MORE than £100,000 has been raised in just a month after an appeal was launched to complete the refurbishment of a pioneering children’s cancer unit in Southampton.

The Piam Bown ward needed a substantial overhaul to update facilities in order to meet the needs of the scores of children who receive treatment there.

The Daily Echo last month launched the ‘Final Push for Piam Brown’ to support the appeal by Southampton Hospital Charity to raise £150,000 that would fund the final phase of the refit.

After a mammoth effort by supporters of the unit, which coincided with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, the total figure which has been raised now stands at £110,000.

Jeneen Thomsen, head of major gifts at Southampton Hospital Charity, says: “We are thrilled by the public’s support of our Piam Brown specialist children’s cancer unit here in Southampton.

“Treating over 120 children every year from across the South, the ward’s 24-hour care and dedicated team of passionate staff help to make a difficult time more manageable.

“This September, during childhood cancer awareness month, you have helped us to raise £110,000, which is incredible!

"However the appeal is far from over. We still have £40,000 to raise before the ward re-opens to the patients in three weeks time.

“Thank you again to everyone who has already donated, and to those who had plans to do so.”

Work on the refurbishment scheme at the unit based at Southampton General Hospital, began in April.

Initially launched as a £1.13 million renovation solely funded through University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, it was later extended to incorporate an additional £550,000, with the final part of that figure being raised through a fundraising drive led by Southampton Hospital Charity.

The extra funding will help pay for increased capacity at the unit, in addition to the original expansion plans .

The charitable funds will also cover a new disabled toilet, storage facilities, consultation and quiet rooms, waiting area and a kitchen for parents – with all designs for the new unit developed in collaboration with current and former patients and their families.

The unit, which sees more than 120 new patients a year from across the south of England, was opened in 1988 and since then it has become a national and European centre of excellence for neuroblastoma and the development of immunotherapy treatments - making it one of only 20 specialist paediatric oncology units in the UK.

The reputation of the unit as a regional treatment centre has seen money flood in from across the South.

A major boost came in the form of a £65,000 donation from the Port Regis school in Dorset who raised the staggering amount of cash through a charity school ball and fete.

A £67, 672.66 cheque from the independent school based in Shaftesbury was handed over to Southampton Hospitals Charity at a special assembly.

Charity coordinator Rachel Funnell said: “You cannot imagine the difference this amount of money will make.

"The donation will be used towards the refurbishment of Piam Brown ward that is currently underway and will give us the opportunity to purchase so many things that we didn’t think we would be able to.

"A massive thank you to all the Port Regis community for supporting us so enthusiastically this year.”

Daily Echo:

THE appeal has also been boost by a donation of £2,500 after golfers took to the course for charity.

Wickham Park Golf Club was the venue for Bitterne Park Golf Society Captain’s Charity Day with Society Captain John Harlow choosing the Piam Brown as the beneficiary.

After the customary bacon roll and coffee 33 club members took to the course for 18 holes of golf with Richard Bauck, emerging as the winner.

The golf was followed by prize giving, raffle and auction which raised about £2500.

If you would like to support the appeal, please donate or contact the Southampton Hospital Charity office on 023 8120 8881.

Alternatively you can text PIAM16 then your amount to 70070 to make a quick and easy donation via your phone.

Are you planning a fundraiser for Piam Brown? Contact the Daily Echo on 023 8042 4522 or email sian.davies@dailyecho.co.uk.