Grateful teenager raises cash for hospital

Thirteen-year-old Sam Forrest, from Shipley, who attends St Luke’s dermatology unit for eczema treatment, was so happy with his progress that he persuaded his parents, Dave and Lindsay, to hold their annual fundraising event for the hospital.

His mother, Lindsay, said: “Sam really wanted to give something back to the unit because of the fantastic care and attention from Dr Andrew Wright and his team over what has been a very difficult year for him.

“Before starting the treatment, Sam missed most of last year’s schooling because his eczema was so bad.

“He was very itchy, sore, heat and cold affected his skin, sleeping was impossible due to the pain and he even had to give up playing the guitar because the skin on his fingers were so split and cracked.

“Fundraising for the unit has been really important to Sam because he also wanted to raise awareness of the suffering endured by eczema patients which is often dismissed by people who have never encountered it before.”

Every year his parents, who run Strasse, a Porsche specialist in Leeds, support the annual Porsche Club event at Harewood House.

This year Sam, a pupil at Beckfoot Grammar School, decided to make St Luke’s the beneficiary of fundraising on the day. For the past year he has received UVB treatment three times a week.

Sam paid for a stall himself at the Harewood event, selling sweets and drinks to add to the collection.

Yesterday the £1,000 cheque was handed over to consultant dermatologist, Dr Andrew Wright, by Sam and his parents who drove to St Luke’s in a rare GT3RS Porsche.

The money will go towards training equipment for staff.

Sam continues to undergo treatment at the new dermatology day care unit, which opened in March.

Lindsay added: “The transformation to Sam’s life following the successful treatment on the new machines has been brilliant.

“He’s returned to school and is back playing his electric guitar again and is even well enough to play in a band. “

“He’s been able to get back the little basic things that most of us take for granted and, as a parent, it is great to see him pain-free,” she added.

Dr Wright said: “We are very grateful to Sam and his family for the fundraising that they have done. As a busy department with many nursing staff, including student nurses, we have an ongoing commitment to education and we have put this money towards developing our teaching facilities in order to continue to develop our staff skills.”