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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A special little girls 2nd Birthday www.charitycupcakes.co.uk

Donation by Sharon Maguire on 22/07/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Meeting cakes, on the day donations!

Donation by PBCRN Steering Group on 21/07/11

£39.00

+ £9.75 Gift Aid

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Yummy cakes Bethan Best wishes and Good Luck!

Donation by Lesley Devaney on 21/07/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Thank You Beth for Nick's Birthday Cupcakes. They were scrumptiously delicious that they went down like a STORM! GOOD LUCK with the China Trek! Gx.

Donation by GURJIT KAUR on 18/07/11

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

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With all best wishes, I hope you reach your total, *and* do 'the wall' in record time! x

Donation by Darren Williams on 17/07/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Good Luck!

Donation by Emma Messer on 17/07/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Well done Beth, you are a true star. Love Suzanne, Chris and Maxwell xxxxx

Donation by suzanne Giles - Pulley on 14/07/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Thanks Bethan, the Schnauzer cupcakes were brilliant.

Donation by Lisa Long on 11/07/11

£15.00

+ £3.75 Gift Aid

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Jamie At Home squares game (pre-party entrants!)

Donation by MIDRU staff on 07/07/11

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Donation by Kiran on 07/07/11

£2.00

+ £0.50 Gift Aid

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The Quik gig!

Donation by Hannah and Lesley on 05/07/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Wish you every success Beth !! I take my hat of to you for all your efforts so far. Very well done :-))))

Donation by Trina Phillips on 04/07/11

£30.00

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Well done Rhianna for the mega swim!! And good luck Beth with all your fundraising - Lee,Claire, Brandon & Tilly Jones x

Donation by Claire Jones on 03/07/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Well done Rhianna with your swimming and good luck Beth for your walk in September. You both are amazing. Love Lisa & Rich.xx

Donation by Lisa Norgrove on 03/07/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Well done Rhianna! What a little super star! lots of love Liz and Damian x

Donation by Liz Adey on 02/07/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Hope all goes well Beth. You're working so hard, I really don't know how you find time to fit it all in. Inspirational!

Donation by Jo Winter on 01/07/11

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

Donation by sue cattell on 29/06/11

£41.50

+ £10.38 Gift Aid

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Donation from Nita for my eyebrow thredding.

Donation by Liz Adey on 29/06/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Well done on completing the Cheltenham Circular Challenge with Target - hope it warmed you up for The Great Wall of China! Good luck & all the best xx

Donation by Courtney Conroy on 24/06/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Thanks for the cakes!

Donation by Teresa on 22/06/11

£15.00

+ £3.75 Gift Aid

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Hope you've all recovered from your exertions on Sunday! Well done Target and good luck with all your fundraising Bethan.

Donation by Paul and Sarah Bryars on 21/06/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Well done Bethan!

Donation by Sophie Smith on 21/06/11

£5.00

+ £1.25 Gift Aid

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Well done Target Team and especially Bethan for supporting your name sake

Donation by LINDA Simkins on 20/06/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Donation by Roy and Sal on 20/06/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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TT prize draw

Donation by Andy B on 20/06/11

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

Donation summary

  • * Online donations$10,563.06
  • Offline donations$686.16
  • Text donations$10.67
  • Total raised$11,259.89
  • Gift Aid$2,564.32

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