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Sefton Cops raise cash for Cancer
Care Equipment
A group of Merseyside Police Officers
who set up a charity to raise money for the hospital which cared for a
colleague's daughter have done it again! The Sefton bobbies formed:- 'Team
Phoebe' to support cystic fibrosis at Ormskirk General Hospital after
Martin Duddy's daughter, Phoebe, was born with the condition 4 years ago. But
since then, their registered charity:- 'Phoebe's Fund' has raised
money for countless other good causes across Merseyside and last week they
presented a cheque for £1,200 to nurses from Liverpool Community Health Trust.
The team raised the money by holding a charity
race night at Crosby Comrades Club and it will be used to buy a morphine syringe
pump for Macmillan Nurses to administer pain relief to cancer patients being
cared for at home or in hospices. The charitable cause was chosen by Kelly
Coulton, whose husband Steve, a serving Sefton Police Officer, died from cancer
in 2015. Kelly said:- "I would like to thank everyone involved in the
fundraising for the money to buy the syringe pump. The symptoms of bone cancer
can vary greatly but include persistent bone pain that gets worse over time and
continues into the night with swelling, redness and a noticeable lump. I want to
raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of bone cancer to young people, who
might not think they can get it, because the earlier a cancer is picked up, the
easier it is to treat it and treat it successfully. It is important that people
go their doctor as soon as possible if they notice worrying symptoms."
'Team Phoebe', as the group of Police Officers and support staff have
called themselves, have previous raised money for the stroke unit at Aintree
University Hospital in Fazakerley, a disabled child in Kirkby whose i-pad was
stolen in a burglary, and to help the family of another colleague who died
suddenly of a heart attack. Chief Inspector Simon Thompson from Sefton command
team, said: "We set the charity up originally to help the hospital that
gives such great care to Martin's little girl Phoebe. But when we got talking we
realised that there were so many good causes that between us we had been touched
by in some way. So we widened it out and started raising money in Phoebe's name
for anyone who needed it. The stroke unit at Fazakerley is 1 that is close to my
heart and Steve Coulton was a very dear friend and colleague to many of us. When
Kelly asked the team to raise money for a morphine syringe to help relieve the
pain for terminally ill cancer patients we were only too happy to help. Word has
spread about what we do and we've had great support from throughout the force
and the other services we work with in terms of people coming along to
fundraising events. It has really shown the community spirit within this police
force and the NHS."
Sefton area commander, Chief Superintendent Claire Richards, added:- "It
is testament to this group of Sefton Officers that as well as doing busy,
difficult jobs they still make time to raise money for people less fortunate
than them. The charity events they have organised over the years have been very
well supported by colleagues within Merseyside Police and I am looking forward
to supporting the next good cause Phoebe's fund chooses."
Syringe drivers are small, battery operated portable pumps which deliver a
steady flow of injected medication under the skin in a steady, reliable way to
control pain. Claire Johnston, community Macmillan nurse and Kirsten Collins,
the district nurse who helped care for Steve towards the end of his life
accepted the cheque from Phoebe's Fund on behalf of Liverpool Community Health
NHS Trust. They said:- "We are so grateful to Team Phoebe for raising this
money. The syringe driver is a vital piece of equipment that will help improve
the quality of life for our patients nearing the end of life."
Police Constable Martin Duddy, who continues to raise money while he and his
wife care for 4 year old Phoebe, added:- "Since day 1 when Phoebe was born
Ormskirk Hospital have been 2nd to none in their support and care. Without their
help and that of my colleagues and bosses within the Police I don't think I
would have been able to cope. Phoebe is on lots of medication every single day
and my wife has had to give up her own job as a Nurse to care for her. But we
can't wrap her up in cotton wool and she's got to be allowed to be a normal
little girl. She certainly rules the roost in our house and it is humbling that
so much fundraising by people willing to go above and beyond is being done in
her name."
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