The students made their mark in the marathon running, and chose a route which spelled out ‘PATCH’ across the city, raising £200.

In August 2020, a group of young medical students have shown dedication and commitment to palliative care in and out of their studies, supporting the work of PATCH and raising funds by running a marathon around Glasgow.

The students are part of the Glasgow University Palliative Care Society, which was founded to raise awareness of palliative care and advocate for the inclusion of more teaching on it in the medical school curriculum.

Some of the students have experience working in care homes and hospital wards and it was through this the importance of palliative care was recognised.

Dr Pam Levack, Medical Director of PATCH said:

The future of palliative care looks and sounds very positive as we hear about initiatives coming from those who will go into the medical and nursing professions. Right across all care settings from hospitals, care homes and people’s own homes, there is a far greater need for awareness about what good palliative care is and why we all deserve it, if needed.

I feel truly inspired by the team of students at Glasgow who have shown such initiative and ultimately thoughtfulness for others and our charity. At such a difficult time for the student population too, we were so touched by their thoughtfulness. We would like to thank them for the funds raised and wish them all the best as they continue in their studies.

The Glasgow University Palliative Care Society

The Glasgow University Palliative Care Society is the revival of an old society at the university made up of a dynamic group of medical and nursing students.

Their recent history began in 2019 when two final year medical students, passionate about palliative care, re-started the society to raise awareness of the specialty and advocate for the inclusion of more teaching on it in the medical school curriculum.

The society expanded last year to include students from all years and they hosted an introductory event where they invited Dr Fiona Finlay, the lead for palliative care teaching at the university, to speak about palliative care, its importance and the pathway to becoming a doctor in the specialty.

Their members have become interested in the specialty through reading around the subject (notable influences include Atul Gawande’s books, Paul Kalanithi’s “When Breath Becomes Air” and Catherine Mannix’s “WIth the End in Mind”) and working in settings such as care homes and hospital wards where they recognised the importance palliative care.

Further information

• Palliative Care Society | Glasgow University
• Glasgow University Palliative Care Society | Facebook

Seven four-ball golf teams played in a Texas Scramble on Friday 6th September to raise money for the charity PATCH.

The competition was played at the Monksford course by kind permission of the owner Mr Paul Rooney with all money raised going to PATCH.

Event organiser Albert Thompson was delighted that sunshine prevailed on the day as were all 28 participants.

Albert has previously helped to raise several thousand pounds at Monksford for the Margaret Kerr Unit and the Sick Kids Hospital and we are delighted that he continues to support PATCH as he has done over the years.

The Milestone Garden Centre facilitated the prize giving where all the players enjoyed refreshments and a get together.

The considerable sum of £745.00 was raised and presented to the Medical Director of  PATCH, Dr Pamela Levack, who gave an insight into the origin and activities of the charity. These have included partnership working with NHS Borders to develop the palliative and end of life care skills of 32 nurses working in a range of clinical settings. Building on this success the charity has now committed to invest a further £60,000 over the next two years to fund the first PATCH Practice Development Nurse in the Borders.

4 Ball golf vouchers donated by the Glen, Peebles and Kelso Golf Clubs. Wine donated by Morrisons and Sainsburys.

£3300 was raised in a concert attended by more than 100 supporters in the Great Hall at Lord Lothian’s Monteviot House home, near Ancrum.

The event was organised by Ron Hastings, a member of the Friends of PATCH in the Borders.

The concert featured a host of talented local performers, including Jedburgh fiddler Eryn Rae and Berwickshire guitarist Scott Turnbull and Borders folk band Carlenjig.

Dr Pamela Levack, our medical director, commented:

We appreciate the very impressive contribution made at the concert, which will support our work in the Borders.

Further information

• Music at Monteviot supports care charity PATCH – The Southern Reporter

£1000 was raised at a golf competition held in aid of PATCH.

A golf competition in aid of PATCH was held on Friday 10th August at the privately owned Monksford Golf Course, near Melrose, by kind permission of the owner Mr Paul Rooney.

Nine teams of four played in a Texas Scramble with all thirty six players enjoying the sunshine and the well-manicured course, while helping to raise the considerable sum of £1000.00 for PATCH.

Prior to prize giving, the Medical Director of PATCH, Dr Pamela Levack, outlined the origin, and activities of the charity, which include projects in the Borders.

The event was organised by Albert Thompson of Minto Golf Club, who in the past has organised several similar charitable golfing events to raise funds for the Sick Children’s Hospital, the Margaret Kerr Unit and now PATCH.

The picture shows Albert Thompson handing over the £1,000 cheque to Pamela Levack.