Belfast People - Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

‘Cool’goings-on at Children’s ‘Radiothon’Over one hundred thousand poundswas raised during a recent three dayCool FM 'Radiothon' at the RoyalBelfast Hospital for Sick Children.Under the auspices of the 'Helping Hand' charitywhich supports the RBHSC, popular radio stationCool FM broadcasted live from the mall in theChildren’s Hospital with a selection of DJsinterviewing patients, parents and staff.Golfing sensation, Rory McIlroy, was one of anumber of local celebrities who took time out oftheir busy schedules to support the initiative. Amongthose he spent time with was little Ben Bingham –and ‘Sidney the Kidney’.Five-year-old Ben from Jordanstown had a kidneytransplant earlier this year. ‘Sydney the Kidney’, theyoungster’s nickname for his life-saving organ, wasdonated by his mum Andrea. Andrea was 15 weekspregnant when Ben was diagnosed with a conditionwhich affects about one in 8,000people.Before Andrea donated her kidney Ben was veryclose to having to go on dialysis and was being fedthrough a drip. “Now he is beginning to eat normallyand he tasted chocolate for the first time the otherday. The staff here do an amazing job and we are allso grateful to them, ” said Andrea.Another visitor was BBC sports presenter StephenWatson, who received a kidney from his father in1990 after discovering that both his kidneys werefailing.Other celebrity supporters included local actorAdrian Dunbar and Irish rugby international PaddyWallace.Helping Hand Charity was established by the medical staff at theRoyal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in 1997 with the singleaim of helping the children in their care.Helping Hand is an independent charity which operates througha board of trustees and fundraises exclusively for RBHSC.To make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/helpinghand or ifyou would like to support the charity through fundraising ring(028) 9027 8872.08