Pictured above at Withybush Hospital are members of the Masons Lodges of South Wales Western Division. Back row, from left, are Tudor Thomas, Charles Hughes, Peter Roberts, David Howells, Stephen Hookey, Ian James, Mark Williams, John Bowen and Bob Bowen (Ward 10 manager). Front row are Sisters in Charge, Tracy and Suzanne, with seated the Provincial Grand Master of the Area, Dr. John B. Lloyd, Chris Evans-Thomas and Dr. Harry Grubb (haematology consultant of the CDU).
They are presenting a cheque for £19,750 towards the new state-of-the-art Cancer Care Day Unit being built on Ward 10. The money donated to the hospital comes entirely from within the organisation; no fund-raising appeals are ever made to the public. The charitable funds derive from collections in lodge meetings and the regular giving by some 1,700 Freemasons in the Province.
Castlemartin Lodge donated £5,000, Provincial Charity £8,750, Cleddau Lodge £3,000, Cambrian Lodge, Haverfordwest, £2,000 and £1,000 from the proceeds of a cheese and wine evening held by the two Haverfordwest Lodges. More information about Freemasonry can be found at the website, http://www.swwd.org">www.swwd.org.
The plans for the new unit have been scrutinised and changed several times, making certain everyone involved has had their input. Visits to other hospital units have been undertaken by Adam's Bucketful of Hope Appeal Committee and doctors from the unit to ensure that Pembrokeshire will be at the cutting edge with the latest layout and technology available.
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When questioned about the uncertain future of the hospital unit, Adam's mother, Chris Evans-Thomas, commented: "I am more than happy with the written reassurances I've been given by the hospital. We cannot stand in the way of progress, change is happening all around and we have to acknowledge this.
"From our point of view, Adam had the new chemotherapy drugs that could be given orally and by injection which was why Withybush was so vital to us - it meant that he was monitored very carefully 'home' here, not in Cardiff; he was given a quality of life that he would not have had otherwise.
"His employers were extremely understanding and supportive in allowing him a late morning start when he needed to attend the unit on Ward 10 for testing. I do not think this would have been the case if he had to 'pop' into Cardiff's unit every week. Adam was allowed to live a full life, with holidays, sport and work woven around the superb care of the team that looked after him.
"As a family we had the reassurance of knowing that not only was help a phone call away, but that assistance was five minutes down the road and action was immediate as soon as we arrived in the unit.
"Alas, not all chemotherapy can be given this way as yet - so many cancer patients still have to attend Swansea and Cardiff for their transfused chemotherapy which has to be monitored very carefully as with blood transfusions and this takes time (four hours per unit of blood or blood product).
"In the future, as these new drugs evolve - more patients will use this unit to monitor their cancers, travel less, as their doctors will confer over the web, as is already happening now.
"Whatever the future, Pembrokeshire people have responded and given a clear indication of their feelings towards Withybush Hospital. They have put their hands in their pockets to upgrade the cancer services and so far the total for the new unit is over £230,000 - we are nearing our goal of a quarter-of-a-million and who knows maybe we may even surpass it?"