As you may well know, in October 2021, I suffered a terrible accident and spent over two months on the Neuro Critical Care Unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. During my time in hospital, the nursing team working in neuro critical care showed incredible kindness and unwavering support. When I was not in a fit state to do it myself, a nurse would brush my hair, my teeth and even put on my favourite perfume, so that despite being in a coma, my dignity was never lost. Not only were they supportive of me, but also of my family, who got an evening phone call every night to reassure them that I was doing well. Despite being under immense pressure and working long hours, they continued to provide fantastic care. Often it was the same nurse who would get me up and showered in the morning when I was in the recovery unit, who would also come and press play on the CD player that I listened to when going to sleep at night.

My family and I will be forever grateful for their support in helping me return to full health. The experience inspired all us Marshes and Lucian to help support those that have given so much to us and other families across our region. It is devasting to hear that some of the most skilled and passionate healthcare workers are considering leaving the industry. We want to help ensure they have the support and encouragement they need to further their nursing journeys and continue progressing in the careers that they have trained so hard to achieve.

A charity called Cambridge Global Health Partnerships (CGHP) works with hospitals, governments and health organisations in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America to provide specialist expertise, support shared learning and encourage sustainable change. We learnt that the charity had plans underway with Addenbrooke’s to start a new project partnering with hospitals in Uganda. They will provide training and development opportunities for nurses working in critical care.

A core component of the project will be two annual exchange visits to Uganda by a team of Addenbrooke’s nurses to help support the development of critical care nursing. It will offer them a chance to travel and gain many new experiences. As well as providing an incredible development opportunity and a way to enhance their own skills, it will help support global health and meet an urgent need.

CGHP has demonstrated that engaging in global health has a huge impact on participants both at home and away; 86% of people who partake are refreshed and feel more motivated at work on their return. (Volunteer feedback 2012-2019). We have no doubt that this project will have a huge impact on the nurses at Addenbrooke’s and could make the difference between them giving up can carrying on in their careers. I have been lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time out in Uganda teaching and playing sports with kids who were part of the UTCF charity, so to learn that CGHP were working towards a project based in Uganda was exciting and inspiring news. Dad and I have chosen to seed fund this project to enable it to get underway and are delighted to be able to give something back to the incredible team that have supported us so well.

To find out more please visit the charity website:

https://cambridgeghp.org/our-work/health-partnerships/health-partnerships-uganda/criticalcare/

The project costs approximately £17,500 to run each year and we have secured £12,500 in funding so far. We very much hope you will consider supporting us with this endeavour by helping us raise the additional £5,000 required to fund the first full year of the project. Donations large or small will all help support our nurses and help us say ‘thank you’ for the incredible work they do.

A huge thank you from me, Lucian and all the Marshes for any help you can give to this amazing project. X

Cambridge Global Health Partnerships (CGHP) is a charitable organisation committed to improving healthcare globally. CGHP was born out of the belief that health should not be predetermined by where we live. Since 2007, we have been strengthening healthcare in low/middle-income countries (LMIC) settings through health partnerships.

CGHP functions as a linked charitable programme within Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT)