The latest news and updates from Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust
Life-saving liver scanner donated to Doncaster Royal Infirmary
January is ‘Love Your Liver’ awareness month and we’re proud to announce that DCDT has donated a Fibroscanner to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
The £92,000 Fibroscanner enables hospital staff to diagnose liver disease in a non-invasive, painless scan that takes less than ten minutes. It’s estimated that up to 55,000 patients in Doncaster will benefit from a Fibroscan.
Yvonne Woodcock (DCDT), Andy Collins and Joanne Pickersgill (Doncaster Alcohol Alliance), Dr Anu Agrawal (DRI) and Jane Nadine (DCDT)
Over the years, the rates of chronic liver disease in the UK have risen dramatically, and it is now one of the leading causes of death in people under the age of 65. The main causes of liver disease relate to a combination of risks, including diabetes, high cholesterol, increased weight, alcohol and viruses.
Chronic liver disease is often silent, underdiagnosed and diagnosed at a late stage. There are several life-threatening complications linked to liver disease and one of them is a risk of developing liver cancer. The newly donated Fibroscanner will support early diagnosis of liver diseases and reduce the risk of patients developing liver cancer.
Dr Anu Agrawal, Divisional Director of Medicine at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals said:
We are so thankful to Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust. Their donation will make a real difference in improving patient outcomes and saving lives in Doncaster.
The donation of the mobile scanner also includes funding a training package for four hospital staff. This investment in expertise ensures that the technology will be used to its full potential, now and in the future.
Memory Tree 2023
This year the Memory Tree made £2,088!
Yvonne and Ruth manning the Memory Tree
Thank you to everyone who donated and supported us this year. It was good to see familiar faces again as well as new ones. Also a special thank you to the Frenchgate Centre Management for their ongoing support of DCDT and all the lovely volunteers who helped us on the stall.
Mount Pleasant Christmas Fayre
A big thank you to Sandra and Jean who fundraise for us by having a stall at the Mount Pleasant Christmas Fayre. They recently presented us with a cheque for £1,100 which represents two years’ donations. We are so grateful for all your support.
Bessacarr Ladies Luncheon Club
In September one of our Trustees gave a talk to the Bessacarr Ladies Luncheon Club. We received a cheque for £50 from the Committee and donations of £126.10, making a total of £176.10.
Thank you very much ladies and we hope you enjoyed your lunch!
Summer fundraising events
We would like to thank everyone who supported us during the summer at two events where we had a stall.
At Bentley Gala on 16 July we made £92.36. On 19th August at Auckley Show we made £233.50. We were fortunate in having good weather both times!
Doncaster Warehouse Charity Memorial for Graham Rhoden
In May we received £1,000 donation from Stuart Walker, operator of Doncaster Warehouse Nightclub. He held a charity memorial event on Sunday, 7th May as a mark of respect for his former landlord, Graham Rhoden, who recently passed away.
The event was attended by Graham’s family and friends as well as local clubbing people from years gone by. The event was a great success which raised over £3,000 for local groups, one of which was DCDT.
We are very grateful to Stuart and all who attended the event. Our deepest condolences go to Graham’s family and friends as he was a very well known and respected local businessman.
Hatfield Woodhouse Methodist Chapel
Thank you so much to Hatfield Woodhouse Methodist Chapel who recently donated £150 from their coffee morning.
Our grateful thanks to everyone who contributed. That’s an awful lot of coffee!
Charitable donation
We are extremely grateful to have been left some money in a will. We recently received £18,000 which will make a tremendous difference to help purchase cancer-related equipment for our local hospitals.
Buckley Tours
Buckley Tours recently held their annual “Party Popper” customer reunion tour and raised a wonderful £500.
Thank you to everyone who took part and to Mr Richard Buckley for his ongoing support, which we really appreciate. We’re sure everyone enjoyed themselves and no doubt met up with old friends as well as making new ones.
50th Anniversary donations
Many congratulations to Joy and Eric Clayton, who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They requested donations instead of presents and our thanks go to everyone involved.
We understand the celebrations went well on the day. Thank you so much for nominating our charity.
UK Plumbing Supplies
We received a cheque for £375 from UK Plumbing Supplies in February. UK Plumbing Supplies matched the money from their Doncaster Plumbase branch as one of their staff, Oliver Tupman, ran the Great North Run last September on our behalf and raised £375 from donations.
Congratulations, Oliver, and thanks to all at Plumbase and the head office.
Charity Christmas Concert raises £1,500
The Charity Christmas Concert organised by the Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers and supported by the Co-op at Doncaster Minster was once again a huge success.
The concert took place on Saturday, 17 December 2022, featuring performances by the Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers and Hatfield and Askern Colliery Band, with the twenty-foot live Minster Christmas Tree creating a wonderful backdrop.
The performers, the Minster staff, Co-op Food, Funeralcare and local Co-op Member Pioneers all worked together before and on the night to provide a wonderful evening of entertainment. Local Co-op stores and their staff kindly provided and served refreshments during the interval.
This year’s concert was yet again a fantastic turnout by the people of Doncaster to support a great cause.
Dorothy Miller, Chairman of the Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers, who organised the concert, added:
I wish to extend my thanks not only to the performers, but all involved in making this event such a highlight of the Christmas celebrations in Doncaster.
Pictured: A small number of the volunteers who helped to put the concert together from the choir, Co-op stores, Funeralcare and members, along with representatives from DCDT and Doncaster Minster
Proceeds from the concert and the Memory Christmas Tree in the Minster (also donated by Doncaster Co-op Funeralcare) raised £1,500, a cheque was presented in Doncaster Minster on 16 January 2023.
We’d like to thank Dorothy, Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers, Hatfield and Askern Colliery Band and all the Co-op Members who work so hard to make the Charity Christmas Concert one of the highlights of the festive calendar.
Thank you for your continued support.
Frenchgate unveils memorial plaque for Jeannette Fish
On Saturday, 10 December, Frenchgate Shopping Centre unveiled a memorial plaque to pay tribute to Jeannette Fish MBE, a well-loved member of the Doncaster community and cofounder of Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust (DCDT).
The unveiling ceremony was attended by many leading Doncaster figures and people Jeannette worked alongside, including Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones CBE, Ed Miliband MP and Dame Rosie Winterton.
Pictured: Dame Rosie Winterton, Vice Lord Lieutenant John Holt, Venerable Bob Fitzharris and Lesley Fitzharris, Ed Miliband MP, Pat Hogan, Bobbie Roberts MBE, Ian Pearson - Civic Mayor, David Milnes, Yvonne Woodcock BEM, Ruth Bacon, Georgina Mullis, Karen Stainforth, Ian Leech, Victoria and Ella Fletcher and Graham Rhoden
Bobbie Roberts MBE, said:
Jeanette had an invincible spirit and was a true ambassador for Doncaster. She was as passionate about the town as she was about her charity work.
Thanks to Jeanette co-founding DCDT in 1972, the organisation has supported thousands of people to find cancer early and ultimately save lives.
Although she held her honours with great pride, she remained modest and humble, insisting the trust’s incredible achievements were down to a team of volunteers.
Jeannette was a remarkable woman, a force of nature and an inspiration to the community. Doncaster is a better place because of her dedication and passion.
Karen Staniforth, General Manager at Frenchgate, said:
We’re delighted to unveil a special memorial plaque in memory of Jeannette Fish MBE. Jeannette was an important member of our community who helped raise millions of pounds over the years for the charities that mean the most to the people of Doncaster.
Jeanette was a huge inspiration and support to many people, and our memorial plaque is a small gesture to help continue her legacy in Doncaster.
Jeanette’s memorial plaque can be found under the main stairway in the shopping centre, opposite Boots.
Memory Tree opens in Frenchgate
The Annual Memory Tree has officially launched in Frenchgate and runs until the 10 December this year.
Pictured: The DCDT team at the launch of this years Memory Tree
The tree is located just outside Boots on the ground floor and will be manned by our volunteers daily from 10am–3pm, (exluding Sunday 4 December).
Make sure you stop by and pick up your memory tokens in exchange for a donation.
Update: 15 December
This year the Memory Tree raised £2,070, thank you everyone for your help and support!
Mount Pleasant Christmas Fayre
A big thank you to Sandra and Jean who raised £500 with their stall at the Mount Pleasant Christmas Fayre on the 20 and 21 November.
They’ll also have a stall at the Plough Inn’s Christmas Fair on Saturday 10 December.
Wheatley Golf Club Charity Golf Day
We recently collected a cheque from Gary Kay (Wheatley Golf Club Captain 2020/2021) for £8,358.46. The Club raised most of the money through a Charity Golf Day, which Gary and Mark organised.
Pictured: Gary Kay and Mark Hine presenting the cheque to Yvonne Woodcock (along with other members of the golf club).
Gary explains:
The day was attended by ex-professional sportsmen (Mark had contacted his ex-colleagues and friends who he had got to know during his time spent at various professional football clubs).
Mark won’t mind me saying this but he is having treatment at the moment for prostate cancer (along with another couple of members of the golf club) and this is the reason I chose DCDT as my charity.
I wish DCDT all the best with their continued work in raising funds for new projects.
Thank you so much Gary, Mark and all the members of Wheatley Golf Club for your support and very generous donation.
September donations update
Doncaster Rotary dinner
In May Doncaster Rotary held a dinner to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and raised £457.
Our very grateful thanks to everyone involved and to Doncaster Rotary for their continuing support.
Charity Bike Ride
On 30th June ProAktive Insurance Brokers organised a Charity Bike Ride and donated £350.
What an energetic group they are! Thank you all so much for your very welcome donation.
Hickleton Golf Club
Hickleton Golf Club Ladies Section (another energetic group!) donated £666.05p in August. Thank you very much ladies for raising such a wonderful amount.
We also had various stalls throughout the summer. Bentley Gala stall raised £102.50, Auckley Show stall £325 and St John’s Hospice stall £185. Our very grateful thanks to everyone who bought items or made donations.
We would like to also like to thank the many people who donate through our Just Giving site. Also the people who donate money in lieu of flowers at funerals. Those are very difficult times and thank you to everyone who thinks of us.
The Jeannette Fish CT Scanning Suite officially opened at Doncaster Royal Infirmary
DCDT joined the Chief Executive of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, Richard Parker OBE and Dame Rosie Winterton MP for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
Pictured from L to R, top: Deborah Swift (Matron), Dr Jas Sawhney (Consultant), Richard Parker OBE (Chief Executive), Sara Elliott (Head of Radiology) and Dr Azam (Specialty Registrar at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals).
Bottom: Elizabeth Taylor, Barry Bailey, Ruth Bacon, Yvonne Woodcock, Victoria Fletcher, Carol Spiller, Jenny Liddle, Georgina Mullis, Mark Toseland and Peter Mellor (DCDT).
Honouring DCDT’s founder, the late Jeannette Fish MBE, the CT Scanning Suite proudly takes her name. We were thrilled to be joined by friends and colleagues to mark the official opening with staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
Thank you Buckleys Holidays, who raised £700 for DCDT from their annual party reunion trip on the 20 March.
Pictured: Yvonne Woodcock and Victoria Fletcher from DCDT receiving a cheque from Richard Buckley
The group from Doncaster and Scunthorpe travelled to Caernarfon, Wales. The trip included a two-night stay, top-class entertainment, bingo and raffles and stops along the way at Chester, Llandudno, the Llanberis Pass and Betws-y-Coed.
What a fantastic trip with some stunning scenery!
We’re sure a great time was had by all, and thank you to Richard and our friends at Buckley’s for their generous donation.
Donation from Tesco Bentley
A big thank you to Sue and the fantastic team at Tesco Bentley who recently presented us with a cheque for £2,155 from the sale of second-hand books and CDs.
Pictured: Barry Bailey from DCDT and Sue Haigh
Over the years, Sue and the team at Tesco have raised over £8,500 for DCDT. We’re are hugely grateful for their hard work and continued support. Thank you all!
Co-op Christmas Carol Concert
The Co-op’s annual Christmas Carol Concert returned last year, again, with proceeds supporting Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust. The team joined Dorothy Miller and representatives from the Co-op and Doncaster Minster to receive a cheque for £1,500. What a great start to the new year.
Pictured L to R: Dorothy Miller (Chair of Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers and Co-op Member Pioneer), Jenny Liddle (DCDT), Clive Howarth, (Church Warden), Paul Goodman (Co-op Area Manager), Yvonee Woodcock (DCDT), Tracy Clark (Co-op Team Leader), Elizabeth Taylor (DCDT) and Lyn Hunter (Co-op National Member Council)
A special thank you to the Doncaster Wheatsheaf Singers, the Hatfield and Askern Colliery Band and all who came along to support this popular festive favourite.
The Memory Tree returns and raises £4,103
We are very happy to report that our Memory Tree during December 2021 made £4,103! It is testament to our wonderful supporters who visit us every year to make a donation in memory of loved ones and also those new to us. Hundreds also wrote messages to put on the Tree in Frenchgate Centre.
Our very grateful thanks to everyone who donated, whether it was pence or pounds.
Pictured: DCDT volunteers at the Memory Tree in the Frenchgate
We would also like to sincerely thank all the management and staff at Frenchgate Shopping Centre, especially Karen and Abby, who have continued to support our charity over the years. Also our wonderful volunteers who willingly “manned” the stand on the run-up to Christmas. Amongst them was Thorne Rural Lions Group who help every year. Without all these many volunteers the Memory Tree would not be possible.
Life-changing piece of equipment for Doncaster Royal Infirmary’s Urology clinic
The BK3000 ultrasound machine is already benefitting patients under the care of Doncaster and Bassetlaw’s Urology team. Principally, the machine will allow the team in Urology to perform precision-point prostate biopsies in an outpatient setting under local anaesthetic, reducing the need for day-case surgery.
Pictured: Trustees from DCDT along with Consultant, John Leveckis and Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive David Purdue
The new procedure, using the BK3000, is much less invasive than this method. With the introduction of the new equipment, patients can attend a one-stop shop at the hospital, receive their MRI scan and undergo the biopsy procedure in one visit.
They have supported our charity for many years and we are extremely grateful for their ongoing support.
£10,000 donation from Rose Hill Crematorium
Rose Hill Crematorium has donated £10,000 to the Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust as a result of a share of surplus funds from a national recycling scheme.
Pictured: Natalie Ball, Bereavement Services Co-ordinator at Rose Hill Crematorium and Yvonne Woodcock from DCDT
Doncaster Council, which runs Rose Hill Crematorium, is a member of the Metal Recycling Scheme run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), which recycles metals which are left after a cremation.
Once written consent is given from each bereaved family, metals such as orthopaedic implants and materials used in the construction of the coffin are recycled by the ICCM, with proceeds donated to charity.
The funds were raised thanks to the kind donations from bereaved families and loved ones who gave permission for the metals to be recycled.
Natalie Ball, Bereavement Services Co-ordinator at Rose Hill Crematorium said:
We are pleased to present a cheque to Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust, to help their fundraising for equipment and facilities to help improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.
We would like to thank those bereaved families and loved ones who chose to make the decision to donate the recycled metals, and to think of others, at such a very difficult time in their own lives.
Natalie Ball and Julie Black from Doncaster Council presented the cheque to Yvonne Woodcock, a trustee of Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust.
The recycled metals scheme run by the ICCM since 2006 in partnership with a Dutch company called Orthometals, donates the surplus funds to charities and this reflects Bereavement Services’ ethos to make a difference to the communities they serve and to make the least impact on the environment.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Natalie, Julie and all the team at Rose Hill Crematorium for supporting DCDT with this generous donation.
URIS Group
Thank you so much to the URIS Group based at Lakeside for donating £1,250 in January.
We missed seeing volunteers from this Group at our Memory Tree (cancelled because of the pandemic), but we are very grateful for URIS’s ongoing support.
Special thanks also to Sarah Bargery for all her help in the past.
