ELF Charity
Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF)’s vision is that every family affected by blood cancer and blood disorders across Devon receives compassionate, tailored support. Blood cancer can affect anybody of any age and over 3,000 people will be diagnosed with a haematological cancer this year in the Southwest. Treatment for blood cancer often requires lengthy procedures meaning days, weeks, or months at a time in and out of hospital and, in a lot of cases, years of follow up appointments. ELF led the fundraising efforts to create the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s Haematology Centre, which opened in 2003, and continues to support the centre and the hundreds of patients who attend it each week. ELF supports families from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond, with services including transport, accommodation, counselling, aromatherapy, equipment, financial and legal services.
Project Overview
Impact
ELF's vision is that every family affected by blood cancers and blood disorders across Devon receives compassionate, tailored support. ELF led the fundraising efforts to create the RD&E Hospital Haematology Centre, which opened in 2003, and continues to support families from diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond. As well as ongoing support for the Centre, the services we offer to patients include transport, accommodation, counselling, aromatherapy, equipment, financial and legal services.
Why are we crowdfunding
Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF) is seeking funding for a financial support programme that will help support families in Devon affected by blood cancer facing financial hardship because of their illness. The programme provides a lifeline to families whose lives have been turned upside down by blood cancer.
We not only support families in an emergency short-term situation but also assist with long-term financial stability. ELF's vision is that every family affected by blood cancers and blood disorders across Devon receives compassionate, tailored support. Blood cancer can affect any body of any age, meaning we need to support patients of all ages. Treatment for blood cancer often requires lengthy procedures, meaning days, weeks, or months at a time in and out of the hospital and, in a lot of cases, years of follow-up appointments. Over 3,000 people will be diagnosed with a haematological cancer this year in the Southwest.
Our financial support programme starts with a patient referral by the nurses who know them best. Our partnership with the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust(RDU) identifies patients experiencing financial difficulties. Following a referral to ELF and swift application eligibility checks, ELF can help immediately.
ELF’s emergency funding support has assisted patients of all ages, with some examples listed below:
• A family to pay for additional childcare while mum faced a daily commute to visit dad who was facing months in hospital.
• A grandmother with a life-limiting prognosis, who needed to purchase hearing aids which allowed her to hear her grandchildren during the last months of her life.
• A single parent receiving palliative care, whose eldest child was due to become legal guardian of the younger children. The Grant enabled them to pay rent arrears, keeping them housed while they prepared for an exceedingly difficult future.
• A family of four (including a 4-year-old leukaemia patient) who had been cooking family meals in a microwave for months as they could not afford to replace their broken oven.
ELF’s partnership with a designated Citizens’ Advice (CA) Advisor helps families with more longer-term arrangements and financial stability, such as Universal Credit. Last year we helped families receive over £600,000 in funding they are entitled to. Funding helps families manage a significant lifestyle change as result of their illness with many patients, family carers and parents of childhood leukaemia patients out of work due to the illness.
Our other support services can also help families with cost saving during treatment with transport to and from appointments, complimentary refreshments at the hospital and access to free legal services like Will writing. We understand the impact finances can have on an individual’s mental health and we’re also able to offer our financial support service users emotional support if they need it through our counselling service.
How we’ll spend the money raised
Your support will help assist 74 families with financial support services during the 2025/26 financial year.
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