The Ice Bucket Challenge Hits the NNUH

A team of eight nurses tackled the ice bucket challenge yesterday (1st October) to help raise awareness and money for a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).

The team from the Respiratory Department works with patients across a wide range of respiratory conditions including pulmonary fibrosis. The Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis charity has supported the creation of a support group at the hospital for people living with this condition. The group has been hugely successful with more than 50 people attending each meeting.

Sandra Olive, Respiratory Nurse Specialist, wanted to give something back to the charity which has supported the hospital and decided to support IPF Awareness week which aims to highlight this particular disease to the public. It is not known why some people develop the illness and, at present, there is no curative treatment. Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (APF) provides information and promotes the funding of research into better understanding of the condition.

Sandra said: “Our department helps people with many different lung conditions. IPF is one of the rarer lung diseases – most people have never heard of it and it is poorly understood. People living with the condition have progressive and worsening breathlessness affecting all daily activities. We wanted to do something different as a team to bring attention to this condition. The Ice Bucket Challenge seemed a good way to do something a bit out of the ordinary that will certainly take our breath away, if only for a moment!”

Louise Cook, Fundraising Manager said, “Many charities have been helped by the ice bucket challenge and our nurses wanted to do something topical and very different from their normal role. The support the APF have given the hospital in setting up the support group has made a real difference and we are really pleased that our team our supporting this charity.”

For further information about NNUH and to find out how to support the hospital charity and in particular the NNUH respiratory fund then please contact call 01603 287107 or visit www.nnuh.nhs.uk

To sponsor the ice bucket challenge for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis then please go to www.justgiving.com/teams/RespNurses