Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) chose a flowered crochet African rhino as its mascot for the annual Research Awareness Week covering three main hospitals that serve more than 420,000 people across the region.
The event aims to raise awareness and encourage the community to connect with clinical teams and about research projects being carried out in 26 specialities, including rheumatology, orthopaedics, renal, stroke and cardiology.
DBTH, an NHS Foundation Trust, currently has 85 studies in the open recruiting phase and 44 studies at follow up stage that promise to bring new and better treatment options for patients.
It is also sharing feedback from patients who join trials and studies with one rheumatology patient commenting: "I have the utmost respect, trust and feel lucky that I have been given the opportunity to join the Research Programme and thank the team so much."
The African Rhino mascot was made by Angela Waddingham one of DBTH’s Research Sisters and her daughter-in-law Stephanie Rafferty.
It was chosen to represent the need to protect and support research so that advances in healthcare are not threatened.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park CEO John Minion said:”We are delighted to support the wonderful work of the teaching hospitals serving over 400,000 people across the region."
“The Trust does so much good work in the community and its awareness week really shows how they are striving to make life better for people. The rhino, and the wonderful, flowered crochet are a fitting symbol for the need to support and protect what is dear to us.”