gerryan, Author at St. Vincent's Foundation

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

Cycling Safaris – 2015 Fundraising Cycle Challenge Events

February 2, 2015 1:08 pm Leave a Comment

The popularity of cycling in recent times has lead to a wonderful development of cycling events to raise money for charity.

Cycling Safaris have organised many of these events which are enjoyable as well as contributing funds for causes.

If you would like to take part in a cycling event and raise money for something in St. Vincent’s please go to http://www.cyclingsafaris.com or call them on 01-2600749

2014 Christmas Cards & Raffle sales for Cancer Care

December 19, 2014 2:32 pm Leave a Comment

On Thursday December 18th we held the draw for our Christmas Raffle. We had 28 great prizes and have been in contact with each of our winners (some of whom are pictured below)

This year the raffle and Christmas Cards sales campaign was to support Cancer Care & Research in the hospital and we raised nearly €6,100 for this cause.

Thanks to all who sold tickets and the many, many people who bought them.

We are particularly grateful to the following who generously donated prizes:

* Belfield Bike Shop, U.C.D.

* Bianconi’s Restaurant, Merrion Road

* Glow, Make Up & Beauty Salon, Merrion Shopping Centre

* Goodbody Stockbrokers

* Health Food Shoppe, Merrion Shopping Centre

* Home Instead Senior Care

* Island Living Gift Shop, Merrion Shopping Centre

* Jim Mitchell, S.V.U.H.

* Kylemore Service Group

* Noonan Services Group

* Remané Jewellers, Merrion Shopping Centre

* Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin

* Tara Towers Hotel, Dublin

* TESCO Merrion Shopping Centre

* The Merrion Inn

* Tony Walsh Pharmacy, Merrion Shopping Centre

Autumn 2014 Newsletter now available

November 26, 2014 4:07 pm Leave a Comment

The Autumn 2014 edition of “Friends of St. Vincent’s” is now available under the Newsletter section on our website at https://www.stvincentsfoundation.ie/about-us/donors-newsletter/ . I hope you enjoy the many examples of generosity to the hospital.

We have included some details of the many projects that have been enabled by donors. There is interesting material also on current research and medical issues.

As always, we stress that St. Vincent’s Foundation is run on a voluntary basis so all donations and fundraising proceeds go to the cause selected.

Thank you for your continued support.

St. Vincent’s Christmas Cards now available

November 20, 2014 11:01 am Leave a Comment

We have great value in Christmas Cards – this year our campaign is supporting Cancer Care in St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Assorted packs of 10 cost €5 and each card highlights that it is supporting St Vincent’s.

Because St. Vincent’s Foundation is totally voluntary, all proceeds go to Cancer Care.

Please follow the link under “How to Help” on our website to see more or to order cards.

For every pack of cards purchased, you will also have a free entry in our Christmas Raffle with great prizes.

Author Archives: gerryan

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

There are interesting articles as well about medical issues.

Please enjoy the read.

Masterclass on Compassion in Care

Gala Charity Quiz for St. Vincent’s Liver Unit