In February, members from Consett Rotary visited Daft As A Brush Cancer Patient Care in Newcastle. They were privileged to meet the founder, Brian Burnie and his team to present them with £500.00 from their fundraising Burns Night event held in January. We were very warmly welcomed and had time to chat over tea and biscuits and hear Brian’s amazing story and his plans for the future. This charity provides much-needed transport to cancer patients, getting them to and from their appointments in style.
One of our members Jeff Farnsworth was a recipient of this remarkable cancer patient care and we were introduced to them through him. He recounts his story below:
“My name is Jeff Farnsworth, and I am a surviving Prostate Cancer patient who was supported by the incredible charity “Daft as a Brush”. In May 2022 after the results of a routine PSA test, the doctor referred me to the Urology Department at Sunderland Royal Hospital for further checks for possible Prostate Cancer. Not having any symptoms other than more frequent trips to the bathroom through the night! I had no concerns and was sure everything was going to be fine.
After an MRI scan, a bone scan, a CT scan, followed by a rather uncomfortable biopsy, I received the devastating diagnosis of an aggressive form of Prostate Cancer, which would require further treatment. No sooner had I received the news from the Oncologist than a very pretty nurse bent me over and gave me a hormone injection, the start of my treatment! I was then scheduled for a re-sectioning operation on my prostate, which took place around three weeks later.
The next phase of the treatment was Radiotherapy which was scheduled to be carried out at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in early October. I was advised that this would be every day for 20 consecutive days (exc. weekends). I was clearly very stressed at the diagnosi,s which was then compounded by the thought of travelling every day from Consett to the Freeman Hospital, not only the difficulty of the journey itself but the hassle of parking, not knowing how I would react to the treatment.
Then my Oncologist introduced me to the Charity “Daft as a Brush” who offered to transport me every day for my treatment. They picked me up at home, waited for my treatment to be completed and brought me home every day for 20 days totally free of charge. I received a phone call the previous evening confirming the pickup time for the next day. The driver arrived promptly, along with a companion and every time with a warm welcome and a happy smile. This support took away so much of the apprehension, stress and associated anxiety and helped to make the whole treatment process much more tolerable.
I cannot thank everyone enough at Daft as a Brush for the help and support they provided at this very difficult time in my life. This amazing Charity was founded by Brian Burnie in 2010, it is staffed by over 350 volunteers, running 33 ambulances taking 100,000 patients a year to the Freeman Hospital for cancer treatment. It truly is a life saving organisation. With grateful thanks to Sunderland Royal Hospital, the Freeman Hospital and Daft as a Brush, I am now well on the road to recovery.”
Consett Rotary is proud to help support this amazing charity and will continue to do so into the future.
Story by Lorraine Weightman – Consett Rotary Club
