Beauty bags help patients at St John's Hospice

Sue Ryder’s St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger welcomed cancer poverty charity Something To Look Forward To as they gifted Victoria Green beauty bags to patients.

The event was the culmination of an online shopping campaign which saw Victoria Green donate a beauty bag to the charity for every order placed on their website between November 23 and December 1.

Victoria Green, founder and designer of Victoria Green, said: “We believe in supporting those facing a challenging Christmas, so we set out to offer our customers the ability to donate a gift to those in need, whilst they shopped for their own Christmas presents.

“The response was brilliant, with people contacting us to tell us how thrilled they were to be able to support others. We are delighted to have delivered over 2,500 beauty bags to our partner Something To Look Forward To, who will in turn personally deliver these to people currently undergoing treatment for cancer this Christmas in Bedfordshire.”

Fiona Coldron, co-founder of Something To Look Forward To added: “As a charity, we usually give families affected by cancer poverty ‘something to look forward to’ outside of the hospital environment like a restaurant meal, hotel stay or spa break.

“This Christmas, which also marks our second birthday, we have done something a bit different and delivered the donated Victoria Green Bags to people undergoing active treatment at the Sue Ryder Bedfordshire hospice. As someone with experience of a cancer diagnosis, I am sure this will bring a much-needed boost during what is an extremely difficult time; physically, emotionally and financially. In total, we are delivering approximately £12,000 worth of gifts to people affected by cancer in Bedfordshire and this would not have been possible without the support of Victoria Green.”

Something To Look Forward To is a social action charity improving the lives of people affected by cancer and cancer poverty in the UK. Since May 2017, the charity has been delivering their unique service in Bedfordshire funded by the Luton and Bedfordshire Community Foundation.

Something To Look Forward To provides donated gifts and experiences to cancer patients and their friends, families and carers including restaurant meals, hotel stays, spa breaks, clothes bundles and much more. It works closely with local hospitals, hospices and cancer support groups across in Bedfordshire to ensure they reach those most in need. All their gifts and experiences have been generously donated by kind and caring individuals and businesses, highlighting the charities social action ethos that, when it comes to cancer, we are all in this together.

The charity was founded and set up by Fiona Coldron, BCAc who has direct personal experience of a cancer diagnosis and the impact this has on the self, family and finances. The charity is now run by Fiona and her family who work to improve the lives of other families affected by cancer. This Christmas, to mark the charity’s 2nd birthday, they are doing something a little different by delivering Christmas presents to patients undergoing cancer treatment in hospital, including Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice.

Victoria Green has previously partnered with the charity in the summer of 2017, donating a number of beauty bags which were distributed around the UK. This resulted in the following feedback:

“I’m a single parent fighting breast cancer and rarely treat myself so to receive a much needed new washbag was such a pleasure. Thank you.” - gift recipient.

“When our ladies are going through treatment for breast cancer; whether they’re having chemotherapy or surgery, they experience loss of self-esteem and their confidence takes a real battering. Our ladies have to cope with hair loss and change of body image; especially those who have had mastectomies and they experience a whole array of emotions. These gifts are so welcoming because it shows that charities like yourselves care about women in their situation and you offer gifts that they are not likely to be able to afford to buy for themselves as they would see it as luxury and many of our ladies are on very limited incomes and just able to pay their bills.” - Macmillan Breast Care Nurse.

If you are, or know somebody who is affected by cancer or you would like to give a gift to give someone ‘something to look forward to’ please visit www.somethingtolookforwardto.org.uk