Hays Travels colleagues ‘dress down’
for The Silent Bleed raising £575!
We’re thrilled to shine a light on one of the kind-hearted individuals behind an incredible act of generosity! Today, we're chatting with a dedicated team member from Hays Travel, whose passion and effort helped raise vital funds for The Silent Bleed—a charity supporting people living with the rare neurological condition, superficial siderosis.
It’s always inspiring to see people take action for a cause they believe in, and this story is no exception. From travel plans to charity goals, we’re diving into the “why” behind the donation, the journey that led to it, and the personal connection that made it all worthwhile.
Let’s meet the amazing person behind the fundraiser! Andrea Duangkham
Q
How did you / your company first hear about The Silent Bleed (TSB) and the work we do?
A
I suggested this charity for one of our monthly dress down days
Q
Have you heard of superficial siderosis (AKA SS) before? If not, what was your first reaction when you learned about it?
A
My husband Wan was diagnosed with this condition last October. After realising how rare this condition is, I searched on the internet. I found the charity website which helped me gain knowledge and also join social media communities.
Q
What inspired your team to choose The Silent Bleed as the recipient of this donation?
A
Rare conditions as a whole are not supported enough. People should be aware of the symptoms and care the patient requires. theFinding out about the condition was quite challenging which makes you realise there are so many illnesses out there that you are unaware of until it happens to you.
Q.
Was there something about our mission or the people we support that personally resonated with you or your team?
A
I personally I’m thankful for The Silent Bleed and the information out there which has helped in understanding what my husband is going through. I would love to have some leaflets sent to me so I can put them in different departments at Hays Travels and also take some along when going for doctors appointments with my husband as most of my doctors know nothing about Superficial siderosis.
Q
Does your company have a focus on giving back or supporting health-related causes? How does this donation fit into those values?
Hays Travels values supporting people and to do this, the company lets staff nominate a charity every month and every one in the company drops a penny everyday for the whole month. At the end of the month the total is collated and sent to the charity nominated for that month. The Silent Bleed was nominated for the month of April and we were able to raise £575 for The Silent Bleed.
Q.
How was the money raised?
A.
Basically, everyone donated however I went a step further. At the beginning of the year, I mentioned TSB to my company Hays Travels. I also went a step further to create a brief documentary about SS and The Silent Bleed and the work they do which the training department put up on every screen in every department in the company just to bring awareness about superficial siderosis and the silent bleed. This was necessary because a lot of people know nothing about SS. I needed them to know what they were giving to. The responses from my colleagues and even family and friends was overwhelming, their generous donations and excitement to contribute.
Q. What do you hope this donation will help us achieve for the SS community?
A. I hope the donation will go towards your social media, putting the work out there.
Everyone was really happy regarding the total sum raised.
Q. What message would you share with others who might be considering donating to The Silent Bleed or getting involved?
A. By giving to this charity, you can help to fund crucial research into this rare disease. To spread knowledge of the disease and help support those who suffer from SS and their families.
Q. What did this experience mean to you personally or as a team?
A. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my family, friends and colleagues who donated raffle prizes to help raise funds. I felt proud that I was able to contribute some funds to the charity, which has helped me understand this rare condition, supporting me to support my husband who was diagnosed with SS.
We’re incredibly grateful to Andrea Duangkham and the team at Hays Travel for their generosity, compassion, and commitment to supporting those living with superficial siderosis. It’s through acts like these that The Silent Bleed can continue raising awareness, offering support, and funding essential work for a community that too often goes unheard.
If you’ve been inspired by this story and want to get involved—whether through fundraising, volunteering, or simply spreading the word—visit www.thesilentbleed.co.uk to learn more.
Together, we can turn quiet struggles into shared strength.
Interview by Debbie Ebiniyi and Andrea Duangkham