The Board of Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust and the Trustees of the Stephanie Marks Diabetes Appeal unveiled the design for the new diabetes Resource Centre at a buffet lunch generously hosted by The Ship Hotel, Weybridge on Monday, 22nd October.

The planned two storey, state-of-the-art Resource Centre will be located at the entrance to St. Peter’s Hospital and will serve the Ashford & St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust catchment area.  £150,000 is needed to bring the Appeal to a successful conclusion and achieve the goal of improving the quality of diabetes care for patients living in Surrey and West Middlesex!

Benefits to the Community

The Resource Centre will benefit Type 1 and Type 2 patients of all ages by offering integrated diabetes treatment, education and research.  It will become the ‘spiritual home of diabetes’, a ‘one-stop-shop’ for diabetes care and the base for Clinicians (Consultant Diabetologists/Endocrinologists, Pump Therapy Specialists, Diabetes Specialist Nurses, Podiatrists and Dieticians) to hold out-patient clinics.  Raising awareness of this escalating condition within the Surrey and West Middlesexcommunity will lead to prevention, early detection, management and monitoring of the disease. The Resource Centre will enable a range of educational initiatives to be offered to support the newly diagnosed as well as patients with long term conditions, together with their families and friends.   Staff will provide emotional support and practical advice to families (including diet and nutrition) coping with this complex condition. 

Appeal Chair, Clive Thompson CBE announced, “Over the last 4 years the contributions of industry, charities, bequests and community projects have raised almost £600,000. 24,000 patients per annum with the condition were predicted to be seen at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust by 2010 – that number has already been reached!!!! Therefore, we cannot afford to wait!  Whilst the original plan was to build a new ‘centre of excellence’ we are now going to modify an existing building located in the grounds of St. Peter’s Hospital.  This will save time, money and meet all of the objectives of the Appeal.”

The architects have created a design based on inputs from future users. Planning permission will be applied for shortly and we are ready to give the go-ahead for work to start in spring 2008.  Everything looks good, and we will have a new resource centre to house the ‘world of diabetes’ in winter 2008. 


To bring this far-sighted Appeal to a successful conclusion and satisfy the aspirations and high standards of the future users, another £150,000 is needed.  Donate now to help us to make a truly positive impact in the way diabetes care is offered thereby making a real change in the lives of diabetes patients and their families.

Please make your cheque payable to The Stephanie Marks Appeal and send it to The Fundraising Office, The Studio (SDU), St. Peter’s Hospital, Guildford Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 0PZ.  Alternatively, visit our website www.stephaniemarks.org.ukto donate securely on-line using all major debit & credit cards.