The Better Life Appeal supports the All Wales Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre based at Llandough Hospital.  This is the only adult Cystic Fibrosis centre in Wales caring for over 250 patients. The centre aims to provide its patients with the best care, support, advice and encouragement to meet the needs of each individual and their families with this life-long disease.

'Gareth spent many weeks on the unit over the 7 years we were together, and the individual rooms, internet access, tv and dvd availability, common room and open access kitchen makes such a difference when hospital becomes your home for a fortnight or longer.'   

The goal of the Better Life Appeal is to improve services by providing patients with the most modern medical equipment available. The advances in medicine and technology mean that patients are living longer and today the average life expectancy is 31 years compared to less than 10 years ago when CF patients would not be expected to live beyond their teen years.

As our patient numbers grow, so has the CF multidisciplinary team. This means that the centre has been able to expand and we have launched the Better Life Appeal to support the growth of services to our patients.

'Gareth benefited from up-to-date nebulisers that saved him hours of treatment time at home. The multidisciplinary team are amazing, and treated Gareth holistically, taking into account his dreams, desires and lifestyle whilst completing treatments. They have also looked after me over the years. I'd hate to imagine what life would have been like without this specialist team and facilities being available.'

How the Appeal is helping?

The Better Life Appeal has to date been able to: refurbish and equip six new rooms which now house the specialist nurses and research nurse; provide an outpatient treatment room; specialist physiotherapy room; CF patient gym; clinical psychologist room and a necessary storage room.

Internet facilities have been installed in all patient bedrooms on the CF ward as well as on one of the outlying wards which is invaluable to those patients who travel long distances for their care. 

We are currently seeking funding for new technology, such as portable ventilators for home and hospital use  which is essential for the care of our patients. The ventilators can help patients with physiotherapy during severe exacerbations and if patients develop sudden respiratory failure.  They can also be used to help patients breathe long term whilst waiting for a lung transplant.

'I know the Cystic Fibrosis Unit is currently seeking to raise funds to help expand and provide more facilities for more individuals with the condition.

Gareth and myself benefited so so much from The Better Life Appeal and the Cystic Fibrosis Unit.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DONATION, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO NEED THE SERVICE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.'