Ladies meet women in a league of their own
Women's Super League winners Liverpool Ladies came face to face with super women of a different kind during a moving visit to the Linda McCartney Centre at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital this week.
Captain Gemma Bonner, Sophia Riccio, Becky Easton, manager Matt Beard and general manager Angela Roberts brought their gleaming league trophy along for the visit to the delight of patients receiving chemotherapy.
Beard later spoke of his admiration for both staff and patients.
He said: "Supporting the local community is really important to me and the players and we really value visits like today's. I would like to thank the patients and staff at the centre for being so accommodating to us."
Judith Greensmith, the chairman of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, welcomed the guests at the hospital's education centre, before a short film was shown featuring patients - including actress and comedienne, Pauline Daniels - speaking about their own battles with cancer.
One of them, 31-year-old sports scientist Sheena Privett, was on hand to tell the visitors about the highs and lows since her diagnosis in January, and her gratitude for the service she received at the centre.
The team were then shown around by lead cancer nurse Gill Hamblin, who first took them to the purpose-built chemotherapy unit, with care provided by staff from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. The players, who lifted the league trophy for the first time on 29 September, were applauded as they entered before chatting with patients undergoing chemotherapy and Herceptin treatment and posing for photographs.
Bonner said: "It was a real privilege to meet with the patients and staff at the Linda McCartney Centre. It's such a fantastic facility and the life changing treatment and support it provides for its patients is so important."
The guests then had a look around the state-of-the-art breast assessment unit, where mammograms, physical examinations, breast ultrasound and breast needle biopsies take place.
Lead cancer nurse, Gill Hamblin, said: "It was a real pleasure to welcome Liverpool Ladies and show them what great, inspirational men and women we have here, both among our staff and our patients.
"The patients were thrilled to see them - even the Everton fans! - and were all marvelling at the trophy. It was great to see so many smiles around the room."