Fund Allocation

Staff on the Fortuneswell Ward at Dorset County Hospital are delighted with their new ECG machine, which has been funded by the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust from a legacy gratefully received from the estate of the late Margaret Ross-Sands.

Really good news – work on the refurbishment of the chemotherapy unit at Dorset County Hospital, partly funded by the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust, has now been completed, with the new facilities coming into use from 14 July 2025.  A huge thank you to everyone involved with bringing this project to completion, which it is hoped will very much help to improve the treatment experience for local chemotherapy outpatients.

The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust has been gifted a generous legacy from the estate of the late Margaret Ross-Sands and, from part of this, a TV screen has been purchased for the Fortuneswell Outpatients Unit at Dorset County Hospital.  Members of the family and the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust were invited to the recent presentation of the screen, when a spokesperson for the Unit said, ‘This has enabled us to begin our group new patient chat sessions whereby patients who are about to start chemotherapy attend the Fortuneswell Unit to meet the nursing team and watch a presentation about their upcoming treatment and what to expect.’  Su Ilsley, Margaret’s daughter, stated how apt this was as her mother worked in Health and Social Care as a Trainer and would have known the great benefit of this resource.

The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust has recently provided copies of the text book ‘Problem solving in Cancer Immunotherapy’ for two new GP trainees, who have been coming into acute oncology two days a week each to learn about the service, how to support this group of patients, recognise toxicities and how to action etc.  Dr Mel Harvey is the Acute Oncology Lead Consultant and she has supported the small team at DCH by ensuring that every 6 months they have a rotation of 2 new GP Trainees

Fortuneswell Cancer Trust have agreed to fund the Bridport Hospital Outreach Chemotherapy unit for a third year. The service, which began in 2022, operates two days a week in the Day Surgery Unit at Bridport Community Hospital.

Gemma Hansford, a Nursing Sister on the chemotherapy unit, explained that they are able to give chemotherapy to between seven and ten patients a day at Bridport. The convenience of this service is very much appreciated by local patients and it also helps take some of the pressure off of the Fortuneswell Chemotherapy Unit in Dorchester.

The photograph shows Sandy Hewett (Fortuneswell Cancer Trust Trustee) being given a tour of the Bridport Chemotherapy Unit by Sister Gemma Hannaford (left) and Staff Nurse Chloe Alder (right).

The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust is pleased to support the important work of the Palliative Care Team at Dorset County Hospital by purchasing the latest 8th edition of the ‘Palliative Care Formulary’.  This was presented to Wendy George, Clinical Nurse Specialist Palliative Care Team at DCH, by Sandy Hewett, a Trustee of the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust.

Three new high quality stethoscopes, funded by donations to the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust, have been presented to the cancer nurses who have recently successfully completed a course in physical examination skills.  They are Becky Membury (Chemotherapy Unit), Tanja Vepsalainen (Palliative Care) and Lucy Netherway (Haematology).   The presentations were made by Abigail Orchard, Lead Cancer Nurse and nurse practitioner at Dorset County Hospital, who said: ”We are delighted with the support our cancer nurses receive from the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust in advancing their professional skills, and so extending the range of services available to our patients.”

Fortuneswell Cancer Trust Committee Members, Pete and Sandy Hewett, presented Ward Sister, Julie Baker, with 1000 fridge magnets. The fridge magnets contain important information including the emergency contact telephone and are handed out to chemotherapy patients.

Your donations have enabled Fortuneswell Cancer Trust to purchase CHESTER CHEST, a life-like torso to support persons to learn and demonstrate competency with the most common types of long term vascular access devices. CHESTER is pictured with Abigail Orchard, Lead Cancer Nurse, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Acute Oncology, Cancer Services. Thank you.