By Isle of Wight Observer
The stroke unit, at St Mary’s Hospital, were delighted to receive a generous cheque after a successful Christmas raffle.
The team were grateful to Steve Sharpe, and his daughter, Leanne, who secured many prizes from Island businesses. The raffle raised an impressive £2,556.
When Val Sharpe suffered a serious stroke, in June 2023, her ongoing recovery was provided by the stroke unit.
Mrs Sharpe said: “As part of my recovery I spent time in the day room, doing arts and crafts, like painting. After learning that the staff hold a Christmas raffle, I knew my husband, Steve, would know of people who would be willing to donate.
“We thought it would be nice to raise some money for the ward, so if patients cannot get out of bed, trolleys could be brought into them, and they could paint in their beds. It helps with recovery, but also helps provide company to those that do not have visitors.”
Mr Sharpe added: “Donating this cheque is a way to say ‘Thank you’ to the staff, and will go towards helping others who also need the unit.
“It is all thanks to local businesses for donating such wonderful prizes that the raffle tickets sold extremely well. We cannot thank them and those who helped sell the tickets enough for making this such a success.”
Ward sister, Debbie Wiggins, said: “The overall amount raised is phenomenal, and will be used to purchase a new Sara Stedy hoist for the stroke unit. This is a piece of manual-handling equipment which is fantastic at helping patients regain some independence. Any remaining funds will be used to purchase resources for our patient activity co-ordinator, Kerry. This will include books, jigsaws, and craft items to help enhance the patient experience.”
