01/04/2026
Colleagues and patients from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham’s (QEHB) radiotherapy department have bid a fond farewell to Jean Mannan, who has hung up her apron after more than 30 years volunteering at the hospital.
Jean first started volunteering at the tea bar in radiotherapy in 1995 after spotting an advert for volunteers in her local church. Together with her fellow tea bar volunteers, she has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for UHB Charity through the sale of tea, coffee, cakes, chocolates and more.
The funds raised have contributed towards a hospital radiotherapy machine, helped refurbish the radiotherapy waiting area, bought presents for paediatric patients to celebrate finishing their radiotherapy, and paid for other radiotherapy equipment.
Jean, who is 82, will be missed by the department and hospital, not just for her outstanding fundraising efforts, but for her warmth and conversation too. She has long been a friendly face for colleagues and patients in the department.
Jean said: “The best part about volunteering has been the conversations. I’ve talked to thousands of patients and got to know some of them really well. I’ve had cancer myself and lost my daughter to breast cancer, so I understand it’s hard and I have a lot of empathy – especially when I see children coming to the department for treatment. "
Jean is planning to move to Lanark, Scotland, to be close to her granddaughter soon. She added: “For years my friends and family have been saying to me ‘come on Jean, isn’t it time to have a rest?’ But volunteering at the hospital has genuinely made me so happy. It’s kept my legs and brain in use. If you don’t use it, you lose it and I’m not going to sit at home staring out the window just because I’m getting older.”
