Breast cancer charity littlelifts delivers 1000th box to NNUH

Norfolk and Suffolk breast cancer charity, littlelifts, delivered its 1,000th box, since the charity’s launch over two years ago, to the Oncology Ward at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

Commenting on this week’s monumental delivery, Professor Nancy Fontaine, Chief Nurse at the NNUH said: “We are extremely grateful for the support from littlelifts and congratulate them on achieving this fantastic milestone. Reaching out to our breast cancer patients at a difficult stage of their treatment is invaluable and makes all the difference to their experience of chemotherapy.”

Attending this week’s monumental delivery, one of littlelifts’ past beneficiaries, Jill Ward was present to make the presentation to staff. Jill was diagnosed with primary breast cancer in January 2018, and after surgery, four rounds of chemotherapy, 25 daily radiotherapy sessions and 17 tri-weekly Herceptin injections, apart from ongoing inhibitor medication, she has now completed her treatment and is in good health. Jill received a littlelifts box in February 2018 during her chemo planning meeting. A few days later, she emailed littlelifts Founder, Oa Hackett to express her thanks.

Jill Ward said: “That very first chemotherapy meeting at the hospital was particularly overwhelming. I was confronted with a very long list of some unpleasant potential side effects. So when I opened the littlelifts box I felt as though someone, somewhere, at that moment, totally understood all my feelings, and had packed them in a box. I didn’t realise how helpful each item would be. It was received at exactly the right time, my lowest point, and nudged me through each bout of chemo.”

Later, Jill started volunteering for the charity by attending focus groups. She has also given a speech at the littlelift’s anniversary event and spoken at other public and corporate events on behalf of the charity.

Oa Hackett, founder of littlelifts said: “We are thrilled Jill has very recently joined our fantastic board of trustees. She has been an invaluable part over the last couple of years, and as a beneficiary of a littlelifts box, she will bring another perspective to the team. We feel very lucky to have her.”

During Covid-19, the charity has continued to operate and has rolled out several fundraising initiatives, including its ‘littlesteps’ campaign, ‘Run a Marathon in your Home’. Now, looking towards the coming months, the charity now also appealing to the local community to support a new initiative it will be launching at the end of the summer to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Oa Hackett concluded: “The 1000th box stands for so many things – the fact that we have reached 1,000 boxes is a huge milestone for our small charity and we are so pleased we have been able to support so many women with a ‘little lift’. Chemotherapy is a different experience for every women, but we are pleased we have been able to make a difference during, what is often, a tough time. I would like to say a personal thank you to every women who has taken the time to share their feedback with us and to the dedicated Breast and Oncology Teams we work with.”

“I’d also like to express our heartfelt thanks to our devoted and generous Founding Patron, Belinda Gray from Art for Cure and sponsor Sinclair International, who has been instrumental in our success – both have made such generous contributions, we really couldn’t have achieved this without our cherished partners and everyone who has raised funds, partnered or volunteered for littlelifts – as a result we’ve been able to support 1,000 women in our region. We are grateful to you all.”

For more information go to https://www.littlelifts.org.uk/

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Notes to editors:

About littlelifts

Charity, littlelifts was launched in 2017 by Founder Oa Hackett, who at aged 28 was diagnosed with primary breast cancer. Leading up to and during her chemotherapy treatment, Oa was fortunate to have a support network of friends and family to help her along the way, many of whom lifted those down days with a few little treats to relieve some of the side effects she experienced. The impact these small tokens had on Oa’s wellbeing was huge, and so the concept of ‘littlelifts’ was born.