Warriors will be supporting blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia throughout the 2016/17 campaign – through the Warriors Community Foundation.
The Club will be engaging with supporters to raise awareness and funds for Cure Leukaemia and the local derby with Gloucester Rugby on Friday 9 September will be dedicated to supporting the charity. The Club will also be promoting Cure Leukaemia’s ‘Donate Your Name’ campaign and will have staff running for the charity in the Great Birmingham Run this October.
Head of Warriors Community Foundation Carol Hart visited the Worcestershire Royal Hospital to meet Kate Arthur, a specialist research nurse whose position is funded by Cure Leukaemia. Kate’s position allows blood cancer patients to take part in clinical trials that otherwise could not have been run in Worcestershire. This gives patients the opportunity to take part in internationally significant research at their local hospital, providing answers to important questions about how to treat blood cancers.
Carol met some of these patients during a busy clinic day at the hospital including Debbie Woosey from Malvern. Debbie said: “Without Cure Leukaemia’s funding of Kate’s position I might not be here now. Thankfully, through Kate I am taking part in a clinical trial and can access groundbreaking treatments for my disease as a result. It is fantastic that Warriors are raising funds for Cure Leukaemia because patients like myself will benefit from this support.”
Carol also met 20-year-old Brooke Evans from Redditch. Three years ago Brooke was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and thanks to funds raised for Cure Leukaemia she is now in remission and training to become a nurse at Worcester University further highlighting the impact of funds raised for Cure Leukaemia.
Carol said: “The visit was inspirational for me. Having the opportunity to meet Kate and speak with patients has highlighted how funds raised for Cure Leukaemia are vital and potentially lifesaving. I am very excited about working with Cure Leukaemia throughout next season and look forward to engaging with our fans to raise funds and awareness for this fantastic local charity.”
Cure Leukaemia CEO James McLaughlin said: “To have the support of such a high profile and successful Club such as Warriors is very exciting and we are thoroughly looking forward to working with Carol and the team. It emphasises how patients across the whole Midlands region benefit from funds raised for Cure Leukaemia and I hope we can engage and connect with the people of Worcestershire moving forward.”
Cure Leukaemia nurse Kate and over 30 staff members from Worcestershire Hospitals will be running for Cure Leukaemia in the Great Birmingham Run on Sunday 16 October and she was keen to invite Warriors’ runners into their ‘Team Haem’.
She said: “It was fantastic to meet Carol and show how Warriors' support for Cure Leukaemia will help patients battling this terrible disease in our region. We would be delighted to welcome runners from Sixways into our team for the Birmingham Half Marathon. It has been great to see so many sign up and join Team Haem.”
Blood cancer patient Debbie is a keen runner and admitted she would have loved to take part. She said: “If I was not undergoing treatment I would have loved to run with ‘Team Haem’ as well. However, Cure Leukaemia’s ‘Donate Your Name’ campaign is a great way to still be a part of the team on the day so I will make sure my name is on the shirt in October.”
Debbie, her son and his girlfriend have since all donated their name and their names will appear on the shirt.
If you would like to be part of the Donate Your Name campaign visit www.donateyourname.co.uk.
To be part of the Great Birmingham Run for FREE email beinspired@cureleukaemia.co.uk.