Cancer patient's medical supplies donated to Ukraine

A cancer victim's family has donated his unused medical supplies to Ukraine.

Mark Lindesay, a pub landlord in Cirencester, was diagnosed with throat cancer and died in October.

His sister Jenny Lockwood did not want the supplies to go to waste but was told the NHS could not use them due to rules about cross-contamination.

Lukasz Woloszyn, a volunteer with Gloucester Ukrainian Aid has arranged instead to take the medical supplies to help people in war-torn Ukraine.

Mark Lindesay, from Cheltenham, ran The Golden Cross pub since 2009 and was a "well-loved" member of the community.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer in the summer of 2021 shortly after returning from a three-month stay in France.

Mrs Lockward said: "He was very optimistic in everything he did.

"He was always off to the next adventure and he was very interested in what was going on in the world.

"He never complained, but the cancer was tough."

She said her brother had a tracheotomy and needed a feeding tube before his death, having lost the use of his voice.

His cancer treatment meant he had thousands of pounds worth of medical supplies including syringes, dressings, medication and tubes.

The UK Government has donated crutches, wheelchairs and other supplies to the frontline to help treat causalities of the Russian offensive and charities have also been donating supplies to the frontline.

Mrs Lockwood said: "We saw the extent of it, all the tubes he needed, we don't know what half of it is, most is sterile, in original packaging and can be used.

"We tried talking to the district nurses and hospice but they didn't know so we looked further afield for charities and actually found Lukasz."

The belongings were classed as medical supplies - not equipment- which meant they could not be taken back by the NHS due to infection control regulations.

The NHS and charities in the UK do take back used equipment, such as crutches and wheelchairs, for reuse following an effort in 2018 to reduce the NHS's carbon footprint.

Mrs Lockwood said it was "fantastic" her brother's supplies could be used anywhere but especially in Ukraine where there was a "real need".

"It is a way of helping out and maybe others will get the same idea and see this is something they can do," she said.

Lukasz Woloszyn works with Gloucester Ukrainian Aid - a volunteer force helping to support people in Ukraine.

He said: "It will go straight to hospital, to frontline to help those people who will be injured.

"That medical equipment will be very helpful as lots of people get injured and it's very good stuff.

"Things have changed - we are asked to take medical equipment, it's quite important because it's not only soldiers getting injured.

"Private houses get bombed etc... so more stuff is needed.

"We take out supplies at least once a month depending on the amount of stuff we manage to create for a journey."

He said the donations made a "big difference" to the people in Ukraine.