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FREEMAN HEART & LUNG TRANSPLANT ASSOCIATION REGISTERED CHARITY 700730
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The FHLTA now have a site on 'Facebook'. This is a good way to keep in touch with other members and the work of the FHLTA. It is also a means to exchange photographs etc. We hope to update our 'facebook' site with forthcoming events, news and links. To log on to this site go to www.facebook.com
Rent increase for Cheviot Court Flats At the recent committee meeting on Monday, 7th June 2010 it was agreed that the rent for Cheviot Court flats should be increased to £6.00 per person per night and that this increase will take effect from Thursday, 1st July 2010 Website Update As I am sure most of you have noticed, our site has not been active for some time now. This is due to the recent illness followed by the sudden passing away of Graham Marsh, who both designed and monitored the site. Graham will be sadly missed as he played an important part in the work of the FHLTA. Not only did he act as our 'webmaster' working on this website but he was also our Sports Manager and served on our Management Committee. Graham will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with his wife Christine and their sons Lee and Kevin. In the meantime I, Judith Burgess, have taken over the role of updating this site and as I am sure many of you are aware I am having some teething problems so I would appreciate it if you would bear with me. 25 years celebrations
To celebrate the first heart transplant carried out at Freeman Hospital 25 years ago a Golf Tournament followed by an evening celebration was held at Tynemouth Golf Club. A more detailed report with photographs will be posted on the Sports section of this site soon. 2009 AGM Our AGM will be held on Thursday 11th March at the Corner House Hotel which is a ten minute walk from the Freeman hospital and a 2 minute car ride. The meeting starts at 10.30 and should last about an hour. A buffet lunch will be served following the AGM and a chance to chat with committee and other members. Everyone, including partners, is welcome.
Forms for the European Heart & Lung Transplant Games in Sweden must be returned before 22nd February and Racquets tournament forms should be returned before 27th February. The British Transplant Games will be staged in Bath 19th - 22nd August and entry forms will be available soon. If you are tempted to have a go and would like to take part please contact Team Manager - Graham Marsh.
Have a happy & healthy new year in 2010 25th Anniversary: In May 2010 it will be 25 years since the first heart transplants were performed at the Freeman hospital. There are likely to be celebratory events and publicity planned and as we get to know exactly what form they will take details will appear here. If you are considering a fundraising / awareness event please stress that it is our 25th Anniversary. It can only help you. 25th Anniversary Golf Day - 14th May 2010 Contact: Graham Marsh for both events
Cheviot Court flats: For those of you who use the flats for overnight stays when visiting the Freeman please make sure you bring your own towels with you from now on. It seems that they are no longer supplied by the hospital.
The 13th European Heart & Lung Transplant Games in Växjö,
Sweden:
Check out the minutes of the FHLTA's November '09 committee meeting
under, "Any other business" If you are staying over at the Freeman and all of the food outlets in the hospital are closed (which they do at 7.30pm) you will be able to eat in the David Lloyd centre. It is very good. Also if you want to access their fantastic sports facilities you should check with Derek. More details will appear in the next Newsletter which will arrive soon. Re our Newsletter: If you are tired of the same old stuff why not send your story or what you have been up to to our secretary Judith Burgess. Been fundraising? Just had a special birthday? Anything interesting happened? Holiday of a lifetime? Got any good photographs? Share it with the members. Same applies to this website too. Send me you story or photograph (Jpeg about 100Mb) and I will publish it here.
Congratulations to the Freeman Transplant Sports Team who have just returned from the British Transplant Games in Coventry with a haul of 11 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals. It's definitely not just about the medals and every one of the 23 competitors and the many supporters had a wonderful time in Coventry as well as raising awareness for the organ donor register with much media coverage and flying the flag for the Freeman hospital nationally.
Looking for travel insurance? Take a look at our updated (December 2009) insurance page.
British Transplant Games - Coventry 30th July - 3rd August 2009 Feb 20th: Entry forms and all the information is now available and I have sent out information to everyone I know about but if you would like more information and are considering taking part for the first time please get in touch with team manager, Graham Marsh.. TSUK website has all the information, with last year's times and distances etc and forms can be downloaded from there too. Closing date for applications is 1st May 2009
Badminton and tennis tournament to be held in Frodsham, Cheshire on 25th April 2009. Registration forms and all information is out now and should be completed and sent to the organisers before the deadline of 2nd March. Forms can be downloaded from the TSUK website. Any problems get in touch with team manager, Graham Marsh.
December 2008: If you want cheering up I suggest you read the letter we received from the parents of Jack Atkinson in Coleraine, Northern Ireland on a recent trip to Disney World part funded by the FHLTA. Go to the Thank You's page. Sunderland FC: Have a look at the Freeman Kids' page to what Justin Maskell has been up to.
Message from our secretary Thank you to all of you who provided me with your email address, as requested in the last edition of our newsletter but unfortunately at a recent committee meeting the decision was taken to continue to send out the newsletter by post. This is because, recently the computer of our Chairman, Barrie Braidford was hacked into and everyone in his address book received an email asking for money, including myself. Dr Gareth Parry was also among those who received this email and has raised his concerns over us holding our members email addresses, saying that they may be at risk. If anyone who has already provided me with their address would like me to delete it from my system please do let me know using the following address:-
2008 AGM The Annual General Meeting was held at 10.30am on Tuesday 9th
December In view of the car parking problems at the Freeman we felt a move would be in everyone's interest and hoped to see more people at the AGM this year. There was a buffet lunch at the end of the meeting and a chance to chat with fellow members.
BBC Children in Need is broadcast on Friday 14th November and I can reveal that our own Rebecca Long will be featured nationally at some point during the evening. Rebecca had her second heart transplant in January 2007 some 10 years after her first heart transplant at the Freeman in March 1997. Rebecca has competed in the last two British Transplant Games held in Edinburgh ('07) and Sheffield this year and is a star. I am also told that Lynne Holt and Carol Davidson will be in the London studios carrying a gigantic organ donor card and TSUK children will be featured in local events during the evening.
Sarah Brown, wife of the Prime Minister, launched a new transplant website at 10 Downing Street in July. It gives everyone involved in the transplantation process a chance to share stories and experiences and interact with other members.
President's Charity Day - Sid & Carol Lamb are holding their fourth fundraising golf day at Scalm Park Golf Club in Selby, North Yorkshire in aid of the FHLTA. A new competition within the format is The Golden Ball for transplanted golfers only. Entry forms and more information contact Sid or Carol on 01757210846.
The sports team have just returned from the British Transplant Games in Sheffield with 9 Gold / 15 silver and 12 bronze medals. Another brilliant team performance and everyone had a great time. We are all winners. Report and pictures will be in the sports section soon. If you would like to be involved and take part....
The sports team have returned from the European Heart & Lung Transplant Games in France weighed down by 21 Gold / 22 Silver and 10 Bronze medals. Brilliant or what? For a full report visit the sports section.
Looking for insurance cover? I have just updated and added some new companies who all either cover pre-existing medical conditions or the over 65's. Let's be honest....that's all of us.
Calling all Freeman kids: Do you want to exchange views and have your say or just chat with your team mates? Irene Hadlington has set up this exciting new facility which you can try out here. Freeman Kids.
Reminder to everyone taking part in this year's British Transplant Games in Sheffield - Your forms must be back to me no later than 10th May. The organisers have told all team managers that late entries will not be accepted. Miss the deadline - miss the Games.
Congratulations to Aneil Bhatt who successfully completed the London marathon and managed to raise in excess of £7,000 for the FHLTA. I shall publish his account of the day soon.
We have received a helpful Email from a member on how to claim back car parking charges. Go to Car Parking page, using the link at bottom of this page.
Good luck to Aneil Bhatt who is running in this Sunday's London marathon on our behalf. Aneil's dad had a double lung transplant in 1996 and it his way of saying thank you to the staff at the Freeman and of course his donor family. Aneil who lives and works in London will be wearing number 6564 and if you would like to support him use this link to his page on Just Giving. once we receive all of the details I will publish a report of his run.
The brand new Newcastle NHS Trust website is now operational following a revamp and is packed with lots of useful information. It is well worth a visit
2008 British Transplant Games - Sheffield: Information and forms were sent out by Email 10th March and posted 11th March to current and potential team members. All forms must be returned before 10th May. Have you got yours? Would you like to join us?
Car Parking - next instalment will be on 4th April '08 at the Freeman with our chairman Barrie Braidford and our new committee member Brian Wood meeting with Paul Brewis, Operation Services Manager. The Welsh government is about to scrap all hospital car parking charges it was announced today (3rd March). All we are asking for is dispensation for our members who have to visit the transplant unit at regular intervals including at least one overnight stay per year.
Having trouble getting travel insurance? I have just renewed my worldwide multi trip comprehensive cover with Endsleigh for £89.20. Details on our insurance page.
Our children's team have just appointed Janet Long, Rebecca's mum, as their team manager. Janet will be assisted by Irene Hadlington, Justin's gran and Michelle Sanders, Linzi's mum. As soon as I have any more information I will be able to keep the Children's page(s) up to date with news. All articles, stories and jokes etc will be published. Well, nearly all.
Five Nations Golf information and forms were sent out on 20th January and must be returned with a deposit before 15th February 2008. Racquets Tournament forms were sent out on 20th January and must be returned before 20th February 2008. European Heart & Lung Transplant Games forms for Vichy, France in June were sent out on Friday 4th January and must to be returned before 20th February 2008. Have you got yours? Would you like to join us?
The 2007 AGM of the FHLTA is Tuesday 11th December. The venue is again the excellent Postgraduate Centre of the Freeman Hospital and the meeting will begin at 10.30am. A buffet will follow at the end of the meeting and an opportunity to chat with fellow members, clinic staff, nurses and co-ordinators.
Our chairman, Barrie Braidford, and Graham Marsh are attending a meeting about the current car parking problems at the Freeman with Mr Paul Brewis on Tuesday 27th November 2007. I am sure this matter will be aired at the AGM.
Finally, I have published some photographs from the British Games in Edinburgh.
Sid & Carol Lamb held their 3rd annual golf day at Scalm Park Golf Club and donated £3,185.79 to the FHLTA. Read all about it on the 'Raising Funds' page. John Harrison organised a fishing contest which was held nearby at the same time and fishermen and golfers met up for an evening's entertainment comparing missed putts and fish 'this big' wriggling off hooks. If you would like to share your fundraising story with other members, please send me a press cutting or email along with a photograph (Jpeg please).
My apologies to John Morton and his wife Anne from Langar, Nottingham for forgetting to post his story on how they raised £300 for the FHLTA. It is now published on the 'Raising Funds' page.
Kaylee Davidson and Graham Marsh were our only representatives in the UK Team at this year's World Transplant Games in Thailand which were held in August / September 2007. Congratulations to both Kaylee and Graham who both won silver and bronze medals in their respective sports. A brief World Transplant Games report can be found in the sport section.
Well done and thank you to all of the Freeman Sports Team and the many supporters who took part in the British Transplant Games in Edinburgh. We had the largest team at the Games and had a fantastic time in and out of competition. It was our best ever performance in the medal table. 9 Gold : 14 Silver : 13 Bronze. A full report can be read on the Sport section and photographs will be added soon.
Car Parking charges are a major problem for our members and we have written a second letter to the Operational Services Manager on the subject. Follow the link at the bottom of this page to read the letter. Latest: Judith Burgess, hon. secretary and Barrie Braidford, chairman, have a meeting scheduled with Paul Brewis, Operation Services Manager at the Freeman in late August.
We’ve teamed up with Justgiving.com, the UK’s leading online fundraising website, so you can donate and raise funds for us online.
Using Justgiving saves us costs and reduces our admin burden, so going online is by far the most efficient way of supporting us. It’s easy to make a single or monthly donation with a credit or debit card online: All you need to do is go to www.justgiving.com/fhlta/donate Justgiving also makes it easy to raise money: you can create an online fundraising page in minutes to collect donations for any sponsored event or appeal. You can create your own for any event at www.justgiving.com/fhlta/raisemoney
British Transplant Games, Edinburgh (14th May) - The forms have been available for 2 months and are now all returned. Our Team consists of 34 competitors (the most ever) and at least 22 official supporters. This is fantastic, thanks for your support.
Insurance - We have added a new name to our extensive list of insurers, Freedom Insurance. If you are going on holiday soon and need cover there are lots of good tips on our insurance page. Give it a try and let us know how you get on so that we can help others.
Car parking at The Freeman - we received a reply dated 12th April 2007 from the Operational Services Manager which I will post on the site soon. A snippet from the reply............"The Trust has had to review its rates and, unfortunately due to our inability to cover the costs of providing these facilities has had to introduce the new charging regime". Prescription charges for transplant recipients - Our secretary, Judith Burgess has written to the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for Health (23rd March '07). Judith makes out a good case on our behalf and asks if we can receive a special exemption for charges because we have to take our immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of our lives and it can be very costly. We received a reply dated 13th April 2007 which contained the following sentence:- "Ministers have undertaken to review prescription charges and report to Parliament before summer recess this year"
David Wilson
Car parking charges at the Freeman are verging on the extortionate and were highlighted on last night's BBC Look North news programme (20th march). The FHLTA have already written a letter to the hospital administrators to see if a reasonable solution can be reached for those of us who need to visit every six weeks for check ups of varying length, from an hour for bloods to 2 days for an MOT. Likewise for relatives and carers. At £1 per hour or part thereof it becomes very expensive. I believe there is a petition on the No 10 Downing Street website where you are able to register your feelings to 'my mate' Tony.
British Transplant Games, Edinburgh (21st March) - I have sent out all of the entry, registration and accommodation forms to the 29 competitors. It is still not too late to join in the fun but you have to be quick if you want to join us. Remember, we are not looking for winners, just good sports.
Tony Armstrong has stood down as chairman of the FHLTA after 15 years in the post. On behalf of all members I would like to extend our gratitude for the fantastic service Tony has given to the association. He will continue as a committee member until at least the AGM on December 11th 2007. Barrie Braidford was elected as the new chairman of the FHLTA and we wish him well in the 'hot seat'. There is at least one vacancy on the committee and anyone interested in joining should contact our secretary Judith Burgess. judith@fhlta.org.uk
British Transplant Games, Edinburgh (12th March) - The manager's packs are now available containing registration forms, timetable of events, entry forms etc etc and all of the information you could possibly need. If you would like to receive your pack and join the team, get in touch, NOW. graham@fhlta.org.uk
British Transplant Games, Edinburgh (Feb) - for those of you who received the information about the Games and have not replied yet. If you intend coming and staying in either the University or a hotel with the majority of the team I suggest you reply to the team manager urgently.
I had to renew my travel insurance today and my long term insurer would not cover me. I rang Endsleigh Insurance in Newcastle and was so impressed with their help and cover offered thought I should give them a mention here. try them on 0191 2304021 and speak to David Goodman (he really is). For more helpful insurance tips, have a look at the insurance section on this site.
The manager's packs are just about ready for the British Transplant Games in Edinburgh which will take place from Thursday 26th July culminating in the Gala Dinner on Sunday 29th July 2007. Do you want to know more? Do you want to take part? Please get in touch with me, Graham Marsh - Team Manager, and I will send you as much detailed information as I can. Remember, you don't have to be a superstar. Taking part, meeting fellow transplantees from all over the UK and enjoying your chosen sport is great fun. Winning is a bonus.
Jim Carlin, FHLTA committee member returned from Northern Ireland with a 'fistful of dollars' thanks to the generosity and fundraising abilities of our members over the water. Donations totalling just under £10,000 were handed over. Read Jim's letter and find out all about it on our donations page.
Entry forms for the forthcoming badminton tournament (April 21st) to be held in Gateshead are now available and can be downloaded from the TSUK website. It should be noted that the Freeman Sports Team and the FHLTA have been excluded from the planning and organising of this event from the beginning and are therefore not directly involved. It goes without saying that Graham Marsh the Team Manager will help anyone wishing to participate and medical forms etc should be returned to him as normal. Adrian Woodcock is the official badminton team captain.
A new television programme called 'Fortune' begins on ITV this Tuesday evening, 2nd January 2007, and I am reliably informed by our vice chairman Barrie Braidford that it is worth watching. Those of you who attended the AGM will remember a chap standing up and telling us about an excellent magazine which featured stories about donor families and the traumas and dilemmas they faced following the death of a loved one. Sue Cansdale has compiled the book as a result of her experience after the death of her daughter in a motorcycle crash. The programme is hosted by Richard Madeley and is similar to The Dragon's Den series. Sue and her husband Richard put their case to a panel of five millionaires requesting funding for their charity and...............I guess you will have to watch the programme. If anyone would like a copy of this excellent book I understand that Barrie has 5 spare copies.
Well done to Stuart Kaye (captain) and everyone in the Freeman Volleyball Team (plus support) who competed in a TSUK volleyball tournament down in Cambridge (10th - 12th Nov '06). The Freeman Team finished in third place which is a very commendable result. As is normal for these satellite events, (the local) Addenbrookes (Cambridge) Transplant Games Team organised the tournament on behalf of the TSUK and I am told everyone had a good time.
Thanks to the Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP for making a call to Virgin Radio breakfast DJ Christian O'Connell on behalf of yours truly, Graham Marsh, on Friday 3rd November 2006. The Who's calling Christian? feature culminated in an online vote by the public and the winner was announced live on air on Monday 6th November. Use the link to read the whole story.
Guest Book:
Thank you to Sid and Carol Lamb for organising their second golf day at their own Scalm Park Golf Club near Selby North Yorks. They raised a substantial amount of money, over £3,000 for the FHLTA and TSN - Transplant Support Network. Read all about it on our Fundraising Page.
Kaylee Davidson has set up a page on the excellent Just Giving website which is a very tax efficient way of raising sponsorship. Kaylee will also be going to Bangkok, Thailand to represent not only the UK but of course the Freeman Hospital at next year's World Transplant Games too. If you would like to help Kaylee and find out a bit more of what she is trying to achieve, then visit Just Giving.
A fantastic fundraising effort by Jan Kempton and her friends and family from Leeds. Jan raised £10,000 and she plans to give half to the FHLTA and £5,000 to The Seacroft Hospital Cystic Fibrosis unit where she was looked after pre transplant. You can read how she did it on our fundraising page.
Tom Stevenson recently completed a bike ride from Whitehaven to Tynemouth and raised £180 with support from the staff at 'Hartlepool Housing'. Apparently Tom hasn't been on a bike for 40 years........ouch!
Out & About is a new page which relies on you to send me a photograph or a press cutting with a little story that members may be interested in (or not). Thanks to Fred Crutwell for starting the ball rolling.
Channel 4 Documentary: If you are in contact with your donor family and you would like to be involved in this project, go to the Personal Stories page for more details.
If you have got some news or anything you would like me to share with everyone, drop me a line using the link below or contact Judith Burgess our secretary.
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Send mail to judith@fhlta.org.uk
with questions or comments about this web site.
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