Mayday Hospital's Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre staff, patients and their families were grateful for a new piece of equipment bought with the proceeds from a summer ball.

On Friday November 30 staff and associates of the centre on Whitehorse Road in Thornton Heath gathered for a ceremony to

receive the new £2,000 graseby pump.

The Croydon Guardian helped publicise the July ball at the Croydon Hilton, when it featured sickle cell anaemia from the point of view of 21-month-old sufferer Sapphire Timpson.

Her mother, Tokes Timpson, said: "The disease can lead to severe pain in the joints, because the blood is not working properly.

"Sometimes when Sapphire has a crisis, I have to take her to the centre for help with managing the pain."

The pump, which administers medicine to sufferers, is an extremely time-saving addition for the centre, because it means a doctor need not be called to administer the drugs.

For information contact 020 8251 7229 or email sickle.cell@virgin.net

December 13, 2001 14:30