'Momentous day' as Northants breast care charity Crazy Hats sees KGH waiting area opened using final £390,000 donation

After 20 years of fundraising, that has generated more than £3m, the founder of a Wellingborough breast care charity has seen the group’s wish for a final donation become a reality.

The ribbon cutting on the new £390,000 waiting lounge and adjoining landscaped garden for breast care patients marks the final act for the Crazy Hats Breast Cancer Charity.

Attending the official opening at Kettering General Hospital today (Friday, December 15) was Glennis Hooper who set up Crazy Hats after her own diagnosis with the disease.

The new area – that will support about 10,000 patient visits each year - marks the end of a fundraising journey for the Crazy Hats Appeal which has spanned 20 years between 2001 and 2021.

Glennis said: “This is a momentous day for us and for all the local people who have supported Crazy Hats over our 20 years of fundraising.

“This new waiting lounge and garden is our largest ever single donation. It has enabled us to work with the hospital to design and create a wonderful calm, quiet, and relaxing, place for patients, who may be feeling very anxious and stressed, to wait for their appointments.

“When the treatment centre opened in 2007, and we made an initial donation of £100,000, an outdoor courtyard area was available, but was rarely used, and soon became ‘tired’ and unkempt.

“It was at an appointment in 2018 that I realised the whole area needed to be ‘spruced’ up and so began the process of seeing our dream to create a new area.

“Trustees and members agreed that the waiting area needed to be bigger, the reception area opened up and the environment made to feel more welcoming and relaxing.

“Some five years later – and here we are. We are very proud and thrilled with the result, knowing it will make such a difference to staff and patients alike - our legacy. What a wonderful project to work on.”

Over two decades Crazy Hats raised more than £1.4m for Kettering General Hospital and a total of £3.5m for breast care locally.

Former patients and Crazy Hats supporters have been delighted by the new area.

Raunds resident Claire Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2013 at the age of only 26. She was successfully treated for her cancer both at Kettering and Northampton general hospitals, has received emotional support from Crazy Hats, and raised money for the charity at numerous sponsored walks in Wicksteed Park.

Mrs Wilson, 37, who is married to Luke and has a four-year-old daughter Jessica, said: “It was a huge shock to be diagnosed with breast cancer at such a young age and at the time my cancer was the size of a tennis ball.

“I had successful chemotherapy which shrunk the cancer down to an inch and it was then removed by a surgeon at KGH followed by radiotherapy at NGH and follow-up drug treatments.

“Crazy Hats supported me at the time and I went on to do fundraising for them. It was an amazing charity that has done so much for breast cancer patients including buying equipment for the hospital and providing much improved facilities.

“The new waiting area and garden is a fantastic final contribution. It will be so different from just staring at four walls and worrying about what is next. It will help patients to feel welcome and looked after.”

Another patient supported by Crazy Hats was Shirley Davies, 62, from Higham Ferrers, who received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2011.

Shirley said: “In between my diagnosis and surgery I met Glennis at a Crazy Hats coffee morning and I got involved in fundraising.

“I think the new waiting area and garden is a great idea. It will be a good distraction for patients who are waiting and wondering about what is going to happen. Going to hospital is not something you would look forward to doing but at least having a nice environment will make it that bit easier.”

KGH’s consultant oncoplastic and aesthetic breast surgeon, Mr Salam Musa, said: “This final donation is a magnificent one and it has helped us vastly improve the waiting experience of our patients and created a beautiful new extension to our breast care service.”

Kettering General Hospital’s Chief Executive, Deborah Needham, said: “I am proud and delighted to see the fantastic new waiting area and garden which the Crazy Hats Appeal has gifted to this hospital.

“It was a project where we all worked together to design and build an area that would enhance and support our patients in a positive way.

“I want to personally thank Glennis, who has become a very valued friend over the last few years, and of course thankyou to her team also - and everyone who has ever taken part in Crazy Hats events or contributed to the appeal over the years - for the amazing things they have done for our hospital.”

The new lounge and waiting area was built by infilling a small outside quadrangle area in the centre of the treatment centre.

The charity worked alongside the project management Team at KGH contractors Stepnell’s, Bosworths Garden Centre and local artist, Claire Mycock.

Glennis added: “I would like to thank our ex-trustees, members, friends, supporters of Crazy Hats and the many, many, individuals and companies who have been so loyal and generous. Also Kettering General Hospital’s Chief Executive, Debbie Needham, and her team, for their time and commitment to this unique project.

“Look out for quirky characters positioned around the garden and the unique water feature that was personally chosen by my best friend and co-founder, Marilyn Clapham, before she sadly passed away in November 2022.”