Seven Lions clubs in East Devon and LCIF contributed US$23,600 to equip one of the six isolation rooms at the new hematology unit at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. The new 16-bed facility replaced an aging eight-bed ward.

The ward is expected to serve 1,100 people annually. Leukemia is one of Britain's fastest-growing life-threatening diseases, and the Devon area has had the most cases.

The Lions clubs raised funds for the ward through duck races, auctions, walks, dances, sales and treasure hunts. LCIF matched their donation with a US$11,800 Standard grant. Standard grants are approved for large-scale service projects that address urgent humanitarian needs.

The project hit close to home, said Paver of the Budleigh Salterton Lions. "Everybody knows someone, whether it's family or friends, who has been affected by this disease," he told the Express & Echo newspaper.

The isolation room funded by the Lions is known as the Lions Clubs International Isolation Room. Lions provided for special internal isolation doors, internal hygienic finishes, special fittings, sanitary equipment and special medical equipment. The isolation rooms are "a way of reducing infection risk as the patients are more vulnerable when they are having chemotherapy," Dr. Richard Lee told the Express and Echo.

The Lions' project was one part of a multimillion dollar initiative to upgrade the hospital's hematology unit, which opened in 2002. Fund-raising was coordinated by the Exeter Leukemia Fund, a local charity.

The hematology unit, regarded as one of the most modern and innovative in Europe, treats blood cancer victims with bone marrow transplants and conducts research into the causes of the disease.

Lions are proud of how they responded to a community need. Said Past District Governor John Cook, "We feel this is what Lionism is all about--caring for the community and fulfilling our 'we serve' motto."