Charity supporting hospital venture

Jennifer Gill, front centre, and other supporters with staff from Rollos of Glenrothes at a LoveOliver cake bake (picture by Dave Scott)

LoveOliver, run by Leven couple Jennifer and Andy Gill, has joined forces with a similar group, Star for Harris, based in Fort William, to help fund a new playroom, garden and waiting area for the oncology ward at the new-build Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.

The campaign is called ‘REACH for the Ward 2 Stars’ and Jennifer described it as “a really exciting project’.

The target figure is £50,000 and June is the focus month for fund-raising – with the campaigners hoping it will be done done by the end of September.

More details are available on the REACH website and its dedicated Facebook page.

Jennifer, a religious studies teacher at Waid Academy, and Andy, who teaches maths at Glenwood High School in Glenrothes, began the appeal in memory of their courageous infant son, Oliver Gill.

Born with a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer, his life was tragically cut short on Christmas Day 2010, at the age of just five months.

The brave baby had inspired and enlightened so many people during his battle for life that Andy and Jennifer launched the appeal in his name, with the help of family and friends, to fund research into various types of childhood cancer and offer practical help to other families affected by it.

The couple now have two other sons, Micah and Rory, who are becoming familiar campaign figures themselves.

LoveOliver is also staging an event at the Queensferry Hotel in September to coincide with Childhood Cancer Awareness month.

It’s intended to celebrate and give information about the work of LoveOliver.

A PhD student funded by the charity and an oncology consultant are among the guest speakers.

“The charity is going really well – we have raised over £322,000 now and are helping so many families,” said Jennifer.

“As our first PhD student finishes up this summer, we have committed to funding a second one for four years.

“Lots of things are happening and as always, we are so appreciative of everyone’s support.”

Jennifer is pictured front, centre, at a cake bake for LoveOliver involving staff from Rollos in Glenrothes.

Inset, Andy and Jennifer with baby Oliver.