After more than two years of tireless fundraising, we have finally broken through the £2 million target of our More Smiles Appeal.
Thanks to your fantastic support, we will now be able to offer a lifeline for hundreds more seriously ill children every year.
The money you have donated towards our appeal will be used to pay for the expansion and refurbishment of the children’s intensive care unit (PICU) at St Mary’s Hospital.
With more space for beds, the new and improved unit will enable our doctors to provide the life-saving care that every child deserves.
Construction work is already under way on the development, which is due to be completed next year.
Ian Lush, Chief Executive of Imperial Health Charity, said: “When we began our appeal we were under no illusions about the scale of the challenge.
“But it is testament to the hard work and generosity of everyone who has supported us along the way that we are finally able to celebrate reaching our goal.”
We teamed up with the COSMIC charity to launch the joint appeal in November 2015 and our ambitious target was the biggest we have ever set ourselves.
Throughout the appeal, hospital staff, former patients and members of the community have pulled out all the stops to show their support.
Our fundraisers have taken on all manner of challenges to help us reach the target - from bake sales and garden parties to sponsored sporting events. The tireless efforts of everyone involved will mean children in desperate need of help can access the best care.
It will provide hope for the families of children like Elif Celik, who was rushed to St Mary’s in November 2014 after contracting bronchiolitis.
Her condition was so bad that doctors feared she wouldn’t survive - but two weeks later she was well enough to return to her local hospital in Basildon.
Elif’s mother, Gemma, said: “The staff on this remarkable unit made our entire family feel included in Elif’s care and always took the time to explain everything.
“They made the most horrendous time in our lives easier to manage by showing great compassion and care for us all.”
Around 400 children are admitted to the unit every year but hundreds more are turned away due to the lack of space. The expansion will increase bed capacity from eight to 15, allowing the unit to care for an extra 200 children per year.
The money will also be spent on a dedicated room for parents and a special bereavement room.
Dr Simon Nadel, PICU Consultant and Clinical Lead, said: “We have been amazed by the extraordinary support for our appeal.
“Reaching the £2 million mark means we can start preparing for life in an expanded and refurbished unit, enabling us to provide even better care to more critically ill children and their families.”
To make a donation to Imperial Health Charity, visit our donate page.
