Imperial College Healthcare Charity Impact report 2015/2016

Our current projects
We’re currently involved in several major
projects and redevelopments across the Trust
Helping to save even more children’s lives
We launched our appeal
to expand and renovate
the children’s intensive care
unit at St Mary’s Hospital in
November 2015.
The St Mary’s Hospital
More Smiles Appeal, which
we launched in collaboration
with charity COSMIC, is
looking to raise at least £2
million towards a £10 million
project to create a bigger,
state-of-the-art facility
to treat the hundreds of
critically ill young patients
that come through its doors.
The remainder of the costs
are to be funded by us and
Imperial College Healthcare
NHS Trust.
Every year, around 400
patients are cared for in the
children’s intensive care
unit at St Mary’s but it also
turns away hundreds more
critically ill children because
it does not have enough
beds. This means children
sometimes have to travel
as far afield as Birmingham
for treatment. In 2014, the
unit had to turn away 233
children, more than half the
number admitted.
The new unit will have 15
beds, almost doubling the
current number, allowing
more than 200 extra children
to be cared for each year.
There will also be new
equipment, a dedicated
parents’ room and a private
room allowing space for
doctors and nurses to provide
emotional support and care
to families whose children
are very seriously ill.
Consultant Dr Parviz
Habibi, who set up the St
Mary’s children’s intensive
care unit in 1992, said: “We
are taking steps to double the
space we have to treat our
young patients and upgrade
our facilities so that they
match the high quality of care
we provide.”
The appeal was given
a boost when Her Royal
Highness The Duchess of
Cambridge, who gave birth
to both of her children at St
Mary’s, gave the appeal the
royal seal of approval.
The Duchess said:
“The thought of your child
in an intensive care unit is
harrowing for any parent.
“The commitment to
expand and transform the
children’s intensive care unit
at St Mary’s Hospital will
vitally guarantee more space
to treat more children and
support more families.
“As someone who was
so brilliantly cared for by
St Mary’s, I am delighted
to support the children’s
Fay Ripley with a family at the
launch of the appeal
intensive care appeal, and
commend the important
work of all those involved in
the project.”
The appeal was launched
by Cold Feet actress Fay
Ripley, whose niece was
treated in the unit.
She said: “My niece is
a fit, healthy, bright and
beautiful teenager. However,
without the extraordinary
care she received a few years
ago at the children’s intensive
care unit at St Mary’s
Hospital her story may well
have ended differently.
I am so grateful for hers
and all of the happy
endings to come
out of the unit.”
The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge leaving the Lindo
Wing with Princess Charlotte
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