Cancer survivor Vickie Spokes, 41, presented the team on ward J93 at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds with a charitable donation following an epic night of music gigs.
Vickie and her partner Neil Webster, who run the Orange Grove pub in Knaresborough, handed over the cheque for over £1000 to the specialist cancer unit, to provide comforts for patients and staff.
The money was raised through a single evening of 11 half-hour gigs in 11 Knaresborough pubs. Neil’s cousin and owner of the Orange Grove, Liam Gray, and guitarist Mikey Stockburn, completed the musical challenge in July this year and there was lots of support from the local community for their efforts.
Their efforts came about after Vickie was diagnosed with throat cancer in summer 2015 and was immediately referred for chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the Leeds Cancer Centre, based at St James’s.
Her illness saw her admitted to hospital and requiring care on oncology ward J93 for four months between September to December last year.
Vickie said:
I would just like to say a massive thank you to all the doctors, nurses, health care workers, cleaners and everyone else on the ward who helped to look after me. The care was second to none and I will be eternally grateful to the team.
Neil and I wanted to do something good in return, so following a conversation with Liam and Mikey, we decided to go for 11 gigs in 11 pubs!
It was an absolutely wonderful evening and it was fantastic to see so many people coming out to support such a worthy cause.
Senior Sister Sara Muckle said:
We were all really pleased to see Vickie doing so well following her treatment last year. This wonderful donation will now go towards comforts on the ward for our patients and staff!
Vickie and Neil are now looking forward to their wedding, which will be taking place in December – a year after Vickie was discharged.
