“Funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity enables us to enhance the patient and family experience and care. It gives us the ability to go the extra mile.”

Samantha Oakes is a family support worker based at the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Care Centre at Seacroft Hospital, providing a listening ear, practical guidance and emotional support to make sure that the patient and their family has the right access and know about every service they're entitled to.

Sam’s new role is funded by the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and thanks to donations we have also been able to support her important work.

Motor Neurone Disease is a rare, progressive illness that affects the whole family, which is why Sam applied for funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity to support pre and post bereavement care for children and adults.

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                                       Read More: An exciting update - The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease 

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With the funding, Sam purchased memory making kits such as memory boxes, hand prints, locks of hair and pocket hugs. Sam bought books for anticipatory grief for adults and children at the centre, helping them navigate the bereavement process, as a less daunting way to discuss death. This allows loved ones to interview the person with MND as a way of finding out some fun facts about them and creating a memory.

Jigsaws and games were also purchased to be offered in clinic or at home as a way to calm nerves and tend to anxiety, especially whilst suffering from anticipatory grief. 

The MND Clinic can be long in duration and emotionally and physically tiring for patients and their family. Through funding, the clinic is now able to offer refreshments whilst visiting the clinic to enhance their experience and help them feel more at home. Refreshments include tea, coffee, biscuits and soup.

The feedback that Sam and her colleagues at the Motor Neurone Disease Care Centre have received from families has been phenomenal. Sam told us:

“The memory making kits have been an invaluable resource and the funding has had a massive impact on patients and their family’s experience while going through an incredibly difficult time. Patients often tell us that they have wanted to start memory making activities with their loves ones but didn’t know how and having this available at the centre has helped give them some peace of mind.”

Find out more about Rob Burrow Centre for MND Appeal here