'The care we received was incredible'- Jim supports new Rotherham Haematology Appeal in memory of his wife Ann
Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity is launching a new fundraising appeal to further enhance the environment and experience for patients in Rotherham Hospital’s brand-new combined haematology unit. The unit will care for both Rotherham and Barnsley inpatients living with blood cancer and blood-related disorders.
The local NHS charity will be aiming to raise £10,000, with the help of the community, to fund additional equipment, furnishings and thoughtful extras designed to make patients’ time in hospital more comfortable.
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has invested in the new unit, which features dedicated isolation rooms tailored for patients receiving intensive chemotherapy and neutropenic care. These rooms are essential for patients who are immune compromised following treatment. Patients are required to reside in these specially equipped isolation rooms for weeks and sometimes months during treatment.
The rooms will benefit from additional charity-funded furnishings, equipment and thoughtful extras to further enhance patients’ comfort and experience during their stay. This includes games consoles and age-appropriate activities for teenage patients, helping to create a more welcoming and supportive environment.
Jim Walker, from Herringthorpe, Rotherham, sadly lost his wife Ann to blood cancer in February 2026. Following Ann’s diagnosis on 8 September 2023, Jim tells us of the exceptional care his family received from the haematology department at Rotherham Hospital. Jim said:
“Losing Ann was devastating. We met when we were teenagers, both born and bred in Rotherham, and married in 1965. Ann died at the age of 82, she was being cared for in a hospice, and the window from her room overlooked the hockey pitch where we first met all those years ago. It felt like life had come full circle.
“Ann was diagnosed with blood cancer in September 2023. In the days leading up to her diagnosis, I knew something wasn't right. She was unusually tired and simply wasn't herself. The day she went to see her GP, she was diagnosed. It was a huge shock and heart-breaking for our whole family.
“From that moment on, the haematology team became a constant source of support, we received absolutely incredible care from the team at Rotherham, and in particular Dr Alfred (our consultant) was wonderful. Nothing was ever too much trouble and his kindness and expertise meant so much to us.
“For two and a half years, we were also supported by the Hospital at Home team, who visited Ann every week. The care they gave was extraordinary. In particular, Hannah and Amy, our home chemotherapy nurses, always went above and beyond to make sure Ann was comfortable and that I was supported too. Whenever they left, we somehow felt a little lighter, despite everything we were going through. I will never be able to thank them enough for the care they gave us during the most difficult time of our lives.”
Following the devastating loss of his beloved wife, Jim is supporting Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity’s new Haematology Appeal in her memory.
“The care Ann received showed me just how important our local haematology services are. Supporting this project is my way of saying thank you to the incredible staff who cared for us with such compassion and dignity. I hope it will help future patients and their families receive the same outstanding care that meant so much to us. If sharing our story encourages even one person to support this appeal, then I know she would be incredibly proud.”
The charity aims to raise £10,000 to further enhance the hospital experience for patients living with blood-related disorders across Rotherham and Barnsley. Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity’s Fundraising and Engagement Coordinator said:
“We're calling on our incredible community to get behind this appeal and help transform the hospital experience for some of the most vulnerable people from Rotherham and our neighbouring communities in Barnsley.
“By helping us reach our target, you'll help us enhance the environment for patients living with blood cancer and blood-related conditions, making their rooms as welcoming and comfortable as possible while they undergo treatment or need to isolate. From additional comforts and furnishings to age-appropriate activities and entertainment, every donation will help make what can be an incredibly difficult time a little more manageable for patients and their families.”
If you’d like to support the Rotherham Haematology Appeal by fundraising, taking part in an event or making a donation, visit https://www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk/charity.