A NEWLY FORMED charity is looking to business to help its work with cancer patients get off the ground.
Al’s Pals is a service offered to all cancer patients in Milton Keynes. Al’s Pals is named after Alan Dumbell who received cancer treatment at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
Alan noticed that although he was surrounded by his loving family throughout his treatment, he still felt very lonely and lost at times and often discussed having a ‘buddy’ to support and help him where he felt things were missing.
It is his legacy to have a cancer buddy scheme like this and with the passion of his daughter Suzanne Brown and the support of Macmillan and MKUH, Al’s Pals has been born.
Suzanne has received no funding in setting up Al’s Pals but the passion to support cancer patients in her father’s memory inspires her to make the Al’s Pals charity a success.
Al’s Pals launched in March, one week before the government imposed the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has been a testing time for the charity, says Suzanne, and her volunteers are supporting chemotherapy patients during their treatment by offering refreshments and chatting to them during these stressful times.
“Sadly, the patients are not allowed visitors so to have someone to talk to is a relief and can help them take their minds off their treatment,” she adds.
Al’s Pals is looking for businesses to consider them for their Charity of the Year. The money raised will assist significantly in the charity’s work supporting as many patients as they can by chatting to them on a one to one basis
“Our volunteers could offer them a cup of coffee, maybe bring them a magazine or a small gift,” says Suzanne. “For those with a terminal prognosis, our aim is to provide a gift such as afternoon tea or a theatre trip to hopefully make them smile and eradicate that small bit of worry and stress that they are going through.
“Cancer affects one in two people and we need as much support as possible. As a business you can help us do that.”
For more information on the charity or to receive a fundraising pack, call 07745 601047, email info@alspalsmk.co.uk or visit www.alspalsmk.co.uk
