Scarborough Hospital Consultant Ben Chandler to run from York to Scarborough to raise money for the hospital

Ben has been so moved by the plight of relatives waiting to see their loved ones in intensive care and this has left him wanting to raise funds for a brand new relative’s room in the new Urgent and Emergency Care Unit being built at Scarborough Hospital.

Ben’s ultra-run is 56 miles from York Hospital to Scarborough Hospital and is in support of the new Urgent and Emergency Care Appeal launched by York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity.

The run will take place on Sunday May 7 with colleagues and friends joining him for various parts of the route which will take him on the safer back roads.

Ben said: ”I’ve been an Intensive Care Consultant in Scarborough for over a decade and in this time I’ve witnessed first-hand many patients fight for survival when their life is hanging by a thread. Our patients are often sedated so unaware at the time of their precarious situation, however this is not true of their families and loved ones.

“Frequently families are trying to balance this huge emotional burden whilst travelling to and from the hospital – sometimes over long distances or without the convenience of their own transport. Within the hospital they may be sitting on hard chairs in a hospital corridor waiting for a suitable time to be able to sit at their loved one’s bedside.

“When speaking with families I’m always asked, ‘how long before we know’. It’s a very uncertain time and during these dark hours families need space.

“They understandably don’t want to be far away from their loved ones but need somewhere to reflect and rest. I want to raise funds to suitably equip the relative’s rest areas of the new Intensive Care unit -so in future families will have somewhere suitable to go to during these times.”

Work began on the Urgent and Emergency Care Unit last April, and is expected to open in Spring 2024.

Attendances at Scarborough Emergency Department have increased at a rate of around five percent year on year for over a decade and the new build will provide much needed extra space. It will also mean patients from minor to complex needs can be looked after in the unit by one team of healthcare professionals working together who will see more patients as quickly and safely as possible.

The centre will have its own dedicated diagnostic zone providing CT scans, general X-ray and Ultrasound.

Anyone who is interested in joining Ben, can get in touch by contacting [email protected].

If anyone would like to support Ben, click here.

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