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History of LINC
Dr Gill
Rouse
Having just experienced major surgery for cancer in February 1998, my
colleague Dr Robert Dalton, a senior Haematology Consultant at
Cheltenham Hospital came to visit me. Of course his main concern was my
speedy recovery, but Bob, ever the forward thinker was worried I would
get bored during my convalescence and thought he had just the project to
keep me occupied!
The oncology unit at Cheltenham hospital had undergone a rebuild and for
the first time included a dedicated series of side rooms for patients
undergoing intensive chemotherapy paving the way for peripheral stem
cell transplants to take place in Cheltenham. On top of that, the larger
oncology out patient department, which was not yet opened, was already
destined to be inadequate for the large number of patients who would use
it. With all patients attending chemotherapy or radiotherapy requiring a
blood test, and departments being at opposite ends of the buildings,
logistics meant that long delays in test results often occurred.
This is where Bob felt I could help! He decided I should use my
recuperation to raise £30,000 which would be used to purchase a blood
analyser for the oncology out patient department. This would allow
blood tests to be performed there and then with results being available
within a few minutes. This equipment would help to reduce the overall
patient waiting time, which of course was beneficial to everyone.
I took him up on his challenge and LINC was officially formed in August
1998. We held our first event at Chavenage and made a profit of £500.
With only £29,500 left to find, I emerged myself in my fundraising
efforts and gradually our techniques got better and better. Just 12
months later we reached our target and the blood analyser was installed
in the Oncology out patient department in July 1999. It was an amazing
feeling to have reached this milestone but we all agreed we couldn’t
stop there. Yes it had been hard work; but we knew that there were
bigger and better things waiting for us. At around the same time, Cllr
Clive Lloyd, who was then Mayor of Cheltenham, chose LINC as one of his
charities. This was a real boost for us and his kindness helped us to
raise our profile and to let others know about our work and aspirations.
Having achieved our first target, we then set our sights on a dedicated
Haematology out patient department. Dr Dalton was instrumental in
persuading the East Gloucestershire Hospital Trust (as it was then) to
let us build on an area of land on the hospital site adjoining the
pathology department. This was funded with LINC donations and fund
raising and was ‘topped up’ from the NHS.
We were overjoyed when José Carreras - one of the Three Tenors, agreed
to be our guest of honour at the grand opening of the LINC Out Patients
Suite in July 2003. As well as declaring the suite officially open, José
presented LINC’s contribution for £350,000 to Paul Lilley, Chief
Executive of the trust. To our delight José Carreras and Bryn Terfel
also agreed to give a Charity Gala Concert on an open-air stage at
Cheltenham Racecourse that evening. This was the first of our celebrity
concerts, which are now a bi-annual highlight of LINC’s calendar.
In October 2003, the untimely death of Dr Robert Dalton, my dear friend
and co-founder of LINC was a great blow to us all; but it gave us added
determination and strength. It was always his dream to have a leukaemia
research post within the haematology department. What better way could
we honour him that to endow such a post in his name. So in October 2005
we appointed the first ‘Robert Dalton Research Fellow’. As they
say - the rest is history. Year on year I have watched achievement after
achievement and I never cease to be amazed by the dedication and
determination of my colleagues and friends who all support LINC.
I know that Bob would be immensely proud of how LINC has grown. The LINC
story has been a truly incredible one and back in the early days, when
we had our minds set on the initial £30,000, I don’t think either of us
could have dreamt that LINC would go on to achieve so much. There are so
many people who have helped make LINC such a success story. It would be
impossible to thank them all personally, but special thanks must go to
the LINC staff who work tirelessly, the volunteers who so generously
donate their time and of course everyone who has so kindly donated to
and supported our worthwhile cause over the years.
It’s not the end of the LINC story yet though. We’ve come an awful long
way but we’re still only a small way into our journey. There is still
more fundraising to do, more patients to help and many more goals to
achieve.
It would be great if you could help us in some way and be part of this
amazing story…………
Dr Gill Rouse
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