred us on to do as much as we could.”
Over the years, Macmillan Cancer Support has invested £200,000 into Ailsa Wallace, left, from Macmillan Cancer Care with the staff from Infinityblu in Pitlochry funding two new nursing posts thanks to generous donations such as this. One of the nurses will now cover Tayside, with the other being based at the Cornhill Centre at PRI to help provide palliative care.
Ailsa Wallace, Macmillan’s fundraising manager for Tayside, added: “The money raised will go towards helping Macmillan support people affected by cancer at the time they need us most.
“We couldn’t do the work we do without the amazing support from businesses like Infinityblu. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff, patients and all those in the local community who supported the partnership.”
The team at Infinityblu Dental Care presented the cheque for £4549 recently to the cancer charity at its practice in Pitlochry.