Malling Lions Club have made a donation of over £4,300 to the Kent Oncology Centre at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHs Trust (MTW) in honour of a former member which has helped fund the cost of specialised radiotherapy equipment.
The club have made the donation in memory of former Lion, Gordon Turner from Kings Hill, who sadly passed away in 2018, after frequent treatment at Maidstone Hospital.
It was Gordon’s work which resulted in a reimbursement of funds to the Club, claimed back via Gift Aid, which along with a further donation from the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends, has helped fund the cost of 11 brand new sets of immobilisation pads for the Kent Oncology Centre (KOC).
The pads are an important part of radiotherapy, helping to keep patients secure and comfortable during targeted treatment and helping to reduce accidental movement.
The generous donation from the Lions on behalf of Gordon, has also helped fund the purchase of a new fridge for medical supplies as well as six overbed tables for the Chemotherapy Day Unit.
On Thursday 24 October, KOC staff were joined by Gordon’s wife, Sandra and daughter Claire as well as friends from the Lions Club and the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends who were given a short presentation of the equipment by Clinical Radiotherapy Specialist, Bronwyn Van Blerk and Cancer Data Analyst, Chris Harker, who is also a member of the Lions Club.
At the ceremony, a plaque in honour of Gordon’s donation was unveiled which will be displayed in the Kent Oncology Centre reception area.
Clinical Radiotherapy Specialist, Bronwyn Van Blerk, said: “This fantastic donation will help support many patients attending radiotherapy at the Kent Oncology Centre and help ensure optimal treatment delivery.
On behalf of everyone at the Kent Oncology Centre, we would like to thank Gordon and his family together with the Malling Lions Club and the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends for their generous donation in helping us achieve replacement immobilisation pads for our radiotherapy patients.”