School raises over 20k for Charing Cross Hospital
An independent preparatory school in Harrow has helped raise over £20k for Charing Cross Hospital, to help patients with neurological conditions and disorders.
Orley Farm School in Harrow chose to fundraise for Imperial Health Charity to thank staff at Charing Cross Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, for saving the life of Panorea Baka. Panorea's husband Stavros is a teacher at the school and their son is a pupil there. Panorea, who had a brain tumour and receives ongoing care for epilepsy, attended a special school assembly where pupils presented the charity and NHS clinicians with a giant cheque.
Half of the funds will be allocated to the neurology department for epilepsy medical training and education. The neurology department holds a weekly grand round meeting to discuss complex patient cases. This is a platform for teaching and training resident doctors to gain specialist expertise. With these funds, the grand round lecture theatre will be upgraded with cutting-edge AV equipment, which will enable colleagues working in other hospitals in north west London to join meetings and contribute to discussions. This will enhance learning opportunities and will have a meaningful educational impact for neurology trainees across north west London.
The rest of the funds will be allocated to the neurosurgery department to help neurosurgeons expand their use of innovative mixed reality technology in order to improve both training and patient care. The simXAR technology allows clinicians to bring traditional 2D scans to life using headsets, by turning the scans into high-resolution 3D hologram-like images. These can then be used to better explain proposed treatments to patients in consultations and provide immersive clinical training to current and upcoming neurosurgeons.
Panorea’s story
Panorea and her husband Stavros both live and work as teachers in north west London. Four years ago, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, their lives changed forever when Panorea was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Following three lifesaving operations by NHS neurosurgeons and numerous treatments at Charing Cross Hospital, Panorea seemed to be on the path to recovery. But, a year after her brain tumour diagnosis and resection, she started experiencing seizures and was diagnosed with acquired epilepsy. She receives exceptional care and support for this lifelong condition from the neurology department at Charing Cross Hospital.
The Orley Farm School community were inspired by Panorea's story and decided to raise money for Imperial Health Charity, which directly supports Charing Cross Hospital, both as a thank you and to support other patients like Panorea.
Panorea said: “I am so pleased that, four years on from my diagnosis, we are able to give something back to the people and the hospital who have, and continue to have, such an impact on our lives. I could never have imagined that within a few years of Mr Dalton removing the tumour from my brain and saving my life, and since I began receiving treatments for epilepsy under Dr Karunaratne’s care, I would be able to stand here, present and confident, to celebrate this amazing fundraising outcome.
“I am delighted that so many people who have been part of this journey could be here for this special assembly, including Mr Dalton and Dr Karunaratne. I am incredibly thankful to all of you: my husband, who wrote the letter and nominated the Imperial Health Charity, Mr Calvey, who chose our story, the staff of Orley Farm School who have given their time to organise and promote the fundraising events and run events themselves, and the wonderful students and community. It is extraordinary that we have all come together to raise so much to help others on their journeys to recovery.
“Finally, I want to emphasise that while my story may have been the inspiration, this amazing outcome is thanks to Orley Farm School: the students, the teachers, their families, and friends. It has been a chain reaction of love, support, and positivity. Beyond supporting the neurosurgery and neurology departments at Charing Cross Hospital, the takeaway I hope everyone gets is the domino effect that occurs when one act of giving inspires others to do the same.”
Tim Calvey, headteacher at Orley Farm School said: “Each year, we invite pupils, parents and teachers to share personal stories of impact from charities for us to support. For 2024, we're delighted to have raised funds for Imperial Health Charity, which directly supports Charing Cross Hospital and four other hospitals across north west London.
“We were all inspired by Panorea, a member of our Orley Farm family, both her strength in the face of significant health challenges and the lifesaving treatment and ongoing care she is receiving at Charing Cross Hospital. Fundraising for Imperial Health Charity will provide invaluable support to Charing Cross Hospital which has done so much for Panorea and her family, enabling them to be able to live a life as close to normal as possible, again. For the neurosurgery department that saved her life. For the infectious diseases and plastic surgery departments that treated her for months. For the neurology department that is showing her that living with epilepsy is possible. For the nurses who sang to her in the darkness.
“Every pound we raise will help this charity provide incredible support to patients, who like Panorea are in need of specialist care at Charing Cross Hospital. It was such a privilege for Kushan to join us several times over the year to talk to the students about neurology and inspire them sharing the nature of his work and its impact, and for Arthur to show our pupils and teachers the impact of this cutting-edge technology – how inspiring for young people to imagine such possibilities!"
Ian Lush OBE is chief executive of Imperial Health Charity. He said: “We are so grateful to Orley Farm for choosing to fundraise for us. The money they have raised will make a significant impact to the neurosurgery department at Charing Cross Hospital and the mixed reality technology the team are pioneering.
“Imperial Health Charity rely on people like Panorea and her husband, Stavros and the school. Their inspirational fundraising efforts will continue to create a long-lasting positive difference for patients using neurological services.”
Dr Kushan Karunaratne is a neurology consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and, alongside colleagues in the department, continues to support Panorea. He said: “Huge thanks to Panorea, her family and everyone at Orley Farm School. Your very generous fundraising will help us with neurology medical education activities to train doctors and other healthcare staff in epilepsy
“It was an honour to speak at a school assembly last time and I’m really delighted to have returned alongside my NHS and Imperial Health Charity colleagues. Thank you.”
Mr Arthur Dalton is a consultant skull base and vascular neurosurgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. He said: “I’m so grateful for everyone’s generosity – to Panorea and Stravros, all the pupils and parents at Orley Farm School and everyone who has donated.
“The funds will allow us to expand our use of innovative mixed reality technology in clinical training and patient consultations. We will be able to continue to develop the software and also purchase an additional two headsets, which will mean we can host training days for our whole team or courses for others.
“I am really excited about the difference we can make to our patients over the coming years. We are one of the first NHS organisations to harness this emerging technology in this way and I hope our work can be something of a legacy to Panorea, Stavros and the school’s amazing fundraising efforts.”
Find out more about Imperial Health Charity and how it supports our five hospitals across north west London.
