Angel of the Year: Bulstrode Oncology Unit

THE STAFF of the Bulstrode Oncology Unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital have been nominated for the Ravenscroft-sponsored Angel of the Year award.

Nominator Tony Holland was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma last year.

Mr Holland said: ‘Worrying about the next few months of treatment was made so much easier due to the care and compassion of all the nurses at Bulstrode house. Dealing with this horrible illness on a day to day basis, knowing lots don’t survive, must take a special type of person.

‘They treat every patient with the most wonderful care, special nurses they certainly are.

‘Thankfully I’m now in remission after countless visits to Bulstrode and Southampton.

‘These amazing ladies deserve to be nominated.’

The unit provides outpatient services to adults with a cancer diagnosis.

There is currently a team of six nurses at Bulstrode.

‘We support patients by helping them from their diagnosis to treatment. We also help them to deal with any side-effects,’ said clinical nurse specialist Helen Robinson, who has been working in the Bulstrode Oncology Unit for 20 years.

The unit is supported by the Walk the Walk charity, which provides and maintains two scalp cooling machines that may help to reduce the amount of hair lost during treatment.