News Archive
Gift is a tonic for young patients
YOUNGSTERS on Ward S3 at Sheffield Children’s Hospital can now enjoy a change of scenery following the donation of two new wheelchairs from leading mobility specialist Remploy Healthcare.
As the leading supplier of wheelchairs to the NHS, Remploy Healthcare was delighted to come to the rescue of the ward, which was in desperate need of extra chairs to enable the children to move around the hospital safely and comfortably.
Remploy donated two general-purpose attendant propelled 9Trl wheelchairs, which are ideally suited for use in a hospital environment owing to the model’s ease of use, durability and longevity in addition to its lightweight steel frame that enables safer handling and transportation.
The children can now leave the ward and visit the canteen or park with their parents.
It was a family friend, whose son was receiving treatment on the ward, who made Remploy’s Product Manager Carl Jarvis aware of the hospital’s plight and Carl and his fellow colleagues at Remploy Chesterfield were more than happy to help.
Carl said: “Being in hospital is a difficult time for anyone but it’s particularly hard for children who are used to being able to move around freely and play with their friends. Knowing first hand how important good quality wheelchairs are, not just for transporting the kids to and from surgery but also allowing them to take a break from the ward, I was keen to help and hopefully, make the children’s stay in hospital that little bit easier.”
YOUNGSTERS on Ward S3 at Sheffield Children’s Hospital can now enjoy a change of scenery following the donation of two new wheelchairs from leading mobility specialist Remploy Healthcare.
As the leading supplier of wheelchairs to the NHS, Remploy Healthcare was delighted to come to the rescue of the ward, which was in desperate need of extra chairs to enable the children to move around the hospital safely and comfortably.
Remploy donated two general-purpose attendant propelled 9Trl wheelchairs, which are ideally suited for use in a hospital environment owing to the model’s ease of use, durability and longevity in addition to its lightweight steel frame that enables safer handling and transportation.
The children can now leave the ward and visit the canteen or park with their parents.
It was a family friend, whose son was receiving treatment on the ward, who made Remploy’s Product Manager Carl Jarvis aware of the hospital’s plight and Carl and his fellow colleagues at Remploy Chesterfield were more than happy to help.
Carl said: “Being in hospital is a difficult time for anyone but it’s particularly hard for children who are used to being able to move around freely and play with their friends. Knowing first hand how important good quality wheelchairs are, not just for transporting the kids to and from surgery but also allowing them to take a break from the ward, I was keen to help and hopefully, make the children’s stay in hospital that little bit easier.”
Brave Jamie succeeds at titanium man challenge
QUADRUPLE amputee Jamie Andrew completed the biggest challenge yet of his sporting life when he did a titanium man challenge.
The mountaineer, who lost both his feet and hands in an Alpine accident eight years ago - has been preparing for the 24 hour event which features a two-and-a-half mile swim, followed by a 112-mile cycle, finished off with a marathon for more than a year.
He said: “The swim was probably the hardest part as the water was cold, choppy and very intimidating at six in the morning. The cycle was not helped by a strong headwind for the first half but I stayed tucked in behind my cycle team and we made good steady progress the whole way. The run/walk was a long, gruelling effort through a drizzly night on sore stumps, but by now the end was in sight and nothing was going to stop me.”
Jamie wore artificial limbs when cycling and running, but entered Loch Tay in just a wetsuit, relying on the strength of his arms, amputated at the wrist, to power him through the water.
The 37-year-old hopes his efforts will raise in the region of £50,000 and help get his new charity 500 Miles for amputee organisations across the world, off to a flying start. He launched his charity with fellow quadruple amputee Olivia Giles.
Olivia was a partner in the commercial property department of a large law firm when she contracted the blood poisoning form of meningitis in February 2002, which led to her losing her hands and feet.
He added: “I simply couldn't have done it without all the help I received. Fundraising is going fantastically well and we are well on our way to reaching the target. Thanks so much to everyone who has given so generously. The money will make a real difference to amputees less fortunate than myself.”
Jamie's never-say-die attitude has won him widespread admiration since his almost fatal accident in the Alps. His climbing companion and close friend Jamie Fisher did not survive the ordeal, which left the pair of them stranded for five days in fierce conditions. Since then, Jamie has devoted his life to recovery, and then helping others.
Jamie drew up the titanium man challenge himself and completed it alone.
QUADRUPLE amputee Jamie Andrew completed the biggest challenge yet of his sporting life when he did a titanium man challenge.
The mountaineer, who lost both his feet and hands in an Alpine accident eight years ago - has been preparing for the 24 hour event which features a two-and-a-half mile swim, followed by a 112-mile cycle, finished off with a marathon for more than a year.
He said: “The swim was probably the hardest part as the water was cold, choppy and very intimidating at six in the morning. The cycle was not helped by a strong headwind for the first half but I stayed tucked in behind my cycle team and we made good steady progress the whole way. The run/walk was a long, gruelling effort through a drizzly night on sore stumps, but by now the end was in sight and nothing was going to stop me.”
Jamie wore artificial limbs when cycling and running, but entered Loch Tay in just a wetsuit, relying on the strength of his arms, amputated at the wrist, to power him through the water.
The 37-year-old hopes his efforts will raise in the region of £50,000 and help get his new charity 500 Miles for amputee organisations across the world, off to a flying start. He launched his charity with fellow quadruple amputee Olivia Giles.
Olivia was a partner in the commercial property department of a large law firm when she contracted the blood poisoning form of meningitis in February 2002, which led to her losing her hands and feet.
He added: “I simply couldn't have done it without all the help I received. Fundraising is going fantastically well and we are well on our way to reaching the target. Thanks so much to everyone who has given so generously. The money will make a real difference to amputees less fortunate than myself.”
Jamie's never-say-die attitude has won him widespread admiration since his almost fatal accident in the Alps. His climbing companion and close friend Jamie Fisher did not survive the ordeal, which left the pair of them stranded for five days in fierce conditions. Since then, Jamie has devoted his life to recovery, and then helping others.
Jamie drew up the titanium man challenge himself and completed it alone.
Athletes bid to inspire amputees
SOUTH African sprint star Oscar Pistorius and British ultra-marathon runner Richard Whitehead were the special guests at Ossur Academy UK’s first major sport and fitness workshop.
The event at the Macclesfield Leisure Centre Attracted almost 100 delegates and aimed to boost the confidence and sporting skills of British amputees, inspiring them to get active and fulfill their potential.
Also there to start the day in style was Paralympic gold medal winner Marc Woods. Within seconds he had his audience captivated, gearing everyone up nicely for a day of 'getting stuck in.'
The action-packed event consisted of lectures and demonstrations on a number of sporting activities, including running classes, fitness assessments and advanced physiotherapy. Participants came from prosthetic centres nationwide.
Oscar highlighted the need for sporting wanabees to first of all get fit. "I've managed to overcome conventional barriers and boundaries," he said. "I don't treat running like a hobby - for me, it's a career.
"But I think it's important that when you get new amputees or people who have been amputees for a very long time, they have got that partial hurdle of getting active, getting fit. I think that's an important step to take. There are people at this event who can achieve something in sport, but perhaps right now think that they can't. All they can think of is that they're an amputee and the possibility doesn't exist for them, but Richard and I are here to show them what's possible."
UK Athletics coach Glyn Tromans was there, explaining his role and throwing down the gauntlet. "To secure a place in our national Paralympic team, you've got to be good," he said. "But I look after 22 athletes and only one of them is a leg amputee and only one is an arm amputee, so there are certainly opportunities there for the taking.
SOUTH African sprint star Oscar Pistorius and British ultra-marathon runner Richard Whitehead were the special guests at Ossur Academy UK’s first major sport and fitness workshop.
The event at the Macclesfield Leisure Centre Attracted almost 100 delegates and aimed to boost the confidence and sporting skills of British amputees, inspiring them to get active and fulfill their potential.
Also there to start the day in style was Paralympic gold medal winner Marc Woods. Within seconds he had his audience captivated, gearing everyone up nicely for a day of 'getting stuck in.'
The action-packed event consisted of lectures and demonstrations on a number of sporting activities, including running classes, fitness assessments and advanced physiotherapy. Participants came from prosthetic centres nationwide.
Oscar highlighted the need for sporting wanabees to first of all get fit. "I've managed to overcome conventional barriers and boundaries," he said. "I don't treat running like a hobby - for me, it's a career.
"But I think it's important that when you get new amputees or people who have been amputees for a very long time, they have got that partial hurdle of getting active, getting fit. I think that's an important step to take. There are people at this event who can achieve something in sport, but perhaps right now think that they can't. All they can think of is that they're an amputee and the possibility doesn't exist for them, but Richard and I are here to show them what's possible."
UK Athletics coach Glyn Tromans was there, explaining his role and throwing down the gauntlet. "To secure a place in our national Paralympic team, you've got to be good," he said. "But I look after 22 athletes and only one of them is a leg amputee and only one is an arm amputee, so there are certainly opportunities there for the taking.
Glyn bids to improve care of Russians
A SALFORD University academic is hoping to do his bit to improve Anglo-Russian relations after he was awarded a grant from the EU to improve the care of people with prosthetic limbs in the Russian Federation.
Dr Glyn Heath of the School of Health Care Professions received £297,000 from the EU to help establish a Western European style of prosthetics training and care in a country which has a higher than average number of amputees.
Industrial accidents and injuries from landmines in places such as Chechnya are common causes of people requiring prosthetic limbs, and though equipment is generally good, there are some areas of training which Glyn feels can be improved.
Glyn, who also runs a company Lacerta Rehabilitation Ltd, which makes artificial limbs for animals and humans, said: “I’ll be working at the St. Petersburg Institute of Prosthetics with colleagues from Finland to try and address any needs in the training system.
“At the moment the Russian scientists feel that they are not getting the best out of the equipment they have, so we’ll be helping them with this and developing a training system that can be used across the country.”
Glyn will be making his first visit to St Petersburg in November and will return for two weeks three or four times a year until the project is completed.
A SALFORD University academic is hoping to do his bit to improve Anglo-Russian relations after he was awarded a grant from the EU to improve the care of people with prosthetic limbs in the Russian Federation.
Dr Glyn Heath of the School of Health Care Professions received £297,000 from the EU to help establish a Western European style of prosthetics training and care in a country which has a higher than average number of amputees.
Industrial accidents and injuries from landmines in places such as Chechnya are common causes of people requiring prosthetic limbs, and though equipment is generally good, there are some areas of training which Glyn feels can be improved.
Glyn, who also runs a company Lacerta Rehabilitation Ltd, which makes artificial limbs for animals and humans, said: “I’ll be working at the St. Petersburg Institute of Prosthetics with colleagues from Finland to try and address any needs in the training system.
“At the moment the Russian scientists feel that they are not getting the best out of the equipment they have, so we’ll be helping them with this and developing a training system that can be used across the country.”
Glyn will be making his first visit to St Petersburg in November and will return for two weeks three or four times a year until the project is completed.
