Thank you Team Oncology

Team Oncology thank you gathering

A huge thank you from FORCE and everyone our charity supports to the team of RD&E cancer specialists who have raised nearly £9,000 for us.

Team Oncology did it by completing sponsored laps of the Wonford site over the course of a working week.

And the fantastic news is, they’re considering another fundraiser for 2021.

Eighty-six people took part in the challenge to run or walk two-kilometre circuits around the perimeter of the RD&E campus, before and after work and during their breaks

They completed a total of 642 laps, covering 1,284 kilometres or nearly 800 miles.

Inspired

The team included doctors, radiographers, physicists, head and neck specialists, paediatricians, nurses, a dietician and managers. Thank you to Tina Gross, Lead Cancer Nurse at the RDE

The idea came from FORCE trustee Dr Jenny Forrest, a clinical oncologist and radiotherapy lead at the RD&E.

“It was inspired by then Captain and now Colonel Tom Moore,” explains Jenny.

“A colleague flippantly said why don’t we do laps of the hospital. I pondered on this over the weekend and came up with the plan of NHS staff using their hour’s exercise permitted by COVID to walk/run laps around the hospital.

“We paced the route that came out as just under 2km. Thus, staff could sign up for an hour session each day in their breaks/before/after work to participate.

“We had 1-7 people exercising everyday Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:00.

Challenge

“There was a personal challenge of how many laps could be completed in an hour and for how many days as well as some good-humoured rivalry.

“Everyone enjoyed participating in the event that promoted exercise and so wellbeing, raised money for FORCE, a charity close to all our hearts, and provided a distraction from work related stress.

“There is a feeling we need to repeat this next year, maybe differently without the COVID distancing restrictions.

“The support from staff and supporters was amazing and we are very proud to have been able to raise money for FORCE.

“As a FORCE trustee and consultant oncologist I was overwhelmed by the success of the event and yes, maybe we will build on this and organise another event next year as a reminder of this year’s challenges.”

The total raised by Team Oncology is now an incredible £8881.15.

Thank you so much to everyone involved – whether you made a donation, walked or ran laps of the Royal Devon & Exeter site.

It’s hugely-appreciated.

Team Oncology thank you gathering outside