College News

QE Students Deliver Care Packs to Help Hospital Patients

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and young people on the children’s ward at Darlington Memorial Hospital will benefit from special support packs created by students at QE. The teenage volunteers have hand-delivered chemo comfort bags containing thoughtful and useful items to help local hospital patients during cancer treatment. The students also packed and donated arts and craft packs for younger hospital patients as part of their work with the College’s Interact Club, an extracurricular volunteer group linked to Rotary International.

Interact Club member Eve Goddard, a Year 12 student from Darlington, studying Biology, Chemistry and Spanish at A Level, said: “The government is unable to fund projects like this, so if we can make someone’s time at hospital a little more comfortable then it’s a pleasure to be able to help.” The chemo comfort bags contain hand cream and lip salve to help with dry skin, a water bottle for patients to keep hydrated, and boiled sweets to combat the metallic taste that can sometimes be associated with treatment. They also include fruit teas, hand sanitiser, art therapy books, greeting cards, bubble bath and a notepad with pen. Volunteer Ffion Lawrence-Hall, also from Darlington, who is studying History, Politics and Business at QE, said: “The chemo comfort bags go to hospital patients we never meet, but that’s not important – what’s important is that they know there are people who are 100 per cent behind them during their treatment journey.”

QE’s Interact Club has supported Darlington Memorial Hospital for the past four years. Alongside chemo comfort bags and hundreds of craft packs, students have also arranged Easter egg collections for wards and gifts for the staff during the height of the Covid pandemic. Nancy Wall, Interact Club Co-ordinator, said: “I’m incredibly proud of our students. They recognise that there are people in the local community who need and appreciate their help, especially during difficult times.”

Pat Chambers, Development Manager at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Charity, said Interact Club had shown tremendous support. “Without doubt the students continue to go above and beyond to help enhance patient care here in Darlington Memorial Hospital, providing items that would not otherwise be available, other than through charitable funding, or in this case, dedicated volunteering,” she said. “We are so grateful for the time the members of the Interact Club give in support of our hospital.”