ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S CHARITY MAGAZINE Issue #8 by Alder Hey Children's Charity

AlderHeyHospital

@AlderHeyCharity

AlderHey_Inspired

Issue no. 8

Alder Hey Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Charity Magazine

#TogetherFor AlderHey Our brilliant new PJs are on sale now

Back to School with our amazing young supporters Meet our young Challenge Heroes

Tel: 0151 252 5716 | Web: www.alderheycharity.org | Email: info@alderheycharity.org Registered charity no. 1160661

Inside Issue 8... 3

Welcome to our newest young fundraising ambassadors

Thank you to all our amazing supporters

#TogetherForAlderHey

Back to School

10 Community Matters 12

Getting to know you

Our Young Challenge Heroes

Making a difference

Set up a direct debit

Upcoming events

Lenny’s story

20 Katie’s story 22 Corporate

Partnerships

23 Arts for Health 25 Remembering Violet 26 Running together for

Alder Hey

28 Barnfield Bandits

conquer Coniston

30 Poppy’s Story 32 Nepal Himalaya Trek

A big

Hello & welcome to Inspired

Hi my name is Joey, but my friends and family call me Joey the Legend! I’m 11 years old and have just started high school (see our brilliant Back to School Special on page 8). On the 16th November last year my mum dropped me off at my old primary school (Queens Park in St Helens). Twenty minutes later I started to feel really funny and had a strange taste in my mouth which turned out to be a brain haemorrhage (mum helped me spell this!) caused by something called an arteriovenous malformation. I had to have emergency surgery at Alder Hey and spent four months in hospital learning to walk and talk again.

have been amazed with my recovery! I go to a few different departments including neurology, physiotherapy and speech and language to help with my rehab. I love bow ties and recently my dad, who is a tattoo artist, held a tattoo day to raise money for Alder Hey. He tattooed loads of people, including Adam in the Charity, with bow ties! I hope you enjoy the newsletter,

I’m still visiting Alder Hey regularly but doctors PJ PARTY DAY! Is on Friday 18th October 2019. Save the date!

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST CHARITY FUNDRAISING AMBASSADORS

JAKE

POPPY

MAX

Congratulations to Danny on being chosen to be the 41st rider in the 2019 Grand National.

Congratulations to Freya on being shortlisted for the 2019 JustGiving Young Fundraiser of the Year Award – good luck.

IVY

Congratulations to Millie on receiving Great Sankey High School’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Charity.

Congratulations to Poppy-Mae on being a finalist for the North West Charity Awards Young Charity Ambassador of the Year – good luck!

Welcome to our newest young fundraising ambassadors 3

A huge thank you to all of our remarkable supporters. We continue to be amazed by your generosity and the efforts you put in to fundraising for Alder Hey. Please keep your fundraising exploits and photos coming - we love to see and hear what you’ve been up to. Here’s just a selection...

TO ALL OUR AMA

Father and daughter team Aled Rees and Karen Rees-Roberts raised an amazing £5,370 by completing the 50 mile Pen Llyn ultra marathon. Diolch yn fawr iawn!

SEP Professional Services in Ormskirk raised a mammoth £5,000 by holding a golf day at Mottram Hall Emily Mahon raised a magnificent £1,321.51 through a cake sale and craft fair 4 Thank you to all our amazing supporters

Hartford Tennis Club raised a smashing £1,100 by holding an inter club tennis competition

Harriet Dodd raised a fabulous £150 through making an Easter basket and baking cakes

Maisy Spencer raised an amazing £2,000 by walking from Ellesmere Port Golf Club to Eastham Ferry

ZING SUPPORTERS

St Bede’s Catholic Primary School in Weaverham raised a magical £479 during their school production of “Ebenezer”

Billy Smith and his fundraising committee raised a stupendous £772 by organising a coffee morning

Ellie Mae Jackson raised a scarily good £140.24 by collecting donations from people visiting her Halloween themed house

Hill View Primary School in Runcorn chose Alder Hey as their Charity of the Year and raised a superb £1,200

Puddle Ducks Lancashire had a splashing time during PJ swimming week and raised an incredible £1,835 in memory of one of their members

Thomas Hughes raised a hair raising £335 by having his hair cut Thank you to all our amazing supporters 5

THIS YEAR’S EXCITING COLLABORATION WITH MATALAN AND ALDER HEY IS FIN

#TogetherForAlderHey centres upon the connections built every day at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, from patients and doctors to volunteers and parents, and how loving support is shown across the entire Alder Hey community. Taking centre stage this year are incredible Alder Hey patients Abigail, Jonah, Lenny, Oscar and Inspired cover star Poppy as well as their remarkable supporting staff who have played key roles in their journeys, becoming like family members. This year’s product range includes unisex adult and children’s PJs, a baby grow, bed socks, an eye mask and mug, all with a colourful print made up of figures holding hands and Alder Hey’s iconic Oli the Elephant. The design is a Oscar with his nurses Amy and Hannah

We are so excited about this year’s #TogetherForAlderHey campaign. This is our sixth campaign with Matalan and we are incredibly proud and humbled by their continued support. Since 2014 Matalan has raised £2.7m for Alder Hey which is just astounding! F I O N A A S H C R O F T, C E O A L D E R H E Y CHILDREN’S CHARIT Y

celebration of togetherness, putting the people and the hospital at the heart of the print. 100% of the profits from this campaign will again go to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Charity. To show support for the hospital and this year’s campaign Matalan are asking people to share pictures of themselves holding hands with friends and family, wearing their Alder Hey PJ’s and using the hashtag #TogetherForAlderHey. Together the images will form a long chain of people across social media, showing how far and wide the support for Alder Hey reaches. Head in store or online to shop the collection now at Matalan.co.uk

Prices: Adult PJs £12.50, Children’s PJ’s £8.50, Baby Grow £5.50, Pet Outfit £5.50, Eye Mask £2.50, Mug £2.50, Socks from £2.50. 6 #TogetherForAlderHey

ALLY HERE AND THE #TOGETHERFORALDERHEY DESIGN DOESN’T DISAPPOINT!

The new design PJ’s are available now instore, online and at the Alder Hey shop Below, left: Matalan’s brand ambassadors Denise Van Outen, Mark Wright and Lydia Bright are thrilled to be part of this year’s campaign Below, right: All the children and staff had an amazing day at the shoot

The patients and staff at Alder Hey will never cease to amaze and inspire me. Every day these people face unthinkable challenges, but they do it all with the strength of the Alder Hey community behind them. That family mindset and spirit of togetherness is what makes Alder Hey a truly special place – and that was the inspiration behind this year’s campaign. J A S O N H A R G R E AV E S , M ATA L A N C E O

#TogetherForAlderHey 7

BACK TO SCHOOL Our incredible young fundraiser and guest editor Joey has just left Queens Park Primary and started at Cowley High School. Joey turned 11 this summer and we have been inspired by his journey and recovery since he suffered a stroke last year, spending many months at Alder Hey.

Joey and Mr Gill

“I will miss Queen’s Park Primary, especially Mr Gill! He was lucky enough to teach me twice and is very funny! Also, the school dinners were great. I loved Chicken Pie Thursday!”

I am a bit nervous about finding my way around my new school as it’s a big place and we will have lots of different teachers to get to know. I’m really looking forward to making new friends though – friends are good! They also have amazing labs in Cowley with all the science equipment! Community Fundraiser Adam and Oli the Elephant would love to come and visit your school for assembly! Email adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org today! 8 Back to School

Danny, 8 Danny is really looking forward to going into Year 4 at St Michael’s School. He is most excited about loads and loads of maths, amazing trips and playing football and bulldogs with his friends! He is also keen to beat his teacher Mr Hughes at chess!

Kenzie, 13 Kenzie will be going into Year 9 at St Cuthberts and is looking forward to starting the GCSE subjects he has chosen. Kenzie is also very proud to be No 9 for St. Helens Physical / Learning Disability Rugby League Team. He recently dedicated a special match and each try he scored in memory of Robbie, his porter from Alder Hey! Top lad Kenzie!

Maisy, 7 Maisy is at Meadow Primary School and is looking forward to Year 3 because she gets to take her own money for the tuck shop!

Lewis, 5

Lewis has started year 1 and is excited about writing, reading and playing with his friends.

Ben, 10

Poppy-Mae, 6

Ben has started in Year 6 this year. He is looking forward to doing trials for the Y6 football team, seeing all of his friends and working hard for his new teacher Mrs Demott. He is especially excited for the school residential trip where he will share a room with his friends.

It’s a move to year 2 at Cambridge Primary for Poppy-Mae, and she can’t wait to see her teachers and her new classroom and is excited because Year 2 have good trips out!

Hayden , 12 Hayden is looking forward to not being the Year 7 newbies and can’t wait to see all his mates again.

Jess, 11 Jess has started at Neston High School, going into year 7. Jess is looking forward to her new school and new routine but is most of all looking forward to making new friends.

Back to School 9

C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S Groups from many different communities support Alder Hey every year by raising thousands of pounds. Faith groups, schools, sports clubs, youth groups, special interest groups and many others provide vital support for the 330,000 children and their families treated at Alder Hey every year – thank you.

THE MCLAREN OWNERS CLUB A group of McLaren Owners Club members took time to visit Alder Hey on a bright and sunny February day. Children and their parents were given the opportunity to see these fantastic cars up close and the charity were delighted to receive a £4,000 cheque in support of the hospital. CLITHEROE CUB CLIMB On Saturday 29th June nine cubs from St Mary Magdelene Scout Group in Clitheroe took part in a trek from Pendleton to Jeppe Knaves’ Grave on Wiswell Moor and back again – a round trip of 10km. In soaring temperatures of up to 28 degrees the group of 8-10 year olds managed to finish the walk in 4.5 hours and were delighted to be awarded a Hike Away badge on completion of the challenge. The group raised an incredible £1,150 and everybody involved gained a lot from the experience and had a great day out. THE REDS FOOTIE TOUR From 18-21 April the Reds Family Football Tour raised an incredible £21,963 for Alder Hey by completing a four day, 265 mile walk around 30 football grounds to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in memory of the 96. Starting at the City Ground Nottingham and visiting stadiums including Accrington Stanley’s Crown Ground and Rotherham’s New York Stadium, 36 Liverpool fans from around the country completed twenty, four mile legs each, finishing four days later at Anfield.

10 Community Matters

The month of Ramadan is a special time of the year for over 2 billion Muslims throughout the world. Alder Hey Children’s Charity is grateful to many local community groups who have supported us this year by raising money and donating gifts during Ramadan and beyond.

THE CHARITY WALK FOR PEACE is an annual event in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Elders Association calendar. Walkers from both the Bait-ul-Lateef Mosque in Liverpool and the Darul Aman Mosque in Manchester participated and raised money for Alder Hey.

THE PRESTON MUSLIM GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL raised an amazing £2,533.89 by completing sponsored walks, holding a bake off competition, enduring a sponsored silence (highly anticipated by their teachers!), organising sweet sales and holding an original art canvas sale.

EID UNWRAPPED was founded in December 2016 by Muaaz Khan who, as a child, was in and out of hospital – receiving his first kidney transplant at the age of eleven. A grass roots organisation, Eid Unwrapped seeks to tap into the Muslim community and deliver presents to children and young people in hospital during the festival of Eid. Alder Hey Children’s Charity was delighted to receive hundreds of amazing presents this year.

THE ABDULLAH QUILLIAM SOCIETY, situated at Britain’s oldest Mosque on Brougham Terrace, Liverpool chose Alder Hey as its charity for The Liverpool Mayor’s Grand Iftar 2019. An incredible £558.32 was raised on the evening following the breaking of the fast.

For more information or to book a visit from Adam please contact him on: adam.dixon @alderheycharity.org 0151 252 5705 @adixonAlderHey

Community Matters 11

GET TING TO KNOW YOU... Alder Hey Children’s Hospital is full of truly inspiring patients and their families. It is also home to 3,500 amazing staff including ward chefs, surgeons, porters, nurses, clerical staff, domestics and play specialists to name but a few. We thought you might like to meet some of the remarkable people that help to make Alder Hey such a special place for so many people. Head of Community Fundraising, Cath Harding recently met up with Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant, Anne Kerr to find out a little bit about her role at Alder Hey.

12 Getting to know you

Good afternoon Anne! Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your very busy schedule in the Alder Hey Emergency Department. We’re in the middle of the school summer holidays (not that you’d know with this incessant rain!), is this a busy time for the Emergency Department? We’re always busy, but at this time of year we tend to see a different kind of patient as we get more children coming in with injuries due to the holidays and the warmer weather! You’ve worked at Alder Hey since October 2013, what makes it so special? Alder Hey is full of amazing people; staff, volunteers and patients and their families. I’m privileged to work in such a fun environment with so much going on, the people make it a special place to work. I understand that you’re soon to be taking a sabbatical? Where are you off to? I am! I’m lucky enough to be heading off for two months of voluntary work in Sierra Leone. I will be working in a children’s hospital there with some

amazing doctors and nurses, and will be working in the resus and emergency department. It’s going to be a challenge but hopefully I will learn lots and be able to offer some help too. That sounds amazing, good luck! Did you always want to be a doctor? Thank you, yes. I always wanted to work with children and to be a doctor so paediatrics was an easy choice. Working in Emergency Medicine means I always have exciting days and never know what to expect next. We recently spent the night together cycling 100km around the Wirral and Liverpool as we completed the Liverpool Nightrider event for Alder Hey Children’s Charity – it obviously wasn’t the first time you’d been on a bike?! No… I became a cyclist last year after agreeing to sign up for and completing LEJOG (Land’s End to John O’ Groats). I wasn’t much of a cyclist before then but I love the opportunity to see the country and to get fit, it also lets you reward yourself with cake!

Do you have any tips for people looking to take up cycling, perhaps even to do the 2020 Nightrider? As an Emergency Consultant I’ve always been a passionate advocate for cyclists wearing helmets. I’ve seen too many children and young people with head injuries after coming off their bike – the difference a helmet makes cannot be under estimated. I’d also advise a comfortable saddle – it definitely helps when you get beyond 10 miles! Excellent advice. Other than cycling – what do you like to do to relax away from work? Apart from cycling I love to play tennis and to relax with friends, I also like to watch sport on TV. A little bird tells me that your favourite food is broccoli? Come on – are you just saying this because you’re a doctor? No – it’s absolutely true, just ask my three year old niece who always points it out in the supermarket saying ‘Auntie Anne loves broccoli!’ I probably eat it about four times a week!

NAME: ANNE KERR JOB TITLE: Paediatric Eme rgency Medicine Consultant

Brilliant! So, we now know you love superfoods but if I could grant you one superpower what would it be? If I could have a super power – I would love to fly! I’m a bit of a control freak and I hate flying in aeroplanes, so if I could fly myself that would be fantastic! And finally, before I let you get back to your broccoli… if you had one wish, what would it be? If I had one wish it would be that I didn’t need to work because people no longer got ill or injured. But, while they do - we’ll still be here to look after them.

Two 50km loops through the Wirral and Liverpool. Choose either 50km loop or the REG FEE: £35 full 100km to MIN SPONSORSHIP: £200 experience it all!

11TH/12TH JULY 2020

Getting to know you 13

OUR YOUNG CHA WE’VE BEEN INSPIRED AND HUMBLED BY NUMEROUS Y O U N G P E O P L E R E C E N T LY W H O H A V E T A K E N O N S O M E I N C R E D I B L E C H A L L E N G E S F O R A L D E R H E Y... AMAZING MAISIE

13 year old Maisie Kinsella had open heart surgery at Alder Hey when she was just two years old. Maisie continues to attend Alder Hey for outpatient appointments and recently decided that she would like to give something back to the hospital that saved her life. Maisie loves adventure and the outdoors, which is the main reason she chose her particular fundraising challenge – to climb mountains! Maisie set herself the awesome challenge of climbing a variety of mountains with a combined height climbed of 20,000ft – a couple of thousand feet more than the height of

14 Our Young Challenge Heroes

Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro! With the support of her school, The Heath in Runcorn, Maisie managed to raise a fabulous £1,000 for Alder Hey. We think she’s well deserving of one of her favourite things… toasted marshmallows on an open fire after a hard day’s climb!

LLENGE HEROES JACK’S JOURNEY

11 year old Jack and little sister Evie, along with friends and family, completed the 15 mile Wirral Coastal Walk in June raising money for Alder Hey and the Listening Centre in Toronto. Jack, a patient of Neurosurgeon Mr Conor Mallucci and the Neurosurgery Team at Alder Hey, wanted to give something back to, in his own words, “A very caring and kind group of people who have helped me so much over the last year especially.”

EVERTON ELLIE

16 year old Everton fan and Chester FC player Ellie McHugh has been visiting Alder Hey for half of her life and last year underwent seven operations, spending many weeks at the hospital. When she saw the Goodison Park Zip Wire advertised in the Charity office she decided it was a great opportunity to be able to give something back to the hospital that, in her own words, ‘has given me my life back.’ Ellie raised a phenomenal £710.46 by successfully zipping from the top balcony to the Park End of Goodison on the 30th March.

Climbing, swimming, cycling, walking, running, skydiving and zip wiring… sometimes a combination of a few! Whatever it is you’re doing we love to hear about it and we also love to see all of your fantastic photographs – thank you.

HOW YOUR SUPPORT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE Your generous support is changing lives every day here at Alder Hey. With your help we always come #TogetherForAlderHey and for our brave young patients to fund five key areas: Here are a few of the ways you have made a difference in the last six months… L I F E-S AV I N G E Q U I PM E N T

Your donations have allowed us to spend £28,000 on equipment for Intensive Care that supports the lungs of our neonatal babies and helps little hearts at the time of cardiac surgery. VITAL RESEARCH

You have contributed over £44,000 towards a research project that will help to more accurately classify Neuroblastoma patients into risk groups to help improve the outcome for young cancer patients. AWARD-WINNING PARK CAMPUS

Your continued support towards our brand new Alder Centre will make a huge difference in supporting families living with the loss of a child. We were thrilled to see the ground-breaking earlier this year and look forward to unveiling the strikingly designed building in 2020. 16 Making a difference

GAME-CHANGING INNOVATION

In partnership with University of Liverpool, The Legacy Project uses Lego to explore how families come together to share memories and feelings while facing end of life care for their child. Your support helps to fund the Lego resources needed for this project. ALDER HEY MAGIC

The list of magical ways you help us to go the extra mile is a very long one!

To name just a few this year you have helped fund a magician, musical instruments and ward musicians, artist workshops, sensory toys, holistic therapies for bereaved families, trips and therapeutic breaks and wall murals to provide distraction in our burns unit. THANK YOU!

Regular gifts are essential to our work

Direct debits help us go the extra mile, month in, month out, for the 330,000 children we treat every year. As little as £5 a month can make a huge difference. Please pay Alder Hey Children’s Charity

£5

£10

£15 My own choice

Payments are made monthly unless requested otherwise I wish my donation to be made on the I would like my first donation to be made during the month of:

1st day of the month

Please choose a start date at least one month from now.

15th day of the month

Phone:

Email address:

Gift Aid declaration Please make every pound you give worth an extra 25% I am a UK taxpayer - please reclaim Gift Aid on my donation and all future donations. Gift aid is reclaimed by Alder Hey Children’s Charity from the tax that I pay for the current tax year. If I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations, it is my responsibility to pay any difference. I have given my home address to identify me as a UK taxpayer. Alder Hey Children’s Charity will reclaim 25p in tax for every £1 that I donate.

Signature:

Date:

Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and return in an envelope addressed to FREEPOST ALDER HEY. Service User Number 5 0 4 1 0 Name & full postal address of your Bank or Building Society. To:

The Manager

Address:

Name of Bank/Building Society

Postcode

Name(s) of account holder(s) Branch Sort Code:

Bank or Building Society Account No:

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society:

Please pay Alder Hey Children’s Charity Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may retain with Alder Hey Children’s Charity and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Signature:

Date:

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account. The Direct Debit Guarantee . . If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Alder Hey Children’s Charity will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Alder Hey Children’s Charity to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. . If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Alder Hey Children’s Charity or your bank or building society you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Alder Hey Children’s Charity asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

You can make a one off donation or set up a Direct Debit online at www.alderheycharity.org/donate. Thank you.

DO YOU DARE TO

SKYDIVE? FEELING BRAVE? TAKE ON THE OUR MOST EXHILARATING CHALLENGE BY JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE FOR ALDER HEY.

Skyline have sites located around the country offering the chance to try either a Tandem or Static Line jump with availability throughout the year.

JUMP FOR F R E E!

MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP: £395 TO BOOK PLEASE VISIT WWW.ALDERHEYCHARITY.ORG/EVENTS/ LATEST/SKYDIVING

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL ABSEIL SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 2020 Abseiling 150ft down Liverpool’s world famous cathedral is a magical experience. Why not make this one of your 2020 challenges? REGISTRATION FEE: £40 MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP: £160

F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M AT I O N O N A N Y O F O U R E V E N T S : Email community@alderheycharity.org or visit www.alderheycharity.org/events

LENNY’S STORY Since his successful operation Lenny has surpassed doctor’s expectations with his swift recovery and his smiling face lights up everyone’s day.

Lenny was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome when he was just a few days old after undergoing genetic tests. The day after he was born a routine cardiac scan showed that he also had Complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect (CAVSD) which meant he had two holes in his heart and only one valve instead of two. At six months old Lenny underwent open heart surgery at Alder Hey. He was expected to be in hospital for up to five weeks, but by the time he got to intensive care he was breathing for himself and four days later, the little fighter was home and well.

“

Lenny suffers with constipation and has recently had several chest infections so he is under the watchful eye of Consultant Margaret O’Connor who is brilliant with him.”

“Lenny is a very sociable little boy, he loves people and he absolutely loves music, as soon as a beat come on he starts dancing and wiggling! He also loves water play in nursery, playing with sand and hand painting.” His favourite hobbies are his swimming lessons at water babies and dancing around in his Jumperoo to music. He also has a very sweet tooth, loving chocolate, cakes and ice cream, but his favourite food is yoghurt which, according to mum, he could eat all day long! “The staff at Alder Hey are so lovely, they treat him as their own and I feel like we’re in the safest of hands. They really are brilliant.”

Lenny loved taking part in this year’s Matalan campaign

“

One year old Lenny has a love of people, a love of music, and an extra chromosome.

Mum Vikki explained, “Some health conditions are more common in people with Down’s syndrome such as heart conditions, hearing and vision problems, thyroid conditions and infections such as pneumonia. Most children with Down’s syndrome will also have some degree of learning disability.

Despite numerous visits to Alder Hey, Lenny is reaching milestones before his, now five year old, sister Izzy did at his age such as rolling over, sitting up and clapping.

I wouldn’t change him for the world. Having a child with Down’s syndrome is nothing to be scared of; they bring so much joy and happiness to your life. VIKKI, LENNY’S MUM

LENNY FEATURES IN THE BRAND NEW MATAL AN PJ CAMPAIGN, SEE PAGE 6

Lenny’s story 19

KATIE’S STORY

When a tumour was found in her lower right femur in November 2017, ten year old Wigan Warriors fan Katie Coutanche was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that develops in about 30 children in the UK each year.

Under the care of consultant Mr James Hayden and the staff on 3B at Alder Hey, Katie began six cycles of chemotherapy treatment almost immediately, with each cycle lasting five weeks. Katie also needed surgery to replace sections of bone that were affected by the tumour to prevent the need for full limb amputation. At the beginning of March 2018, Katie along with parents Shona and Chris, travelled to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham where Katie had an operation to remove the tumour and to have a growing endoprosthesis fitted to replace the bone. Shona explained “She’s had part of her femur, her entire knee joint and the bottom of her shin removed. Now she’s got a metal leg underneath it all. Fortunately we managed to catch the tumour in time, otherwise she’d have had to have her leg amputated.” Her chemotherapy then continued at Alder Hey until August 2018, alongside physiotherapy to get her back on her feet and to rebuild the power in her leg. “She has gone from strength to strength and is very conscious of showing her appreciation of everything that Alder Hey has done for her

20 Katie’s story

“She looks forward to seeing everyone on appointment days. It’s not been easy for her but kids are so resilient.”

“

The nurses and everybody at Alder Hey have been absolutely phenomenal.

“

so she likes to give back by raising money and baking treats for the staff she developed an incredible bond with. She bakes a mean brownie and amazing rocky road!

S H O N A , K AT I E ’ S M U M

Despite her gruelling treatment and recovery from surgery Katie, together with her family, have raised £5,000 for Alder Hey by doing numerous events including walking a mile which Katie managed on crutches whilst feeling ill.

Katie also donated her birthday money, has held a guess the goal competition in her dad’s bar (which has been renamed Katie’s Yard in her honour) and recently held a bucket collection during a home game at her beloved rugby team - Wigan Warriors.

Katie’s story 21

C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R S H I P S Our Corporate Partnerships are a vital part of how we raise money for our amazing hospital. Businesses big and small, both around the corner and across the country, help us to provide the state-of-the-art facilities for our brave young patients. Here are some of the inspiring fundraisers who have been working hard for us during the last six months… Everyone’s favourite Brazilian restaurant Fazenda Liverpool made March magical by asking their guests to add £1 to their bill for Alder Hey. Over the month the team raised a fantastic £1,609! Thank you to everyone at Fazenda and also to their lovely customers!

We had a blast at the 2019 Grand National Festival, braving all weathers and weilding our collection buckets at Merseyrail stations to raise an incredible £17,583.67. A massive thank you to all the volunteers that helped over the three days and to Merseyrail for being an amazing fundraising partner! EFT Group have smashed their fundraising target, raising over £15,000 for Alder Hey. The group set up the Southport Sausage and Bacon Cycling Club with the team undertaking a gruelling 250 mile cycle! Over the year numerous other fundraising events were organised from golf days to bake sales and many more! We think they are just brilliant!

A HUGE THANK YOU FROM THE CORPORATE FUNDRAISING TEAM TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS WHO TOOK PART IN OUR CONISTON CHALLENGE 2019 – READ OUR CONISTON FEATURE ON PAGE 28

22 Corporate Partnerships

H E A LT H

Alder Hey Charity has proudly funded our Arts for Health programme for over ten years delivering participatory arts projects within our hospital. From music and dance to comics and animation, your support has allowed us to brighten the days of our brave, young patients. Our latest arts project is ‘Sound’ – a music based project that has launched this year with thanks to a successful application for funding from Children in Need. Musicians and patients work together on the wards to make every session unique for each patient and family. Since we launched ‘Sound’ in February, 176 children and young people have benefitted from these participatory sessions.

The project is designed for long-term patients across Alder Hey who live with complex, life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. They can spend many months, sometimes even years in our care and these sessions are proven to have a positive impact on their emotional well-being. The end results may include gentle soothing music to relax and calm a patient, or high energy jamming where they can express themselves freely through music.

Our wonderful ‘Sound’ project musician Georgina Aasgaard also won the Merseyside Women of the Year 2019 Arts, Culture and Media award. Well done Georgina!

“

I had fun. It stopped me from being fed up while having treatment and made me feel relaxed and involved. It took my mind off the treatment and the music was relaxing and I learned a new instrument. – M I A , PAT I E N T

“

ARTS FOR

Arts for Health 23

OPENING SOON...

Alder Hey Children’s Charity is excited to announce that we will be opening a department store style charity shop this November in Old Swan, Liverpool.

The shop will sell a huge variety of pre loved stock including good quality furniture, designer clothing, best-selling novels and children’s toys. Keep your eyes open for details of our grand opening and special offers!

We need good quality donations and dedicated volunteers to join our team.

WA N T E D

If you’re having a clear out or you’re updating your furniture you could help to support the 900 children treated at Alder Hey EVERY DAY by donating your good quality pre loved items to us. We need the following to help stock our new shop…

Good quality furniture, sofas, chairs, 3 piece suits (good quality, with BS safety land fire labels attached) Ladies, gents and children’s clothing Books, cds, dvds Toys, games, bric-a-brac

If you’ve got a few hours a week to give why not volunteer? We’re looking for… • Shop assistants • Drivers

• Donation sorters • eBay sales assistants

FOR ANY SHOP RELATED QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT CATH ON 0151 282 4795

RUN WITH US…

SANTA DASH Sunday 1st December 2019

MERSEY TUNNEL 10K Sunday 19th April 2020

LIVERPOOL HALF MARATHON & 10 MILER Sunday 15th March 2020

GREAT NORTH RUN Sunday 6th September 2020 Alder Hey Children’s Charity places available

FOR DETAILS OF HOW TO JOIN OUR RUNNING TEAM PLEASE CONTACT ADAM ON

0151 252 5705 Check out these great running events coming up in the next 12 months! Join Us. Join In.

Email Community@alderheycharity.org Visit our running hub at www.alderheycharity.org

REMEMBERING VIOLET VIOLET ELIZABETH STEPHENS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD DURING HER SHORT HAPPY LIFE. She also loved books, animals (especially elephants) and music, particularly Katherine Jenkins whose rendition of Hallelujah relaxed her instantly especially in her final days in hospital where we played Katherine on shuffle all night long to enable her to sleep peacefully rather than fitfully.” Violet, who was born in Manchester on 15 June 2015, was diagnosed with a heart condition before birth. At just four days old she underwent pioneering heart surgery at Alder Hey to widen her aorta.

Sarah set up an Alder Hey Angels Tribute Fund in Violet’s name and has since raised over £38,000 through a variety of donations and events, including The Violet Ball which raised over £15,000.

Despite the odds being against her Violet survived the surgery and just two days later she was moved out of intensive care. Eight days later Violet left hospital for home, weighing less than five pounds – including her post op bandages.

Pat and Sarah will forever be grateful to the cardiac team at Alder Hey who enabled them to enjoy 15 wonderful months with their daughter, living life to the full.

When Violet tragically died in October 2016 Sarah and Pat decided to build a legacy in her name to remember their smiley, music loving, water baby forever.

“Violet loved meeting new people and taking everything in and despite her short life she was a little jetsetter, visiting New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Cornwall, Cyprus, Ireland, Scotland and North Wales.

Mum Sarah explained “Violet was wise beyond her years and a true inspiration to so many of us. She had an innate calmness about her and seemed wise beyond her years. She hardly ever cried so was pretty easy-going most of the time, as long as you didn’t try to steal her balloon or give her medicine! She taught us so much from the very beginning – to make the most of life and not waste any opportunity. She profoundly touched our souls.”

Sarah is organising a second ball in Manchester in September 2020 – anyone interested in getting involved should contact community@alderheycharity.org If you would like to set up an Alder Hey Angels Tribute Fund in memory of or in support of a loved one please contact us at tributefunds@alderheycharity.org or call 0151 252 5716 Remembering Violet 25

RUNNING TOGETHER FOR ALDER HEY Merseyside’s Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley is a keen runner. As a father of three girls he is eternally grateful for their good health. Ian has spent time in his role as a senior Police Officer in Merseyside working with staff from Alder Hey and after seeing the amazing dedication that was provided to children and their families by Alder Hey staff he decided to raise money for Alder Hey Children’s Charity. “I thought this year I would seek to push myself further than I have before by running 100km in beautiful Bakewell in July. Whilst tough it clearly pales into insignificance with what children and their carers go through being treated for many different life threatening conditions at Alder Hey.” Ian raised a fantastic £1139 and successfully completed the 100km – amazing stuff!

Why n in y o o t ru n u (o p ti r P J s a n d tr o n a l) a in (r e c o m m e n e rs d e d !)