Here's how to pass your time AND help Queen Square
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Queen Square carries on!
It's been wonderful to see the outpouring of love and support for the NHS over the last month. As part of the clap for carers initiative, this wonderful balloon rainbow arch was created outside The National Hospital today.
But of course, Covid-19 doesn't mean that all services stop for patients with neurological conditions. While many wards have been temporarily closed as a result of the pandemic, urgent brain surgery continues at The National Hospital and the trust’s Hyperacute Stroke Unit (HASU) has temporarily relocated here from University College Hospital. Neurorehabilitation also continues for those patients who were admitted prior to the outbreak.
Most outpatient clinics have now moved to telephone consultations and continue to operate for those with long-term conditions.
Meanwhile, dedicated wards have been created to isolate these patients with coronavirus, and more than 70 consultants have swapped duties to help staff the wards. Countless others from the various teams across the hospital have had to adapt and change their role to respond to the situation.
At UCL, collaborative research efforts into the neurological effects of Covid-19 are ongoing. Dr Hadi Manji and Dr Mike Zandi are now heading up a team to review any neurological or neuropsychiatric suspected Covid-19 cases.
If you'd like to hear more news from Queen Square, you can read our latest issue of The National newspaper, which is out now, just click below.
Explore your creativity in lockdown
A Letter in Mind is back for its seventh year with the theme 'Everyday Things'
During these challenging times, taking part in our creative fundraiser is a wonderful way to show your support for the NHS, and will hopefully provide an enjoyable distraction while we all stay at home. Getting creative has been proven to boost our mental wellbeing, and we could all benefit from feeling uplifted right now!
Your ‘Everyday Thing’ could be the daily ritual of a walk around your local area, a favourite mug or your music practice. However predictable and supposedly routine these ‘things’ are it’s often doing, using or seeing them that gives us time and space to reflect.
We look forward to seeing your most treasured everyday things and the various ways in which you choose to explore the theme on a simple 'everyday' white envelope!
In the past we have had envelope artworks from Antony Gormley, Olafur Eliasson, Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry. All pieces will be exhibited at gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, in London from 5-8 November 2020. Each piece will be priced identically at £85 and sold anonymously.
For full details about how to take part, click below.
Brain Appeal Story Time
Celebrities are showing their support for The National Brain Appeal during the Covid-19 crisis in a creative way too. Each weeknight at 7pm, we share a reading of a short story on our social media channels, providing an entertaining and much-needed five minutes of distraction – helping to raise awareness for our Emergency Care Fund.
So far Sophie Thompson, Stephen Mangan, Kevin Eldon, Charles Dance, Tanya Reynolds, Freddie Fox and Stephen Campbell Moore have take part – with many more to come. The fund is for frontline staff here at The National Hospital and for those patients in need during the pandemic.
How you can help us spread the word:
1. Follow us on our social media channels (links at the bottom of this e-letter)
2. Enjoy a few minutes of #BrainAppealStoryTime each day
3. Share, retweet or regram our posts on your own social media channels to highlight the urgent appeal and #BrainAppealStoryTime.
4. Do you personally know a well-known figure who would be happy to read a story for us? Please email us!
Take on the 2.6
The Virgin Money London Marathon, which should have taken place this Sunday, 26 April, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019. Many of these charities have had to reduce or stop services at a time when vulnerable members of society need them most; thousands of staff have been placed on furlough and many charities will not survive the next few months.
From Sunday 26 April, join the rest of the UK for The 2.6 Challenge. Whether you walk 2.6 miles in your living room or watch 26 musicals, every penny you raise helps us be there for the one in six people with a neurological condition.
Choose your #TwoPointSixChallenge, set up your JustGiving page and fundraise for The National Brain Appeal, then complete your challenge.
We have lots of virtual challenges you can get involved in, from runs in your local area to steps around your house and garden. Get more inspiration below!
CHARITY CHALLENGE EVENTS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
Please note, all physical challenge events up to the end of May have been officially suspended. Some have already announced rescheduled dates, while others have been cancelled. Many virtual events have now been organised in their place. Please check our website for the latest information. If you have any specific queries, email Alexis, our Senior Fundraising Officer.
For more events, personal stories and how your funding makes a huge difference to patients at Queen Square, please visit nationalbrainappeal.org.
Theresa, Marcelle, Tina, Cara, Anna, Eva, Alexis, Julia, Seb, Shaun, Marie, Lisa, Kim, Nicky and Jane
