Who are we?

The Plymouth and District Leukaemia Fund (PDLF) was set up in 1983 with the aim of raising money to provide more comprehensive care locally for people with leukaemia and other blood disorders.

Achievements

PDLF has raised over £1 million and has contributed greatly to the opening of a purpose built Haematology Unit, Birch Ward, which was opened at Derriford Hospital in 1988.
Other achievements include:

• Assisted in the purchase of six special isolation rooms to reduce the risk of infection for patients receiving bone marrow and stem cell transplants.
• Set up a bone marrow processing laboratory in Derriford Hospital.
• Funds research into the effects of growth factors in leukaemia cells and many papers have been published in the scientific literature.

The Future

With the Haematology Unit now well established the PDLF is committed to supporting new developments in the following areas:

• Provision of specialist equipment to optimise the treatment and care of patients on Birch Ward and in the Day Case Unit.
• Provision of laboratory equipment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders.
• Support for research related leukaemia and its treatment ; carried out locally in Plymouth.
• Provision of grants to enable nurses to undertake specialist training and education.