Heartbeat: Sally spreads sunshine to cancer patients
April 11, 2019
A seriously ill mum of two has launched a goody bag for cancer and end-of-life patients.
Sally Gutteridge of Tipton thought of the idea after she underwent treatment for cancer at City Hospital. Working with Your Trust Charity, she has helped assemble the contents of ‘Sally’s Sunshine Packs’, funded by the money she has raised through various events held over the last year.
The packs feature a number of different items chosen partly from Sally’s experience of undergoing chemotherapy, to help patients through their own cancer journey.
They contain items such as puzzle books, a patient journal, sweets, non-fragranced wet-wipes, hand cream and tissues.
“These goody bags will mean so much to cancer patients,” Sally told Heartbeat at the launch of the packs held at Sandwell Hospital. “I remember seeing others undergoing treatment who were there by themselves. I just thought it would have been so nice for them to have something they could take home, which was useful.” Jenny Donovan, Cancer Services Manager said of the packs: “Chemotherapy treatment can be overwhelming and may affect you physically and emotionally. The Sally Sunshine bags will provide a range of genuinely useful and thoughtful products to make it easier to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.”
The thoughtfulness of the packs also struck a chord with our colleagues on Newton 5 ward, with feelings summed up by Senior Staff Nurse, Sue Tweddle: “I met Sally years ago back at City. Over the years she’s been through such a lot but she has still managed to do something this incredible for cancer patients. In that bag is everything a patient could want for a long day having chemotherapy. She’s so inspirational.
This bag is truly, truly wonderful. I’m hoping it will go countrywide – because it should.”
Your Trust Charity’s Membership Academy Manager, Amanda Winwood told Heartbeat the team were very pleased to be working with Sally: “She is such an inspirational lady with so much positivity who wants to make a difference to patients facing their own cancer journey.”