My story

I am mid way through my 12 month challenge to raise a minimum of £20,000 to express my sincere thanks to the QE Hospital Liver and HPB Unit in Birmingham for the care I have been receiving since 2009.   I am not doing this alone, my family are pitching in and one of the main ‘events’ is that Elena, my sister, and I have completed an amazing trek of the Great Wall of China for 11 days between 22 September and 2 October 2011! It would be great if you could support us by donating on this page. I have also set up www.charitycupcakes.co.uk to increase my donations! 

 

So, why the Liver Unit? 

 

As many of you will be aware, almost out of the blue in April 2009 my health started to rapidly decline.   After couple of weeks of intense testing - scans and scopes too many to recall - I was diagnosed as having an unusually large 30cm diameter growth on my liver (an haemangioma to you medics!)).  What shook me was that despite the fact it must have been (probably) growing all my life, how all of a sudden I went from family outings, busy work and fun .....to a constant feeling of pain, sickness and fatigue and was barely able to eat or get to my hospital appointments.  My husband Dave was a rock, as ever, and stepped up to doing everything for Rhianna (age 3 at the time) with some much appreciated help and support from family and friends.

 

The operation to remove the growth (by then the weight and size of a baby!), the right side of my liver and gall bladder, was undertaken on 26 June 2009.  The expertise of the surgical team who take on life saving operations every day have enabled me to return to what feels like ‘better than ever’ health.

 

As I watched all the comings and goings of a busy ward, I felt immensely lucky that unlike most of the other patients staying in hospital with me, my surgery marked the start of a journey back to full health.  Sadly, for most of the other wonderful women I met during my stay, surgery was something to relieve symptoms only or had to be undertaken before chemotherapy/radiotherapy.  Now that was sobering.....

 

The early days, prior to diagnosis and surgery, were the most anxious times for myself, family and friends but under Prof John Buckels management at the Liver Unit, we were confident that we were receiving the best care.  I am also thankful to the rest of the medical, nursing and physio staff who treated me.  I was particularly touched by the caring and professional nature of the relatively junior nursing staff whilst in HDU and on the ward.

 

Although I have worked for the NHS for the last 11 years, I had no prior experience of another hospital or being a patient.  My hospital stay under the care of the Liver Unit was praiseworthy and I know first -hand that its excellent reputation is very well deserved.   I still continue to be seen on the Unit on an annual basis and although Prof Buckels retired last September,  I feel reassured to be under the eye of an excellent team.  I therefore pledge to raise as much funding as possible to be used by the team to the benefit of the care they provide patients like myself. 

 

Anything you can donate would be very appreciated by both myself and future patients in the Liver Unit. 

 

Many thanks, Beth xxx

My gallery 8

My Team

Team photo
Bethan and Elena's Challenge

My company

My charity

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity

Charity Registration No. 1093989

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity is the official charity of the Queen Elizabeth & Selly Oak hospitals in Birmingham, including the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine where military patients are treated from around the world. Find out more at www.qehb.org. Your support is much appreciated.

Donations 273

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Two Take That chances please. Keep up that training... xx

Donation by Marie Clemo on 29/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Good Luck Bethan. This is for a great cause. Make sure you take plenty of plasters with you ! x

Donation by Jayne Groves on 27/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Keep it up Beth, you're doing a great job x x

Donation by Marie George on 26/05/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Donation by Vicky, Nigel and Family on 26/05/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Good Luck Bethan, hopefully Rhianna's swim on the 2nd July will raise a lot as well!!! xx

Donation by Michelle Hayward on 23/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Combination of Take That and cakes!

Donation by Hannah Batchelor on 23/05/11

£26.00

+ £6.50 Gift Aid

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My PayPal account has never seen so much action!!! Tee hee! ;-)

Donation by Liz Adey on 20/05/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Doing fantastic Bethan. Keep it up!

Donation by Michael Tarn on 20/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Just noticed I didn't gift aid my donation earlier! Doh!! So here's the gift aid bit as well!!!

Donation by Liz Adey on 18/05/11

£3.00

+ £0.75 Gift Aid

Donation by sue cattell on 18/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Good luck Bethan xx

Donation by Rachel Ward on 18/05/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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I'm humming PSB tunes already!!! ;-)

Donation by Liz Adey on 18/05/11

£10.00

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Good Luck Bethan!

Donation by Matthew Harte on 18/05/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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this is what I would have spent on a beer last night if I was a drinker!

Donation by Anonymous on 15/05/11

£3.00

+ £0.75 Gift Aid

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Good luck Bethan! Hope you and Elena have a blast walking along that great long wall :)

Donation by Mandi on 12/05/11

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

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Jamie Oliver party squares game - thanks everyone for playing!

Donation by friends and family on 10/05/11

£37.00

+ £9.25 Gift Aid

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Many thanks Chris!! (Beth)

Donation by Chris Jewkes on 21/04/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Thanks Nita - donated via my eyebrow threading! (Beth)

Donation by Nita Shah on 20/04/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Good Luck Sis! Hope you both come back with some great memories as well as sore feet. Love Owain and Nicky xx

Donation by Owain and Nicky Miles on 19/04/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

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We're sure you'll have a fab adventure. Hoping you reach your target! Lots of love Sam, Andy & Ben xxx

Donation by Sam, Andy & Ben Onions on 14/04/11

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Good luck Bethan. Hope it all goes well. Love from Hawys, Rich & baby Rhodri :-) xx

Donation by Hawys Miller on 14/04/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Hi Beth- As promised this comes with much love and admiration from Sally & Graham in France- their message is Allez Allez Allez xxxx

Donation by Ceri for the Frenchies on 13/04/11

£60.00

+ £15.00 Gift Aid

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I hope you have a fantastic adventure as well as raise lots of money. Good luck, love from Emma, Richard, Adam, Matthew and Daniel May x x x

Donation by emma may on 12/04/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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What a great idea for a great cause! It will be an experience to remember. Good luck.Love from John, Helen & Laura x

Donation by Helen Winterburn on 03/04/11

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

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Well done Bethan. A worthy cause. Good Luck from all at My M-link and Medilink.

Donation by C Clowes on 01/04/11

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£6,927.52
  • Offline donations£450.00
  • Text donations£7.00
  • Total raised£7,384.52
  • Gift Aid£1,681.74

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