St Mary's children's intensive care unit celebrates 25 years
The children’s intensive care unit at St Mary’s Hospital is marking 25 years of exceptional care for critically ill children with a new campaign centred around the unit’s patients, staff and key moments in its history.
The #25for25 campaign, launched by the More Smiles Appeal, aims to raise £25,000 towards the expansion and redevelopment of the unit. For the next 25 days stories from staff, patients and their families will be revealed on the More Smiles Appeal website and social media.
Imperial College Healthcare Charity, which runs the appeal with partner charity COSMIC, is asking for donations of £25, one pound for every year of service, but also welcomes donations of any size.
Dr Parviz Habibi set up the children’s intensive care unit at St Mary’s 25 years ago with one bed and one nurse. Today, the eight-bedded unit treats a range of medical, surgical and trauma patients as well as being a world leader in the understanding and treatment of serious infections.
The More Smiles Appeal is aiming to raise at least £2 million to help fund the £10 million expansion of the current unit to 15 beds allowing more than 200 extra children to be cared for each year. Earlier in the year, the appeal reached a major fundraising milestone of the £1 million mark.
More information about the St Mary’s Hospital ‘More Smiles Appeal' and how to donate is available on the website www.moresmiles.org.uk as well as on Twitter @MoreSmilesApp and through Imperial College Healthcare Charity and COSMIC’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
