News

26 Oct 2005 - Memoirs of the Chairman

This year, 2005, the Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust (BMLT) celebrates 25 years of support for the bone marrow transplant unit and for patients with leukaemia in St James’s Hospital. In the 2004 bulletin I celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the first marrow transplant. These two years are a time for searching memories and looking at what we now have. The Inaugural Meeting of the Trust was held in Thomas Prior Hall, R.D.S. in December 1980. It was an act of faith. There was no certainty that the Hospital or the State would support, financially or otherwise, a marrow transplant unit. It was attended by those who had grasped the significance of the concept; the newly formed committee, its friends and contacts, a few doctors and some experts from the UK and the US. The Minister of Health, Dr Michael Woods, paid a visit. The ensuing campaign had all the elements of a crusade so wholehearted were the efforts of the early committee and its supporters. Apart from fund-raising, many politicians were contacted and even the Taoiseach’s Office was broached. Gradually the tide turned in favour of the establishment of the unit. With financial support from the Trust, I and then Professor McCann visited the most advanced transplant department in the world in Seattle, Washington State, USA. Nurses were sent for training to the Royal Marsden, London and St James’s Planning Officer, Padraig Dalton, to various units in the UK. The unit was officially opened by Mr Barry Desmond, Minister for Health. The initial phase was over when Professor McCann performed the first transplant in St James’s in 1984. During the ensuing years when the state financial coffers were threadbare the Trust had to re-double its fund-raising activity because there was a direct relationship between funding and the number of transplants carried. All sorts of imaginative means of collecting money were undertaken such as cycling across the US, raffling a house and fashion shows. However, we should not forget less exciting but equally rewarding ventures like flag days, golf outings, cycling for charity in Ireland and local collections by relatives and friends of patients. The number of transplants rose from12 in 1985 to 50 in 1990. Our efforts helped to bridge a gap and by the 1990’s the State through the Hospital took over the basic costs. The end of this period can be marked by the removal of the transplant/leukaemia unit from top floor, Hospital One, to the new custom-built Denis Burkitt ward in 1996. As it turned out the treatment of leukaemia with its potent bone marrow transplant arm was and is at the cutting edge of medical science. It has been the good fortune of the Trust to be able to assist in maintaining the service of the transplant unit in accordance with the highest international standards by providing salaries for specialised nurses, scientists, technologists and medical research graduates. It funds research allied to leukaemia and marrow transplantation and has played no small part in the development of the John Durkin Leukaemia Research Unit. In this third phase role the BTSB is only as good as the funds it provides. It continues to be truly grateful to those who support it with their time and money. To the above methods of raising funds must be added the Overseas Walks, the Mini-Marathon and the Pink Lilly Balls. The Trust thanks all those who participated in these ventures and their organisers, Sean Bermingham, Frances Campbell, Marie McSweeney and their teams. Space would not permit listing those, celebrated or otherwise, who have given their services free. As mentioned in last year’s News Bulletin the Trust is aware of the stress caused by accommodation needs for relatives of long-stay patients in the unit, a problem frequently alluded to by the Hospital’s Social Workers. Since 1994 it has made available two apartments in James’s Street and also provides support for those relatives experiencing financial strains. In 2004 it has agreed to put any resources it has available (and to actively carry out extra fund-raising) towards building 12 new apartments. St James’s has recently agreed to provide a site subject to a review of available hospital space by the Department of Health. I can think of no medical unit which responds so well and remains so much in-step with its main charitable support as the transplant /leukaemia unit in St James’s. I believe that those who have given so generously can feel proud of their contribution to the treatment of patients with leukaemia under the direction of Professor Shaun McCann and Dr Paul Browne. The co-founders of the Trust, Eugene Murray (R.I.P) and I, can look back on our original efforts with satisfaction. Ian J Temperley Chairman & Founder Memoirs of the Chairman Back to news index