Charitable donations allow our hospital to be at the forefront of what’s possible, ensuring our patients and families benefit from the best care, treatment, experience and environments. 

To do this we support four priority areas. 

 1. Patient and Family Experience 

Children who are happy and relaxed cope better with their treatment and recover a lot quicker than those who are anxious, so by funding family-friendly spaces we make our hospital less daunting for children of all ages. 

Charitable money has created videos to explain what happens when young people come into our hospital; delivered creative play at a child’s bedside; provided overnight accommodation to parents at their time of need; as well as introduced a new youth mental health model of care, which is the first of its kind within Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Services. 

 2. Enabling Technology and Equipment Advances 

Your support is vital in funding the latest equipment to allow our expert clinical colleagues to provide world-class care, new treatments, speedier diagnoses and fewer invasive procedures. 

 Thanks to charitable donations we’ve funded:  

• A laser which reduces scars in size, texture and colour and is used by all children who have lost functional abilities due to scarring. 
• Technology which uses x-rays, ultrasound and other magnetic imaging to guide equipment into parts of the body that can’t be reached without an open operation. 
• DNA sequencing equipment, which allows scientists to identify DNA changes doctors can match to less-toxic cancer drugs and treatments. 

 3. Environments 

By creating spaces focused on our young patients’ needs, we help our doctors and nurses provide outstanding care with compassion. From upgrading wards, theatres and treatment areas to refurbishing waiting rooms and funding brand new, state-of-the-art buildings, our charity impacts every part of our hospital. 

Examples include the unique stained-glass windows inside Waterfall House, featuring some of Roald Dahl’s most iconic characters, designed by Sir Quentin Blake; plus the outdoor space at our inpatient mental health unit, Parkview, which received a much-needed makeover. 

 4. Research, Learning and Innovation 

Charitable donations have delivered internationally recognised research which has discovered new cures, treatments and approaches, equipping our staff with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to accelerate and advance medical breakthroughs and pioneer change. 

This includes leading the UK’s first national study into identifying research priorities for patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD), plus research into the use of a new drug that helps to block nutrient uptake in cancer cells to allow doctors to offer a less aggressive treatment option for children and young people diagnosed with Leukaemia. 

Our doctors and nurses have the skills and expertise to transform so many young lives, but we need your help to ensure our children continue to receive the world-class care that they all deserve. 

We’ve already achieved some incredible things, but there’s always more we can do: 

• Your support will empower us to take innovative approaches to treating some of the sickest children in the UK 

• Your fundraising will enable us to make our hospital feel just like home 
• Your donations will help us to find new ways to treat and cure childhood diseases.