Hospital staff gear up for charity run to support their patients

A group of 30 nurses from the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s (RMH) bone marrow transplant ward are lacing up their running shoes for a good cause.

The team, known as the Neutrophil Ninjas, will be participating in this year’s Run Melbourne on Sunday, July 21, a popular charity fun run which will see participants run around Melbourne’s iconic streets and landmarks in support of more than 250 charities.

The Neutrophil Ninjas will be taking part in a range of Run Melbourne distances, including the 5km, 10km, and half-marathon events to raise funds for their ward.

The RMH bone marrow transplant ward specialises in providing compassionate care for patients battling blood cancers such as leukemia and other blood conditions.

Many of its patients undergo extensive treatments and are hospitalised for extended periods, unable to leave the ward due to their compromised immune systems.

Juanita Huggins-Thompson, a bone marrow transplant nurse and Neutrophil Ninja, spoke of her motivation to take part in the run.

“We love our ward and the money we raise from Run Melbourne will go towards upgrading our patient spaces by developing a relaxation room for our patients to utilised during their treatment. These improvements will help to provide comfort while supporting patients’ wellbeing,” she said.

Ms Huggins-Thompson added the funds would also contribute to upgrading the patient lounge room and kitchen to help further support the ward’s patients and their families.

We frequently fundraise to support and improve our ward and we would be hugely grateful for any donations made to help us power through on race day at Run Melbourne – every little bit helps.

Run Melbourne has helped participants raise more than $20 million for charities including Beyond Blue, Pets of the Homeless, Running for Premature Babies and more.

Registrations are open, with raising funds and supporting charities made easy via fundraising platform Grassrootz.

Donate to the Neutrophil Ninjas.

Caption: A group of medical staff from the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s bone marrow transplant ward are preparing to run for a good cause. Photos: Clare O’Shea.