The Greenwich Community Hub, launched last month by the Royal Borough of Greenwich with Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and partners, has helped a number of vulnerable residents. And a team effort between various organisations has helped a woman with leukemia receive the medication she needed.
After being contacted by Emma’s father, who lives in Shooters Hill, CACT followed up with Emma, who is based in Australia, for more information in order to help her mother.
“My mum has leukemia. Both her and my dad are on lockdown,” Emma explained.
Emma’s mum, 76, and dad, 79, are both on the government’s shielded list, and are self-isolating together for a period of 12 weeks.
“There’s one particular pill she gets from a Macmillan Centre, but it had been shut down”, Emma said.
“My dad told me that he’d completely run out of the pills he’d been trying to get for my mum.”
CACT staff called up the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to request the pills, but found out that they couldn’t dispense them until Emma’s mum had a blood test.
As a result, CACT teamed up with the Bexley Accessible Transport Scheme (BATS) to arrange transport to get Emma’s mum to the QEH for the blood test.
CACT staff were able to deliver the prescription later that day.
“That’s good that all of you could get together and do that for her. Hopefully you can help some other people as well because it’s very confusing for them at this moment”, Emma added.
It was a stressful situation for Emma, who has lived more than 9,000 miles away for 10 years, with her being unable to travel back to England to help.
“We’re in Western Australia. We’re not allowed out of the country or out of the state”, she said.
“The Governor here is doing a good job keeping us safe. But obviously, I can’t get to England to help them,” she added.
“It’s just getting more difficult the older they get and it’s good you guys were able to help us out”, she says.
Deb Browne, CACT’s Head of Health Improvement, said:
“The Community Hub enables the Public Sector, Community and Voluntary Sector, our colleagues in Primary and Secondary care to work together to support our residents at this difficult time.”
If you need help because you are vulnerable and self-isolating, and have not got a family member, friend or neighbour who can help, call the Community Hub, seven days a week, 8.30am-6pm on 0800 470 4831 or email covid19support@royalgreenwich.gov.uk for help and information.