Patients battling cancer and the NHS staff who support and care for them took to the water in bell boats on the River Tees as part of a new initiative.
The day at the Tees Barrage in Stockton was organised by the Macmillan cancer information centre at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and led by staff at Tees Active.
Alan Chandler, Macmillan information and survivorship manager, said: “On a glorious sunny afternoon a group of cancer patients and staff took part in a test-and-learn bell boating session on the River Tees.
“In partnership with Tees Active, seven patients and six staff members stepped into the bell boats for a two mile paddle.
“Being in the great outdoors and listening to the Tees Active staff talk about the wonderful wildlife and architectural buildings on show made the experience both energetic and informative.
“Staff and patients thought the whole experience was brilliant and would highly recommend it. One of the patients celebrated his birthday and said having the whole group sing happy birthday whilst bell boating made it a birthday he would never forget.
“A massive thanks to the Active Tees Project and Canal and River Trust for making this possible.
“Initiatives like this help our patients access something which helps improve both their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Helping patients’ physical and mental wellbeing
The session was part of the Tees Active programme which is exploring physical activity opportunities for individuals with cancer, giving them a comprehensive and varied programme of physical activity opportunities on the River Tees and surrounding environment.
Chris Gibbens, Tees Barrage International White-Water Centre manager, said “Active Tees is all about system change and developing new partnerships and ways of working. The River Trip and the conversations and energy around developing a physical activity programme for individuals with a lived experience of cancer is a great example of how Active Tees has enabled new partnerships to form and insight led projects are being developed for the benefit of the community.”
One of the patients summed up the day, commenting: “The afternoon bell boating made for the best day I have had in a couple of years.
“The time on the river was just right for us and to have happy birthday sung to me on the water made for an unforgettable memory. I am partially disabled, and I have breathing difficulties, but I was given all the help I needed and more by the staff, making it very easy for me to take part.”