gerryan, Author at St. Vincent's Foundation

Ian McDonald’s St. Anne’s Oncology Fundraising & Sponsored Swim

February 2, 2016 8:47 am Leave a Comment

After Ian McDonald’s Mum was successfully treated for cancer in St. Vincent’s, he was determined to have a year of fundraising for cancer treatment and research during 2015.

Greatly supported by his local community of Annacurra, Aughrim, County Wicklow, the story of Ian’s year of fundraising started in January 2015 when he decided to let his beard grow for just over 5 months. In June 2015 in his local pub, The Saltee, he and his friend Kevin Stapleton had their beards shaved. Over €950 was raised on the night.

In October last, Ian ran the Dublin Marathon, finishing in 4hrs 44mins which was a great achievement.

Then in December his local community of Annacurra chose his fundraising cause as their annual charity donation. Each year they organise a swim on St. Stephen’s Day in the sea and this event raised over €1,200.

In total Ian’s fundraising events have contributed €4,555 to St. Anne’s Oncology Cancer Care here in St. Vincent’s. What a great result.

We would like to sincerely thank Ian, the Annacurra community and his other supporters for all his wonderful efforts and major contribution to a vital medical area.

SVF supports End of Life Care Skills Workshop

February 1, 2016 4:12 pm Leave a Comment

St. Vincent’s Foundation was delighted to support The End Of Life Care Skills Workshop in the hospital in January 2016. This was an initiative by the Palliative Care, End of Life and Bereavement Service Review Group.

The aim of the Workshop was to inform and educate staff about the services provided around Palliative Care, End of Life and Bereavement.

Staff were given the opportunity to ask questions about the specifics of care for these patients and their families.

The workshop was assessed by attendees and rated very highly as assisting staff in this very sensitive area.

St. Vincent’s Rugby Club Charity Ball 2016

4:10 pm Leave a Comment

The St. Vincent’s Hospital Rugby Club has had unprecedented success in recent years dominating the Hospitals Cup.

Off the pitch as well, the energy and generosity of the Club members has been spectacular. Each year they have organised a Spring Charity Ball to raise funds for causes within St. Vincent’s Hospital.

This year’s Ball will be held on Saturday 20^th February in the Shelbourne Hotel.

Tickets are available from the Secretary Tim Geraghty on 086-0869618 or email stvincentscharityball@gmail.com for details.

Pub Quiz for Liver Unit in Memory of Tony Arten R.I.P.

December 10, 2015 9:25 am Leave a Comment

In memory of Tony Arten RIP, his daughter Shannon, extended family and friends organised a fundraising Pub Quiz in The Comet Pub, Santry on Thursday 17^th December .

The highly successful event raised €1,236 for the Liver Unit in St. Vincent’s. We are really grateful for this terrific contribution.

Sincere thanks to the Arten family, their friends and all who donated prizes and supported this wonderful fundraising event.

Tom Kennedy Annual Memorial Rally for Cancer Care

October 20, 2015 10:59 am Leave a Comment

In memory of the late Tom Kennedy, the Garden of Ireland Vintage Car Club held a most successful Memorial event on July 12^th 2015 in Ashford, Co. Wicklow.

Approximately 100 vintage cars and hundreds of spectators turned out on a wonderful summer day in support of, what is a now an annual fundraising event, for Cancer Care in St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

This year’s rally raised €2,000. This means that since it’s inauguration in 2012, the Memorial Rally has contributed almost €8,000 to this vital medical area.

In addition to being an important contribution to St. Vincent’s, this event is an ongoing tribute to Tom who was central to Vintage and Classic cars in Wicklow.

Pictured below are Tom’s family and friends, including the committee of the Garden of Ireland Vintage Car Club, presenting a cheque for the proceeds.

On behalf of our patients, sincere thanks to all.

Theatrical Cavaliers Cricket Club fundraise for St. Vincent’s Liver Unit

July 27, 2015 8:06 am Leave a Comment

On 26^th April last, the Theatrical Cavaliers Cricket Club held a Gala Charity Quiz Night in O’Reilly Theatre Belvedere College fundraising for the Liver Unit here in St. Vincent’s.

They recently presented the proceeds of €7,100 from this event.

The Theatrical Cavaliers is a Cricket Club for actors and associated professions. They have been going since 1987 and for more than twenty years they have held an annual Gala Charity Quiz to raise funds for deserving causes.

To date they have raised over €110,000 for deserving causes and charities. In the theatrical world, the quiz has become a highlight of the social calendar – a thoroughly entertaining evening with a great atmosphere, witty hosts and outstanding prizes.

Our sincere thanks to the Captain Simon Coury, Vice-Captain Sean Duggan, Donnchadh O’Leary and all involved in organising this fantastic fundraising effort for St. Vincent’s.

Our thanks also to all the sponsors who donated prizes for the event.

The Liver Unit in St. Vincent’s performed the first liver transplant in Ireland in 1993 and has since carried out over 900 transplants. In the Liver Unit patients are treated to world-class, life-changing medical treatment for the debilitating effects of liver disease. Donors and fundraisers, over the years, have made a huge contribution to medical outcomes, to patient comfort and to critical research.

On behalf of our patients, we thank you.

Theatrical Cavaliers Cricket Club Quiz Nite 2015 for Liver Unit

Theatrical Cavaliers Cricket Club cheque presentation 24th July 2015

Liver Team S.V.U.H. take part in this year’s Women’s Mini Marathon

July 16, 2015 1:25 pm Leave a Comment

Displaying great teamwork and concern for their patients, a team from the Liver Unit, St. Vincent’s took part in this year’s V.H.I. Women’s Mini Marathon.

The team consisted of Michelle, Shauna, Marian, Mairead, Nataliya, Annie, Sinead, Marie, Caroline, Anne, Susanne, Marilyn & Finola, with Consultant Diarmaid Houlihan making a guest appearance as well.

The Liver Unit team worked tirelessly to raise funds and the combined sponsorship, including a most generous patient donation, raised a fantastic total of €3,610. This is a major contribution to our patient environment.

Spring 2015 Newsletter now available

May 7, 2015 8:30 am Leave a Comment

The Spring 2015 edition of Friends of St. Vincent’s is now available (see under About Us – Donor Newsletters).

It includes a collection of stories of kind donations and fundraising, as well as patient benefits from them.

spring-2015-th

There are interesting articles as well about medical issues.

Please enjoy the read.

Donors fund Compassion in Healthcare

May 1, 2015 8:44 am Leave a Comment

Masterclass on Compassion in Care

St Vincent’s Foundation funded a Masterclass on Compassion in Care on 20^th April 2015 in St. Vincent’s University Hospital. Nora Ellard & Ian Callanan summarise the day below.

Speakers at Masterclass with John Hickey

Ian Callanan, Clinical Audit Facilitator for St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group welcomed attendees to the meeting, encouraging everybody to reflect on the content and to contemplate the mission of healthcare.

Prof. Mary Duff, Director of Nursing in St. Vincent’s University Hospital opened the proceedings, reminding us that the hospital was founded 180 years ago in the month of April by Mary Aikenhead. She spoke about the values of the hospital and the expectation that each person working in the hospital would strive to live these values. In particular she referred to kindness as being gentle to others and not expecting anything in return.

Paul Gallagher President of the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Board chaired the remainder of the morning sessions. Mr Gallagher, in his opening address, also spoke about the components of care to patients that encompass the holistic approach to quality healthcare. Mr Gallagher then introduced Dr Paul D’Alton, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Head and Clinical Lead of the Psycho-Oncology department with St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

Dr D’Alton gave an intriguing presentation. His opening lines spoke about “When Compassion Hurts”. Dr D’Alton told us about John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, “From the moment we are born our brains are biologically predetermined to respond to care and kindness of others” .

In keeping with the title of the Masterclass, Dr D’Alton spoke about Compassion which is currently getting a lot of attention in literature and popular culture. Compassion is not about cultivating nice feelings for other people

Dr. Paul D’Alton

In his final words Dr D’Alton told us not all pain can be fixed. In the flow of life we didn’t choose to be born or anything else in fact. We need to develop our own capacity for attention. Only then we can develop compassion.

Mr Gallagher then welcomed Professor Brendan Drumm, Professor of Paediatrics at UCD and former CEO of HSE, who told the audience that most people who enter healthcare do so to make a difference. However, people get caught up in structures and processes. Prof Drumm spoke about the care of patients, interventions and medicine. In modern medicine he felt that over-intervention is an abuse of care. There are no quick fixes in healthcare. Achieving change will involve Government and society.

Mr Gallagher then introduced Ms Chrissie McGinn & Mr Richard Hewitt. They have worked as Wisborough Transformation for over 20 years providing courses, workshops and coaching programmes for leadership personal & spiritual development. Ms McGinn commenced by telling the audience that people who come in to Healthcare willingly end up doing non caring duties.

Prof. Mary Duff & Mr. Paul Gallagher

The final speaker of the morning was Professor Anabel Pelham, President of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists and professor and founding director of the Gerontology Program at San Francisco State University. Prof Pelham started by referring to Anam Cara and spiritual wisdom stemming from our Celtic world and Celtic imagination. She spoke about the possibility of bringing healing art to healthcare. She referred to creating caring communities and age friendly cities. Under her leadership some cities in Silicon Valley have created CAFÉs (Centre for Age Friendly Excellence).

The day was an enormous success. The audience came away with a deeper understanding of the challenges of caring of self and caring for others, with a greater realisation of the challenges but with a stock of evidence and tools to better manage the gaps “when compassion hurts”.

Theatrical Cavaliers – Quiz Night for Liver Unit

March 27, 2015 9:50 am Leave a Comment

Gala Charity Quiz for St. Vincent’s Liver Unit

The Theatrical Cavaliers is a cricket club for actors and associated professions. They have been going since 1987, and for more than twenty years they have held an annual Gala Charity Quiz to raise funds for deserving causes.

Over the last 21 years they have raised over €110,000 for deserving causes and charities. This year the quiz is raising money for the Liver Unit at St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

In the theatrical world, the quiz has become a highlight of the social calendar – a thoroughly entertaining evening with a great atmosphere, witty hosts and outstanding prizes.

This year’s quiz will take place in the O’Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College, Great Denmark Street, Dublin on Sunday 26^th April at 7.30pm. If you would like to come along, a table of four costs €80, and bookings can be made through Seán Duggan on 087 667 8866 or email duggansean@me.com

If you are interested in getting involved in other ways, the quiz committee is always on the lookout for prizes. Any contribution is welcomed and appreciated.

They are also looking for sponsors for question rounds. A donation of €100 will sponsor a round and play an important part in making the event a success. All donations will be acknowledged in the programme unless otherwise requested.

QUIZ FLYER 2015

Author Archives: gerryan

In memory of Tony Arten RIP, his daughter Shannon, extended family and friends organised a fundraising Pub Quiz in The Comet Pub, Santry on Thursday 17th December .