Strive to end patient deconditioning
Donate2motivate was set up by friends Dr Gaby Titley-Wilson & Dr Chloe Ward, who are both Junior Doctors at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT).
They are on a mission to address the issue of patient deconditioning* and the subsequent challenges it brings to patient recovery by buying and sourcing clothing and toiletries for patients.
*Deconditioning (noun, medical): the process of losing physical strength through being ill, injured, or not active.
Gaby, an alumna of University of Liverpool School of Medicine said:
“We firmly believe that a positive and active mindset can have a huge impact on a patient's overall well-being and aid faster recovery.
“It is heartbreaking to see patients from our Liverpool community who do not have friends or family able to bring them clothes lying in bed in open hospital gowns, so we are aiming to address the issue of deconditioning and the subsequent challenges it brings to patient recovery.”
Through the simple but meaningful act of donating clothing, toiletries, or fun activities (think puzzle books, word searches, crosswords etc), we hope to dismantle the barriers created by hospital gowns and inspire patients to reclaim their strength and dignity.”
In December 2023, Donate2motivate hosted a festive pyjama day across Liverpool hospitals including The Royal, Aintree and Broadgreen.
“We were completely in awe of the support both seeing staff in pyjamas and speaking to colleagues about the difference getting a patient washed and dressed appropriately can make.”
One of the driving factors behind Donate2Motivate is the real experiences that both Gaby and Chloe have experienced in their work at LUHFT, including the story of Keeghan, (anonymised here to preserve their dignity and privacy).
Chloe explains:
“Keeghan is the patient that catalysed the Donate2Motivate movement and remains very close to our hearts. He did not have any living friends or family to bring in clothes or pyjamas and consequently he had to wear a hospital gown every day throughout his four-month admission.”
“He was very low in mood and refused to get out of bed, stating that he did not want to carry out his physiotherapy activities in an open back hospital gown. Gaby went to the shopping centre and bought him pyjamas, a dressing gown, and basic toiletries.
The following day he had a shower, shaved his beard, and engaged with the physiotherapy team. Sometimes barriers to discharge are simple things that make a patient feel more like their normal self!”
Donate2Motivate are not only raising money and collecting clothes, toiletries, and activity-based donations, but they are also part of the #EndPJParalysis movement and spoke at the End PJ Paralysis Global Summit in July last year, presenting on the topic of deconditioning and Donate2Motivate. You can watch the recording of their talk here. (link).
Discover More
You can support Gaby and Chloe’s journey towards helping patients and preventing deconditioning on Instagram @donate2motivate (link) or online at donate2motivate (link).