Shoppers at Lakeside Village are being asked to donate items to help to create pamper packs for people affected by cancer.
Donations including, bubble baths, flannels, make up wipes, soaps, creams and lotions, can be dropped off in the donation box located in the indoor area at Lakeside Village who will pass the items on to Team Verrico, their charity of the year.
David Aunins, centre manager for Lakeside Village said: “Team Verrico do a fantastic job supporting research into cancer and helping families who are facing cancer.
“We are looking forward to work with our customers to provide these pamper packs which we hope will make the families Team Verrico work with know that people care and are thinking of them.
“Having a cancer diagnosis can be an isolating experience and we want to help by raising more than just money. Donating our time and products is will also help us to make a difference.”
Team Verrico exists to help families who are facing cancer fight and win more tomorrows.
One of the charities key areas of activity is to help families by providing practical support such as childcare, cleaning and food deliveries whilst applicants are undergoing treatment.
Nick Cranfield, Chair of the Charity said: “This is a great way for Lakeside Village customers to help us to support the families that we work with. When you are buying yourself a new hand cream, soap or beauty product why not pop another one in your basket and donate it to the pamper packs.
“These packs will be a welcome boost to families facing very difficult times and remind them that they are not alone.”
Team Verrico help families in three main spheres of activity:
The most important is to support men and women who have children under the age of 18 who face a rare or hard to treat cancer: these are sent for private consultations with the leading oncologists and surgeons in the UK – this often results in a change to treatment plans. The charity also fund genetic testing and other scientifically proven methods of treating the disease.
Sphere 2 is practical assistance. The charity supports those affected by cancer, including the patient and their family by counselling through the diagnosis and beyond, also offering support such as childcare on chemotherapy days or a cleaner to help during intensive treatment; hotel stays for a spouse where a family member is receiving treatment hundreds of miles away or food parcels in the immediate aftermath of a death.
Sphere 3 is research. Team Verrico supports niche research projects which do not receive funding from Cancer Research as they either focus on rare cancers or are too small to attract funding. The charity currently has projects running at University of Sheffield, University of Brighton and Cardiff University.
The charity was formed after Doncaster mum, Anna Verrico, received a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer aged 35 when her children were aged 6 months and 2 years. The family went through a false dawn of remission which was followed by an aggressive return of the disease, leading to her untimely death just 12 months later. Determined to mark her legacy, the charity’s 5 trustees are all drawn from professional services – 4 lawyers and 1 HR – meaning that decision making is focused in a volunteer led context with low overheads on achieving the mission.
For more information about Team Verrico visit www.teamverrico.org