FOLLOWING fierce competition from many charities in Pembrokeshire, Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Charity Support Centre was nominated for the top funding of £3000 from Lloyds Bank to be used to the benefit of cancer patients using its Dew Street Care Centre. The Charity was founded by leukaemia victim, Adam Evans- Thomas, eleven years ago. Its main aim was to raise funds for a new state of the Art Cancer Care Day Unit for Withybush Hospital.
The charity honoured Adam’s wish that both hospitals that cared for him should benefit from the charity’s fundraising. So in 2009, a high dependency room on the new Transplant Unit in University Hospital, the Heath, Cardiff, called ‘The Pembrokeshire Room’, was paid for. Whilst waiting for news of a new unit for Withybush – two Directors of the Charity died from their cancers. It was then decided to move from pure fundraising to supporting patients who were waiting for the promised unit to materialise. And this was when the three storied project took off in Dew Street Haverfordwest.
The charity offers an Aladdin’s cave of activities, all funded by the charity shop fronting the building. Three therapists offer pain relief and relaxation massages, two beauticians offer pampering sessions, while a podiatrist travels from Aberystwyth to take care of Patient’s feet and posture. The charity has several counsellors, as well as music and art activities.
The highlight of the week is Wednesday’s Coffee Morning where you have to be quick to grab your soap box and have your say on the week’s news. The charity has a hidden warm and inviting Coffee Shop turning out menus to feed volunteers and customers alike. This group of lively patients (some are volunteers in the venue) have been given the best and most uplifting Christmas present they could possibly wish for – they have been invited by the local health board to form a “Focus Group” to give help and advice on the new Cancer Care Day Unit and to the refurbishment of the new Ward 10.
Mrs Bernadine Rees visited the cancer warriors on one of their Coffee Mornings along with Mr Paul Hawkins and Mrs Sue Lewis to confirm that both projects are now starting and should be completed in a time frame of 73 weeks. This caused great excitement as for months volunteers have been worried about travelling away from Pembrokeshire in ‘nauseous and in some cases extremely painful situations’.
Chris Evans-Thomas told The Herald: “The relief that the news of their cancer services are going to be ‘the best in the West” and supported by haematology, oncology and palliative consultants is better than any tonic. I thought that this level of excitement only happened with children on Christmas Day! “All in Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Care Centre would like to thank Lloyds Bank for their generous donation which will be used (among other projects) to add a new hair dressing and wig cleaning facility to their pampering services.” For more information as to what the Charity venue offers please contact: 01437 779400 or call in and pick up a leaflet (with a cup of coffee and chat) any time Monday to Saturday 10.30am – 4.30pm.
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