#Hellomynameis Dr Kate Granger dies after raising £250k for cancer care
Howard Lake | 25 July 2016 | News
Dr Kate Granger, the Yorkshire doctor who created the international #hellomynameis campaign to encourage medical staff to get to know their patients as individuals, has died just three days after her fundraising total reached £250,000.
A consultant gerontologist, she died from cancer, aged 34 and on her 11th wedding anniversary. She was raising funds for cancer care.
When she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer at 29, she set about completing a bucket list of activities, and pledged to tweet from her deathbed to help the public recognise and accept death and mortality.
https://twitter.com/PointonChris/status/757129509443346432
She set herself the task of raising funds for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre in Leeds. Her original target in 2012 was £50,000. It was subsequently raised to £250,000 which she achieved in the past week.
Celebrating with @PointonChris reaching our £250,000 target 4 @YCC_Appeal . Huge TY to all involved! #hellomynameis pic.twitter.com/OjeDa6J4iB
— Kate Granger (@GrangerKate) July 20, 2016
Advertisement
The charity shared its sadness and respect for her achievements this morning:
https://twitter.com/YCC_Appeal/status/757500648510414848
She wrote two books. Her first, The Other Side, told the story of her diagnosis and experience as a patient. She donated all proceeds of its sale to the charity appeal.
#hellomynameis
Dr Granger created the #hellomynameis campaign after hearing how she and other patients were referred to by some medical staff. She wanted them to introduce themselves so that both parties knew whom they were talking to.
The campaign has proved immensely popular, with the NHS and other healthcare systems around the world adopting the approach.
Impact
Her impact and achievements are demonstrated by the range and quality of the people whom she touched and inspired in her campaigning:
I shouldn't think one person in a million leaves a legacy as profoundly worthwhile as #hellomynameis. @GrangerKate was incredible. RIP.
— John (@JM_Underwood) July 24, 2016
#hellomynameis from @UniNorthants nursing students to @GrangerKate pic.twitter.com/fF7tbaepRe
— Philip Pearson (@respirologist) July 11, 2016
My thoughts are with you @PointonChris. Kate made a real and lasting difference. Be proud of her. https://t.co/N0vsM3sJZe
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) July 24, 2016
All our nurses have a #hellomynameis badge – we're proud to be a part of @GrangerKate's campaign – thank you Kate. pic.twitter.com/9SnHHp9OCh
— Marie Curie (@mariecurieuk) July 21, 2016
We're sad to hear that inspirational @GrangerKate has died. We'll always support her legacy #hellomynameis. #RIPKate pic.twitter.com/S0KYd6UDof
— Saint Francis Hospice (@SFHUK) July 24, 2016
Very happy to be involved with this. #hellomynameis pic.twitter.com/ZDnFAIhqOF
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 13, 2016
https://twitter.com/NicolaFurbisher/status/757233771720605696
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.