Led by Freda Chapman at the LMB, our staff raised £695 for Marie Curie, a registered charitable organisation, which provides care and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families.
Freda, who is part of LMB’s Domestic Services team, started her fundraising efforts last November by inviting LMB staff to donate money towards daffodil and narcissi bulbs. Close to 1,000 bulbs were planted outside the LMB building on Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, assisted by Alison Turnock and the LMB wellbeing team. And now that it is spring, all the bulbs are sprouting in the sunnier climate. These bulbs were generously donated by Scotsdales Garden Centre to help raise funds for Marie Curie. Freda and her bulbs raised £540.15.
And this month, during the Great Daffodil Appeal by Marie Curie, Freda collected another £155.05, bring the total to £695.20.
Freda is a tireless cheerleader for the cause and plans on continuing the fundraising. “I collect because I lost my mum, dad and two Sisters to cancer, and my brother also had cancer. So, this is a good way to give back the help my family received,” she says.
An ageing population means more and more people are living with terminal illnesses, such as dementia, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Marie Curie provides support to patients and their families to help them achieve the best quality of life and maintain independence for as long as possible. They do this by providing medicines and therapies to treat and manage pain, and give emotional support. Marie Curie is also the UK’s largest charitable funder of palliative and end of life care research.
Last year, staff at the LMB had raised £226.77 for Marie Curie as part of “The Great Daffodil Appeal”. A big thank you to everyone who donated and particularly Freda for volunteering her time and efforts.
Further references:
Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal
April 2019: LMB raises over £200 for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal