AlderHeyHospital
@AlderHeyCharity
AlderHey_Inspired
Issue no. 11
Alder Hey Children’s Charity Magazine
It’s the Merriest Christmas ever with our new Matalan PJs! Jamie Carragher launches our new Neonatal Appeal Shirley Ballas celebrates her birthday at Alder Hey
Tel: 0151 252 5716 | Web: www.alderheycharity.org | Email: info@alderheycharity.org Registered charity no. 1160661
Inside Issue 11... 3
A walk on the wild side
4
Thank you to all our fabulous supporters
6
On your bike!
8
Joshua & Isaac’s story
A BIG HELLO & WELCOME TO
Our guest editor for this edition is the newest (and cutest) member of the Alder Hey Charity family, Riley Thomas. Congratulations to Head of Corporate Fundraising Hayley, and husband Dan, on his arrival.
10 How you have helped 12
Keep on running
14
Leaving a legacy
16
Charlotte’s story
17
The Big Jump
18
Have a jolly Oli Christmas
20 Abseiling the
Anglican Cathedral
22 Surgical Neonatal
Appeal
24 The mountains are
calling and I must go!
26 Jaxxon’s story 28
Corporate Partnerships
30 Upcoming events 31
Join us. Join in.
32 Trek to Petra
Harry Potter fan Riley is looking forward to the launch of our neonatal fundraising appeal to build a unique neonatal surgical ward at Alder Hey which will change the lives of tiny babies and their families (find out more on pages 22-23). He’s also looking forward to his first Christmas and is particularly excited about receiving and wearing his first pair of Matalan pyjamas (see pages 18-19). We hope mummy enjoys her maternity leave but look forward to her return.
A WALK ON THE
WILD SIDE
It was great to see so many smiling faces on 12th September at Knowsley Safari Park for one of our favourite annual events, Oli’s Safari Walk. Generations of families went wild for the 3km pram and wheelchair friendly sponsored walk behind the scenes at the Safari Park. We can’t wait to see you all again in May 2022.
SUPPORTED BY:
OLI’S SAFARI WALK SU NDAY 15TH M AY 2 02 2 www.alderheycharity.org/events
Despite the continuing pandemic and its related restrictions, we have been constantly inspired by the support shown to Alder Hey and the amazing, ingenious ways people have raised money to make a difference to our young patients and their families. Here are just a few of the brilliant activities and fundraisers that have inspired us…
TO OUR FABUL
8-year-old Emma Calcraft aspires to be a baker when she grows up. Her amazing pop up bakery ‘The Boss Bakery’ made a tasty £463.50 – even more impressive as she baked everything herself!
Chris Boyle is well on his way to hitting his £1,000 target for his Bondathon fundraiser in October where he’ll be watching all 24 official Bond films over 3 days! Matthew Lynch took part in the ‘Big Camp’ for Alder Hey and raised a magnificent £710. 4 Thank you to all our fabulous supporters
Rachel Wills donated an incredible £10,000 from the sales of books at her café the Watermill in Knaresborough. We can’t wait to visit for a coffee and a read! Serena Cooper raised an incredible £2,090 for our 7 in 10 Appeal by publishing a book of poetry, ‘Gen Z-Short Thoughts’.
Millie Truswell ’sewed a little love’ and raised a terrific £131.25 through sales to family and friends.
OUS SUPPORTERS
Nathan Carter, Ireland’s no.1 country singer visited us recently and will be donating the profits from his new song ‘Wings to Fly’ to support our new Mental Health Unit.
Rooting for Rio! Whilst Rio Hartley was recovering from major brain surgery at Alder Hey his friends and family raised an unbelievable £7,886 to thank the Alder Hey team for looking after him and helping to get him back home.
Shaun Littler shared a picture of himself crying (captured at a football match by Sky Sports in 2007!) and raised a tear jerking £262!
Ambassador Katie Coutanche paid us a visit to bring in some of her fundraising donations. Not only did she donate £165 but she also brought cakes! Yey!
The Gathering Walk raised an incredible £2,000 for Alder Hey by walking from Warrington Irish Club to Huddersfield on July 16th and 17th in the scorching sunshine.
Andy Ward raised a fantastic £811 by shaving his beard off before heading out to celebrate his clean shave. Thank you to all our fabulous supporters 5
ON YOUR BIKE! THE PAST 18 MONTHS HAVE BEEN RESTRICTIVE IN MANY WAYS BUT ONE THING THAT THE COVID ENFORCED LOCKDOWN DID BRING WAS A BICYCLE BOOM. RUST Y BIKES HIDDEN AWAY IN GARAGES WERE DUSTED OFF AND BIKE SALES DRAMATICALLY INCREASED AS PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD HIT THE ROAD.
Terry Harkin completed a Coast to Coast ‘bike packing’ ride in April, wild camping as he went and raising £485.
Alfie Montgomery’s dad, grandad, family & friends completed 127 miles from Liverpool to Leeds over three days in May in support of him after he was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2020. The group raised an astounding £12,738!
Young Alder Hey Ambassador Jess Weaver completes a bike ride every year in memory of her sister Georgie. Having had to cancel her ride in 2020 due to the pandemic Jess was determined to complete 300 miles in May 2021 for our 7in10 mental health campaign. Not only did Jess complete her 300 miles but she also raised an amazing £2,200 – well done Jess! 6 On your bike!
Inspired by the experiences of colleagues and their families with direct experience of Alder Hey, the 2021 Isle of Man Student Constables raised £1,335 on 11th July by cycling the 283km distance from Isle of Man Police Headquarters to Alder Hey Hospital and back again.
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Back in May 2019, Alder Hey supporter Roger Benson cycled from home in Southport to Paris to thank the hospital for looking after his son who spent three and a half days in ICU in 2018. After doing some research into the costs involved, Roger decided to set himself a target of £2,800, about the average cost of a 24 hour stay in a hospital ICU.
Champagne and cake at the end made it all worthwhile!
In fact, Roger, on completing the 415 miles, raised a stunning £4,915. Despite admitting to being slightly under prepared and under dressed for the cold on arrival into France, Roger explained that a welcome bottle of champagne and cake at the end made it all worthwhile! WHY NOT FOLLOW IN ROGER’S FOOTSTEPS AND JOIN US ON THE 315-MILE BIKE RIDE OF A LIFETIME FROM LONDON TO PARIS IN JUNE 2022?
We’ve teamed up with six other Children’s Hospital Charities to create an amazing bespoke event (see page 31). For further information please contact adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org On your bike! 7
JOSHUA& ISAAC’S STORY
Twins Joshua and Isaac have just celebrated their 2nd birthdays here at Alder Hey Hospital, but these amazing little boys have been part of the Alder Hey family since they were just 7 hours old.
“Matthew Jones, his surgeon when he was a tiny 3lb 14oz baby, came to see us. He had seen Joshua fight over the weekend and told us that he had a chance to survive and there was surgery that he could do. However, we would have to stay in Alder Hey for at least 6 months”. Joshua was cared for at home for some time, but both twins have spent most of their life at Alder Hey. Joshua had successful open-heart surgery but still relies on hospital care, especially from the Gastroenterology team as he has Short Bowel Syndrome. Being a long-term family comes with lots of challenges, but the Play team at Alder Hey have made their journey so much easier.
8 Joshua & Isaac’s story
C H A R L E Y S AY S :
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It’s not possible to stay all the time - I have to do the school run twice a day. Debbie, our Play Specialist, will work with Joshua while I am out so that he isn’t on his own. When Joshua would go to theatre, Debbie would take Isaac so that I could accompany him. When we have met with Joshua’s doctors the Play Specialists would always stay with the boys. The Play team will always check and see if there is anything they can do to make the day more fun for the twins, and their 6-year-old brother Benjamin.
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Joshua was born with complex conditions affecting his heart, digestion and breathing. By 12 weeks old he’d had surgery and two procedures to stabilise him to grow big enough for open heart surgery. After a very emotional weekend, mum Charley was told that her little boy may not survive. Charley said:
Sensory play is also important to the boys’ time at Alder Hey. With the twins at different levels in their development their needs are also different. Lisa, the boys’ Play Specialist, will set up play stations for Isaac with cars and trucks whilst giving Joshua cause-and-effect toys like drums - the noisier and brighter the better! Joshua and Isaac love our Ward Musicians, too. Musicians create magical memories for families like theirs and are funded entirely by donations to Alder Hey Charity.
CHARLEY SAID:
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Our boys love music and the musicians always work with both our twins, so we made it something they do together…The musicians are so warm and friendly and it’s a break from hospital life having something different to do. Having the musicians there means you stop looking around at the white walls and wires everywhere, you watch these talented musicians make your children smile.
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE PLAY SERVICE AND OUR ARTS FOR HEALTH PROGRAMME. YOU ARE BRINGING MAGICAL MOMENTS TO CHILDREN LIKE JOSHUA, HIS TWIN ISAAC, AND THEIR BIG BROTHER BENJAMIN EVERY DAY.
Joshua & Isaac’s story 9
HOW YO U H AV E HEL P ED NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT US ALL. ONE THING THAT HASN’T CHANGED IS YOUR LOYALTY AND GENEROSITY TOWARDS CHILDREN AT ALDER HEY. HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE WAYS YOUR MONEY HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE.
YO U H AV E C A R E D FOR TINY BABIES
£32,000 for heated cots – keeping little babies the perfect temperature and close to their parents and carers. £3,160 for neonatal cold lights, reducing pain and distress during vital blood tests.
YO U H AV E K E P T B R AV E YO U N G PAT I E N T S P L AY I N G
£78,000 towards employing Play Specialists to provide therapeutic play and distraction. £9,800 towards creative materials for art and crafts. £4,000 for toys for Neurosurgery patients.
£10,500 for bilibeds and monitors for babies with jaundice to be treated safely at home. £22,904 for a Neonatal research project, improving knowledge and treatment for bright futures
YO U H AV E S T O O D B Y CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
£14,947 for a web platform and iPads for young people with eating disorders to continue to be cared for safely throughout lockdown. £98,000 to facilitate a virtual peer support project for children and young people experiencing increased anxiety and mental health issues due to the pandemic. 10 How you have helped
YO U H E L P E D A L D E R H E Y T O I N N O VAT E A N D A D A P T
£400,000 for specialist-to-specialist telemedicine, bringing life-saving clinicians to a child’s hospital bedside from any location. £200,000 for four automated digital bots to keep our referral systems working efficiently whilst clinicians handled the emergency response to COVID-19. £6,773 towards Augmented Reality HoloLens technology for cardiac surgery, for handsfree communication and instant access to vital information
YOU MADE LOCKDOWN CHRISTMAS SPECTACUL AR
YO U H AV E S U P P O R T E D O U R N H S HEROES
£21,386 towards a 24-hour information and counselling service for frontline staff during the pandemic.
£30,000 for Christmas presents for patients £5,050 for decorations and ward parties so families could still enjoy the festivities £1,000 for Christmas craft activities for children
£200,000 to buy the equipment needed for hospital staff to work remotely, reducing risk of infection by offering virtual appointments where possible. £20,000 for care packs for frontline staff at the height of the pandemic.
YO U H AV E B E E N T H E R E F O R T H O S E A F F E C T E D B Y C H I L D B E R E AV E M E N T
£14,630 towards holistic therapies to support adults who have experienced the death of a child.
£8,000 to facilitate the annual Alder Centre ‘Light up a Life’ candle service at Liverpool Cathedral
How you have helped 11
KEEP ON RUNNING
5K, 10K, HALF MARATHON, MARATHON OR A BESPOKE RUNNING CHALLENGE OF YOUR OWN? WE’RE SO GRATEFUL TO OUR SUPPORTERS FOR LACING THEIR TRAINERS AND PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT ALDER HEY.
Michael Dornan and Mark ‘RoonDawg’ Rooney raised an incredible £1444.50 in April when they decided to tackle the Goggin’s Running Challenge in memory of Michael’s nephew, Lewis. 4 miles, every 4 hours, for 48 hours – a fabulous achievement.
Emily O’Hara ran 60km in March and raised an amazing £425.75
Lee Hodgkinson raised an incredible £5296.75 when he ran from his home in Milton Keynes to Alder Hey in memory of his friend’s little boy Leo. Setting out on 2nd August, Lee covered a staggering 265km over 5 days – a truly amazing achievement.
Well done and thank you to our Great North Run Team who completed the world’s biggest half marathon on Sunday 12th September.
WHY NOT JOIN OUR GREAT NORTH RUN TEAM IN 2022 – email adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org to secure an Alder Hey place.
12 Keep on running
Why no t ru your Hal n in costume loween (optiona l) and trai (recomm ners ended!)
HALLOWEEN
SATURDAY 30 th OCTOBER START TIME 09:00AM SOUTHPORT PLEASURELAND
Prices: Adult £15 | Child £10 | Family of Four (2 adults, 2 children) £30 PRICE INCLUDES FREE ENTRY INTO THE FAIR!
ENTER ONLINE AT www.alderheycharity.org @AlderHeyCharity
@ alderhey _inspired
#AlderHey5k
Join us. Join In
LIVERPOOL SANTA DASH 2021 S U N D AY 5 T H D E C E M B E R 9.30AM Get your Santa suits on and support us by enjoying this long established 5K fun run. Contact adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org for further information
For further information on any of our running events or a running event you’re interested in participating in for Alder Hey please contact adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org
Keep on running 13
L E AV I N G A L E G A C Y F O R AUDREY’S STORY
During her lifetime, Audrey Griffiths experienced the magic of Alder Hey on two separate occasions. Gifts in wills from our supporters transform the work that we can fund - from state of the art equipment to magical experiences for our brave young patients. Even 1% of someone’s estate can make the world of difference to us while still providing the security of 99% to their friends and family. As an NHS charity our funds come entirely from donations, events and gifts in wills contributed by a nation of caring people - people just like you, who want to create brighter futures for the next generation. If you’re considering this wonderful gesture, then thank you! Should you want to speak with someone at Alder Hey about your own will, or someone else’s then please contact us at info@alderheycharity.org or call us on 0151 252 5716, and we will call you back. Find out more about Gifts in Wills on our website, or request a free Gifts in Wills pack using your smart speaker! Just say Alexa, open Alder Hey or Google, talk to Alder Hey to find out more!
14 Leaving a legacy
Her daughter, Elizabeth, was admitted to Alder Hey as a toddler and successfully overcame a health issue. Years later, Madog, the son of a close friend of the family was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 2. Madog, now 7, was successfully treated at Alder Hey and at time of Audrey’s passing in early 2020, he was ‘out of the woods’ and now attends Alder Hey for check-ups twice a year. It was these experiences that influenced Audrey’s decision to make a wonderful gesture of leaving a gift of £5,000 in her will to Alder Hey Children’s Charity. Elizabeth recalls: “My mother thought carefully about her legacies… She was a remarkable person who is much missed by me and so many others whose lives she touched. She wanted to acknowledge the role played by clinicians in Alder Hey in helping not only our family but also in their support of Madog and his family”
F U T U R E G E N E R AT I O N S WRITE YOUR WILL FOR FREE AS AN ALDER HEY SUPPORTER We have partnered with several trusted solicitors and Will-writers to help you write your Will for free – online, over the phone or via video appointment making it as simple and convenient as possible.
MSB SOLICITORS
MSB Solicitors have a reputation for being one of the most trusted law firms in the North West. To arrange an appointment at one of their Liverpool branches, or via telephone or video appointment, email Robert Lee on robertlee@msbsolicitors.co.uk or call 0151 281 9040 FAREWILL
Farewill is the largest Will writer in the UK and has won multiple awards for its service, including National Will Writing Firm of the Year 2019 and 2020. You can access a FREE online will by using the code ‘ALDERHEY-FAMILY’ through their website ACCORD LEGAL SERVICES
Accord Legal Services have a national network of around 250 advisors and can provide Wills via telephone, Skype, Zoom and home visits making the process as convenient as possible – all for free. All consultations are tailored to the individual’s needs and you will be guided through the process of making a Will with a qualified expert estate planning consultant. Email alderhey@accordwills.co.uk to arrange an appointment GUARDIAN ANGEL
Guardian Angel offer a quick and easy service where each Will is checked over by a legal expert. Simply use the code ‘ALDERHEY-FREE’. Guardian Angel also offers telephone and face to face will writing services for supporters who would rather speak to a solicitor. To find out more call the team on 0800 773 4014.
Leaving a legacy 15
CHARLOTTE’S STORY JORDAN CLARK’S DAUGHTER CHARLOTTE WAS BORN IN FEBRUARY 2018 WITH A CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA.
This condition means that the diaphragm fails to form properly in the womb and leaves a hole – which in turn allows part of the intestines to move into the chest, potentially squashing the lungs and stopping them developing properly before birth.
At two days old she was transferred from Liverpool Women’s Hospital to Alder Hey where a day later she underwent a successful hernia repair operation. The organs that were up in her chest were pushed back down into place and Charlotte’s diaphragm was sewn shut.
Charlotte spent two weeks in hospital before being allowed home to be with her parents and her eagerly awaiting big sister Sophia. On 24th April 2021, to thank Alder Hey for saving her little girl’s life, Jordan threw herself from an airplane at 14,000ft raising a brilliant £1085. Commenting on her skydive Jordan simply said – “It was amazing!”
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Alder Hey is absolutely amazing, we were treated with so much respect and care. CHARLOTTE’S MUM, JORDAN
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Jordan explains “Charlotte had left-sided CDH which meant her left lung had not formed fully because her intestine, liver and stomach were in her chest and had put strain on her heart. She had a 50/50 chance of survival.”
IS SKYDIVING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? WHY NOT JOIN US FOR OUR ONE BIG JUMP?
For more details please contact irene.axon@alderheycharity.org
16 Charlotte’s story
The Big Jump 17
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THIS YEAR’S MATAL AN AND ALDER HEY PYJAMA RANGE RETURNS WITH AN EXCITING SEASONAL DESIGN.
We tasked children all over the UK to get creative and to help design the next set of family pyjamas for the 2021 collaboration. The winner of the competition was 6 year old Oliver Morgan, whose vision has come to life for the new range. Oliver’s design features the Alder Hey mascot Oli the Elephant at centre stage with a ‘Have a jolly Oli Christmas!’ slogan and a fun Christmas tree print – the next must have pyjamas for families to get their hands on in time for Christmas!
18 Have a jolly Oli Christmas
As always thanks to Matalan 100% of all profits will go to the charity - this year towards our new Surgical Neonatal Appeal, recently launched by Alder Hey supporter Jamie Carragher. The appeal is set to raise £2.5million, for a new state-of-the-art unit which is a result of the partnership between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. Some of the incredible families featured in the 2021 Matalan campaign started their surgical neonatal journeys at Alder Hey, including Betty, Sam and Micah. Featured staff include surgeons, nurses and consultants who all come together to form a special community – reflecting the real message behind the #TogetherForAlderHey campaigns.
Have a jolly Oli Christmas 19
ABSEILING THE
ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL
After what seems like an eternity events are back! What a fabulous couple of days we had at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral cheering our amazing supporters on as they abseiled 150ft down one of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you… Keep the wonderful ALIX JORDAN-COLLINS work going.
“I abseiled for Alder Hey because they saved my life when I was small. Without them I wouldn’t have been here to do it. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful hospital on our doorstep.” LISA MOTTRAM
20 Abseiling the Anglican Cathedral
AND OWEN COLLINS
Dave Sammons undertook the abseil for Alder Hey ‘to try and give something back’… “My son Harry has had multiple brain surgeries and stays in the hospital despite being only 8 months old. The way Harry, and we as parents, have been looked after is amazing and we really could not ever ask for better care, compassion or facilities. We know, as we work for the NHS, just how much the charity funds and supports the amazing work the hospital does. Now, about jumping out of an airplane...!” “I chose to abseil for Alder Hey as our son Rory has been receiving treatment there. The treatment he has received is exceptional and we wanted to give something back.” MARK HODGKISS
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“We decided to take part in the abseil because I was a weekly patient at Alder Hey for 20 years. I am so thankful to Alder Hey - all that the staff have done for me and the amazing care I received over the years. I would not be where I am now without them and so I took part in the abseil to give back my own ‘thank you’!”
Great day! And delighted to raise over £1,000 B E T H F L E T C H E R-H U N T
J A S M I N E D AV E Y & EION GILLESPIE
MEL AUSTIN
“I am extremely proud to work at Alder Hey… I very much look forward to working in the new centre that is currently being built to support the mental health of children and young people in the North West.”
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I abseiled in memory of my six-year-old niece, Seren who was cared for by Alder Hey Hospital.
“I took part in the abseil to show some bravery to my daughter Heidi who has shown me lots! She was born with a brain condition called hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and had to undergo two brain surgeries at Alder Hey before she was 10 days old. The nurses and the brain surgeons saved her life and we will be forever in their debt. Thank you.” JESSICA SMITH (WITH HEIDI AND SON GEORGE)
S A R A H G I E LT Y
IF YOU FANCY ABSEILING 150FT DOWN LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL IN 2022 JUST DROP US AN EMAIL AT COMMUNITY@ALDERHEYCHARITY.ORG OR CALL 0151 252 5716
Abseiling the Anglican Cathedral 21
JAMIE HEADS OUR APPEAL
Jamie, who was treated at Alder Hey’s neonatal ward for the first six weeks of his life, is launching the appeal to raise £2.5m for the new unit on behalf of Alder Hey Children’s Charity. The new Surgical NICU is a joint project between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust as the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership. The new unit will offer 22 neonatal cots for Liverpool and will feature 18 individual family rooms where parents can be alongside their poorly new-borns whilst they’re receiving expert care.
22 Surgical Neonatal Appeal
JAMIE CARRAGHER SAID:
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My family and I will forever be grateful to Alder Hey after they cared for me as a baby. The plan to build a new neonatal unit sounds like a fantastic idea. It will help keep families together at such a worrying time and provide lifesaving treatment. I am proud to support this appeal and it is something we can all get behind.
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Liverpool Legend Jamie Carragher is backing our new fundraising appeal for a brand new, state of art Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) right here at Alder Hey.
Artists impression of Surgical Neonatal Unit, Alder Hey
The unit will address a shared concern between Liverpool Women’s and Alder Hey that babies who need specialist surgery currently have to be transferred to Alder Hey to get the specialist surgical care they need and are then transferred back to Liverpool Women’s Hospital to continue their specialist neonatal care. Specialist neonatal staff from Liverpool Women’s Hospital will work alongside Alder Hey at the new NICU ensuring that poorly babies are transferred between the two hospitals as little as possible. The facility will cost £16.5m to build with the Charity Appeal aiming to contribute £2.5m. The charity funding will provide ‘over and above’ enhancements and equipment for both the clinical space and family areas,
It’s never too early for a thank you from Shirley! BBC One’s Strictly Head Judge Shirley Ballas celebrated her 61st birthday at Alder Hey after helping to achieve a £2m fundraising milestone for the hospital. Shirley, a long-time supporter of Alder Hey, launched the Alder Hey Children’s Charity ‘7in10’ Appeal in April 2020. The appeal, which is raising funds to help enhance mental health services offered by Alder Hey, has now successfully achieved twothirds of its £3m target total. Shirley was shown progress against the development of two new facilities to house Alder Hey’s mental health services for children and young people, which the appeal is helping to fund.
elevating it from a facility that provides families with a safe and secure environment for them and their newborns, to a truly worldclass facility that wraps around families with the most vulnerable babies in the region. Fiona Ashcroft, CEO of Alder Hey Children’s Charity said: “Jamie has been a brilliant Charity Champion for Alder Hey – we were delighted this Liverpool Legend accepted our suggestion to head the Appeal to help us spread the word in the region as well as across the country. We can’t wait to see the build start, this unit is going to be world leading!” You can support the new Appeal by going to www. alderheycharity. org/donate Shirley said: “I’m always delighted to come into Alder Hey, and to celebrate my birthday here is truly lovely. It’s such an amazing place and holds a special place in my heart. It’s brilliant to see the work that’s been done. The impact of the new facilities will be amazing. Thank you to all those lovely people who have already donated to the appeal, you are making a massive difference to children’s mental health services in this country.”
Surgical Neonatal Appeal 23
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T H E M O U N TA I N S A R E CALLING Mountains are marvellous things, aren’t they? It seems many of you agree, judging by the mountainous feats and fundraising you’ve been inspiring us with this year.
Stephanie Maskery and Lisa Ball climbed Snowdon on 30th June and raised £210 in support of Steph’s daughter Peach who is a patient at Alder Hey. “Alder Hey have an amazing specialist childhood arthritis team, who for years have taken care of Peach. Their hydrotherapy and physiotherapy are outstanding departments, and without them, the amazing nurses and consultants, Peach would not have made the progress she has.”
Kira Hall climbed Snowdon on the 2nd May.
In June, Kate Currie and a group of friends completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks under the beating sun and in under 12 hours. After reading a report on the potential consequences of the pandemic on the mental health of children Kate raised a brilliant £860 in support of our 7 in 10 Children’s Mental Health appeal.
Having set herself a fundraising target of £200 she smashed this and raised £1,671.
JOIN US FOR OUR SNOWDON BY NIGHT CHALLEN 24 The mountains are calling and I must go!
AND I MUST GO! Six-year-old Frances Courtney has been a patient at Alder Hey since December 2019 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. In August, Frances and her family climbed Conwy Mountain and raised a stunning £3,087!
Frances has received fantastic care from so many different departments at Alder hey and we wanted to give something back.
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John Weir
Josh Bottell, Chris Lamb, Max Faruque and Alex Virton from St Helens took on the 11,178ft combined height of the 3 Peaks Challenge in June, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours.
The Red Hot Chilli Steppers, a group of colleagues from Great Bear also completed the 3 Peaks Challenge in June raising a fabulous £1,090. We loved their team name and were relieved that they managed to complete the event in 24 hours therefore avoiding their self-imposed forfeit… each participant to eat a Carolina Reaper, the world’s hottest chilli!!
Using personal fitness and health as a coping mechanism through the pandemic, the group raised an incredible £3,020. 7-year-old Reggie Lea Dickson took on Snowdon with his mum and two big brothers to thank Alder Hey for saving his life. Born with a heart condition called congeniality corrected transposition of the great arteries, pulmonary atresia and a large vsd, Reggie has already undergone eight surgeries and will need a heart transplant in the future. Aiming to get half way and then let his mum and brothers complete the walk, Reggie got ¾ of the way and raised an amazing £930.
GE ON SATURDAY 30TH APRIL 2022 (SEE PAGE 31) The mountains are calling and I must go! 25
JAXXON’S STORY Jaxxon is such a happy boy and always greets you with his huge smile and lovely manners whenever you see him. Several months before his surgery, I met with Jaxxon and his family for an hour each week, helping them to prepare for the operation and hospital treatment. As a Play Specialist, I helped him with preparation through Play – from explaining ECGs, tests and tubes, to roleplaying blood tests using ‘magic cream’, and even using a special storybook called ‘Sammy’s Heart Operation’ to help him understand and reduce any worries.
Jaxxon was just a few hours old when he was rushed to Alder Hey with a serious heart condition. Ever since then, he’s been in and out of hospital. He’s 3 now and is such a wonderful, happy little boy who takes everything in his stride – even after 7 operations here. You might have read about Jaxxon in the press in June – about how he puts smiles on everyone’s faces on the ward. He’s been that way since we first met him, and a big part of it is that we fill his time here with fun and laughter. We asked his Play Specialist, Lorna O’Brien, to tell us more about how Play has had a huge role in Jaxxon’s journey to recovery.
26 Jaxxon’s story
As Jaxxon’s Play Specialist, I’ve been with him throughout his journey, from pre-op to theatre and throughout his recovery as an inpatient. Jaxxon enjoys all things crafty; painting and making things to decorate the door of his room. Like many three year olds, he loves dinosaurs and messy play which have played a big part in his Play journey at Alder Hey. Jaxxon loves playing the game Dinosaur Lotto with us, even though he’s always cheating! Messy painting activities have given him a release if he is feeling a bit frustrated in hospital.
I create personalised reward charts for patients so that children can collect stickers when they do jobs that help their recovery – things like walking for rehabilitation and reducing infection risk after an operation, eating and drinking and having blood tests. When Jaxxon fills his chart, he gets to pick a prize from my reward box. Little things like slime, sticky spiders and funny drinking straws can only cost a few pounds but really brighten his day.
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It is the special moments we create through play, that children and their families remember when they go home. When we speak to children and families, they don’t talk about the tests they had, they remember and recall the fun things, the happy playful moments that helped them through the most difficult times.
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BY SUPPORTING ALDER HEY CHARITY, YOU HAVE HELPED US TO GRANT FUNDING FOR THE PLAY SERVICE.
This includes supporting the provision of Play Specialists and making sure that they have all the resources, toys and sensory equipment they need. With 900 children a day treated at Alder Hey, this need will always be there, and your donations help us to keep our wards playing.
Jaxxon’s story 27
G A L L I F O R D T R Y- I N G O U T GALLIFORD TRY HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE SUPPORTERS OF ALDER HEY OVER THE PAST YEAR.
A staff team of five volunteers helped us out recently when they spent the day (team) building some amazing new sorting tables and moving a mountain of stock in our fantastic Old Swan Charity Shop (see page 30).
28 Corporate Partnerships
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It’s been a pleasure to get to know the Galliford Try team over the past year. As well as being super helpful, they’re a lot of fun and we can’t wait to see the finished build next year. B E C K Y PA R S O N S , C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R S H I P S O F F I C E R ALDER HEY CHILDREN’S CHARIT Y
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The main contractors for Sunflower House, our new mental health inpatient unit, and The Catkin Centre, our new mental health ‘community cluster’, they have embraced both volunteering and fundraising for the charity.
D R A G O N B O AT R A C I N G
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Tony and the team at Galliford Try did an amazing job and saved us so much time! We absolutely love the new tables, thank you! A M Y, SHOP MANAGER
They also entered a team in this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, a day of fun, frolics and rowing on the water at Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre. Led by captain Leigh ‘Redgrave’ Carter, Team GT race like pros, finishing a highly commendable 2nd place. Well done Team GT – we look forward to you trying to go one better next year!
Our amazing friends at Julian Charles are launching a brand new children’s bedding range, with some of the profits supporting Alder Hey! We can’t wait to see them in store this October!
Corporate Partnerships 29
NEW
SHOP OPENING
Many of you have visited our fabulous Charity Shop in Old Swan since we opened our doors in December 2019 and despite enforced closures during lockdown the shop is thriving.
Such is the success of our first shop that we are excited to reveal that we are opening a second Alder Hey Charity Shop in Huyton Village at the end of 2022. Keep an eye on our social media for opening details.
Not only does it provide vital funds to support our young patients and their families, but it is also packed full of amazing bargains.
If you’re interested in volunteering in either of our shops please get in touch by emailing amy.atherton@alderheycharity.org or give us a call on 0151 476 9789.
IT’S A LOTTERY
Playing the Alder Hey lottery costs just £1 a week and is a great way to raise vital funds for Alder Hey giving you the chance to win £1,000 every week. You can register for our lottery online at www.alderheycharity.org/supportus/play-the-alder-hey-lottery
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
Don’t miss out on the chance to win £1,000 whilst supporting your favourite Charity in our special Christmas raffle which launches in October. Details will be posted on our social media platforms and our website www.alderheycharity.org
LON DON
TO
PARI S
BIKE RIDE, 8-12TH JUNE 2022
An awesome cycling challenge and one of the best fundraising events in Europe. Join our team and ride London to Paris for a truly inspirational experience spending 4 days in the saddle, cycling 309 miles from capital to capital. Starting in London we’ll cycle through glorious English countryside to Dover, before crossing the Channel to Calais. Once across the water, remembering to keep to the right(!), we cycle along quiet French country lanes, through traditional market towns, passing the war memorials and cemeteries of the Somme. The home stretch takes us around the Arc de Triomphe and along the Champs Elysées, before our finish line at the magnificent Eiffel Tower.
To register your interest or for more information please email adam.dixon@alderheycharity.org