BAA Heathrow staff and passengers are celebrating after raising a total of £240,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care – more than twice their original target of £100,000.
The fantastic achievement is the result of a year of fundraising in BAA Heathrow’s first ever charity of the year partnership. The funds will help Marie Curie Nurses provide 12,000 hours of home nursing care to terminally ill people in their own homes.
Staff from BAA Heathrow really took the charity to heart. A 10k run at midnight was organised on the airport’s Northern Runway, and a ball and a golf day helped take the fundraising far past its original target. Passengers have also played a great part in achieving the total through donating currency left over from their holidays.
Thomas Hughes-Hallett, Chief Executive at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “Research shows most people would choose to die at home if they had a terminal illness. But half of cancer deaths still occur in hospital – the place people say they least want to be. Marie Curie Cancer Care is committed to making the choice to die at home a reality for everyone.
“The amount BAA Heathrow has raised is fabulous and staff and passengers alike should be very proud. They will help terminally ill people to spend their final days in their own homes, surrounded by those they love the most.”
Mike Brown, BAA Heathrow’s Chief Operating Officer said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the success of the partnership and that we are helping to fund so many more hours of home nursing care than we originally hoped.”
“It’s wonderful to think that the efforts of all our staff and customers will make such a difference to terminally ill patients in the Heathrow area. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and also for making the fundraising events such good fun.”
Marie Curie Cancer Care was voted for by BAA Heathrow staff as the organisation’s first ever charity of the year. The 2009 charity of the year will be Age Concern/Help the Aged, who were successful in a staff vote.
For more information about Marie Curie Cancer Care, please visit www.mariecurie.org.uk.
