Asian Standard Bradford has successfully been delivering news to Bradford District for almost five years now, and we can’t thank our readers and the Bradford community enough, for all the love and support they’ve given us over the years.
Since launching Asian Standard Bradford has committed to focusing on community and giving back wherever we can. Charity and community is at the heart of everything we do so we’ve decided along with our everyday commitments, we will commit to partnering up with a charity every year and help them reach their goals to assist with their cause.
Often governments fall short to protect everyone who needs it and that’s why charities are established. We all know about the major challenges facing the NHS and right now it needs our support more than ever. Therefore, Asian Standard Bradford has chosen Bradford Hospitals’ Charity as our official charity partner for 2023.
Did you know that there are more than 240 NHS charities across the UK? Together, they donate £1million every single day to our NHS to make significant improvements for patients and their families.
Bradford Hospitals’ Charity has invested millions of pounds into Bradford‘s NHS hospitals over the years to help upgrade buildings and medical equipment – big projects which make a huge difference to you and your family’s experience when you visit hospital. The charity also funds research, as well as supporting NHS staff so they can provide excellent care, and treatment through increased training and development.
Bradford Hospital’s Charity funds projects and items which are not routinely provided by the NHS because it believes the people of Bradford deserve the very best. As the official charity of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, it works closely with clinicians to fund projects across cancer, elderly and dementia, children and young people’s services, as well as departments at the heart of the hospital, such as Accident & Emergency, the Intensive Care Unit and Maternity.
Thanks to the generosity of grateful patients, local businesses, community and faith organisations, and schools, Bradford Hospital’s Charity have been able to support Bradford Teaching Hospitals, to make essential improvements and help provide better local NHS services.
Here are just some of the items and projects funded by Bradford Hospitals’ Charity during the past two years:
- A large-scale refurbishment of radiology to make it child-friendly. A children’s waiting area has been created, as well as a snuggle room to soothe babies to sleep before an MRI scan. State-of-the-art video and audio systems has been installed to distract and relax children.
- Specialist Sara Combilizer physiotherapy chairs were purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic to help rehabilitate our long-stay patients in ICU who had been immobile for a long period.
- An innovative new app (UpToDate.com) for clinicians was funded at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which enabled them to access the most current information about medical conditions quickly and on the move.
- An Airglove for chemotherapy patients has been funded by our charity, which makes intravenous treatment quicker and less painful.
- The charity funds Baggins the Bear packs for all children who have operations which require a general anaesthetic. Baggins brings comfort to children and helps clinicians explain the procedure in a way which puts children at ease.
Bradford Hospitals’ Charity also funds small but impactful extras which make your hospital stay that little bit more comfortable, such as patient WiFi, a music license which allows staff to play the radio on wards for patients, and patient TVs. It spends around £10,000 each year on toys, technology, arts and crafts which entertain and distract children while they are in hospital receiving treatment or tests.
Sharon Milner, Bradford Hospitals’ Charity’s new Charity Director, said: “I am delighted to be part of this amazing charity. To be able to give direct support to the people of Bradford at their time of need is an absolute privilege. I look forward to working with the many people in our wonderful diverse community over the coming months to aid our work, and to highlight the needs of our hospitals and its patients.”
Managing Editor, Asian Standard Bradford, Fatima Patel said: “As someone who has been a long term patient of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust I know first hand how much resources provided to our hospitals do not stretch far enough. If it wasn’t for the generous donations from local people, many of the extra resources and facilities we see within our local NHS hospitals wouldn’t be possible.
“We all saw the generosity of support and donations given to the Bradford Hospitals’ Charity and along with our contribution we are confident our readers will also play an important role in supporting and donating to give our local hospitals the resources and strength to make it one of the best hospitals in the country.
“I have already seen first hand some of he great initiatives, such as VR and XX bear that are being implemented to help make visits for patients and that of their families as comfortable as possible.
“We are delighted that Bradford Hospitals’ Charity is our first official charity partner and can’t wait to give them their best ever year, so that they can build on provide the most comfortable hospital experience for all.”
How Bradford’s BIG Neonatal Appeal has captured our hearts
Read how Bradford Hospitals’ Charity has pledged to build a home-from-home for parents of premature or poorly babies.
While most of us are lucky enough to return home from hospital with healthy babies, many mums and dads don’t have that privilege.
Bradford’s Neonatal Unit – based in the Women and Newborn building of Bradford Royal Infirmary – is a heart-warming place where doctors and nurses care for babies born too early or sick. The unit cares for around 500 premature and poorly babies each year – some born as early as 22 weeks.
For parents, it’s heart wrenching to leave a baby behind after birth. While they can be comforted by the fact they are in the right place to grow healthy, the bond is so strong that separation can be traumatic.
The Neonatal Unit currently has just three parent suites for mums and dads to stay overnight in hospital with their babies.
Bradford Hospitals’ Charity – the official charity of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – has pledged to raise £3million to fund an extension, which will house an extra FIVE en-suite bedrooms for parents.
The funds will also pay for:
- Refurbished living and kitchen spaces where parents can prepare food, eat and entertain their new baby’s brothers and sisters
- A tranquil garden sanctuary, where siblings can play and family members can find a quiet corner to talk and process what can sometimes be difficult news
- A dedicated indoor play area with toys, games and a selection of books to help distract and calm siblings who may be feeling worried or unsettled.
Consultant neonatologist Dr Chris Day, who has 42 years’ experience treating babies, said it was essential that parents played an active role in the care of their babies while on the unit and that the additional accommodation would enable more parents to stay close.
“Parents are partners in care,” he explained, “so we must have them here with their babies. It’s all part of the evolution of care. Separating babies from their parents can be damaging and make them less resilient, increasing the risk of longer term problems.”
He said the new accommodation would also empower staff to be able to deliver 21st century care in a 21st century facility.
“We have made enormous progress here in Bradford, establishing ourselves as a regional centre. While we have been able to fully refurbish our baby unit, we were not able to create the parent accommodation required. This will allow us to do so.”
Mum Monica Rai, of Clayton, Bradford, has experienced first-hand the trauma of leaving her newborn baby.
She said: “My daughter was born at 32 weeks which was triggered by various health complications.
“Leaving a newborn is challenging, but leaving a premature child is even more heart-wrenching than anyone can imagine.
“My life consisted of going home during the early hours of the morning, sleeping, waking up, showering and driving back to hospital. My body was depleted of energy and it was impossible to rest and recuperate. The emotional and mental impact was inexplicable.
“Knowing that I was close to my baby, and responding to her crying, would have enhanced the bonding experience between myself and my newborn, especially as this is vital to their development.
“The appeal to raise £3million to help construct accommodation for parents is heart-warming and exciting to hear. Having access to private lodgings will help aid recovery, improve mental and physical functioning, support with eating regularly, resting, sleeping and communicating. It would relieve the extra and unnecessary stressors, and cut out travelling time. This would be an absolute godsend to all parents of premature children.”
If you would like to help make the vision a reality, please make a donation to the BIG Neonatal Appeal by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/bradfordsbigneonatalappeal or call the Bradford Hospitals’ Charity team on 01274 274809.
