Shipley boy says thanks to St Luke's Hospital unit in Bradford (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Sam Forrest raises £1,000 for dermatology unit which treated him for his acute eczema

9:50am Friday 15th July 2011 in News By Claire Lomax

A 13-year-old boy who suffered with such severe eczema he missed most of last year at school has raised £1,000 for the dermatology unit to thank them for their care.

Sam Forrest attends St Luke’s dermatology unit in Bradford and for the past year he has received UVB treatment three times a week.

He has been so happy with the results, he persuaded his parents Dave and Lindsay Forrest, who run Strasse, an independent Porsche specialist in Leeds, to hold their annual fundraising event for the hospital.

And yesterday Sam and his parents handed a cheque to consultant dermatologist Dr Andrew Wright at St Luke’s.

Mum Lindsay, of Shipley, 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 and sore and 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 Strasse supports the annual Porsche Club event at Harewood House and this year Sam, a pupil at Beckfoot Grammar School, decided to run a stall selling sweets and drinks.

Other money was donated by customers and club members.

He continues to undergo treatment at the new dermatology day care unit, which opened in March with £70,000 of investment in new UV machines and facilities by the Foundation Trust.

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