All good news at stroke fundraising launch

Miss Rachel Fitzgerald, Physiotherapist with the St. James’s Hospital stroke service. She is pictured with one of the panels featured in a current information display about the service. The display is in the hospital concourse and continues until April 16th.  

At the spring launch of a fundraising campaign for the St. James’s Hospital stroke service, donors, friends and staff heard about improved services and outcomes for stroke patients and heard that €130,000 had so far been given to the fund. It was all good news; former stroke patients who had made excellent recoveries mingled with local friends and staff of the hospital’s stroke team. The Stroke 2010 fundraising campaign aims to fundraise €250,000 before the end of 2010 and funds raised will be used to provide specialist facilities and increase staff expertise – both aimed at enabling further improvements to the service and ensuring outcomes for patients that will be consistent with best practice throughout the world.

St. James’s Hospital admits between 400 and 450 stroke patients annually from all over Ireland – more than is admitted to any other hospital in the state. The hospital is focused on supporting stroke patients by developing organised specialist care and, since 2006, has reduced the one-month mortality from 18% to 11% and the average length of stay has been reduced by seven days. Contrary to the sense of disaster normally associated with stroke, Dr Joe Harbison, Consultant Stroke Physician at St. James’s said he believes and it is his experience that the great majority of patients can make an excellent recovery. He said: “We just need to be organised to react immediately when someone has a stroke and, most importantly, we need to begin patients’ rehabilitation as soon as possible – if possible the day patients come into hospital.”

Prof Donald Weir, Chairman of St. James’s Hospital Foundation, said he was most gratified by the recognition that stroke disease was now receiving both at St. James’s and among the wider public. He thanked all of the generous companies and individuals who had so far supported the fundraising campaign and, referring to the ambition to raise €250,000 before the year-end he said: “We will also hope to raise more new friends in the process.” Plans to fundraise the balance needed include a Golf Classic in May and a Fun Run in July. 

Prof Tom Mitchell, the Chairman of St. James’s Hospital Board, welcomed guests and emphasised that the hospital’s aim to provide the best possible service for patients is possible only with support given from private individuals. 

Guests heard lovely music provided by a group of four harpists named Ceoltóirí Carolan and mingled at a spring-themed party provided by the Kylemore Café and Griffin’s Londis. These three suppliers to the event most generously gave their services and products at no cost for the benefit of the cause and St. James’s Hospital Foundation is grateful as always for this support. To view pictures from the event, please click here.

An information display about the stroke service is ongoing in the hospital until April 16th 2010 and, for more information about the Stroke 2010 fundraising campaign, please click here.

Contact Us

St. James’s Hospital Foundation
St. James’s Hospital
James’s Street
Dublin 8

Telephone 01 428 4086
Email foundation@stjames.ie