Families of children receiving vital care at Crosshouse Hospital celebrated the launch of a new charitable fund.
The Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity launched the new Crosshouse Children’s Fund, which will directly benefit thousands of families across Ayrshire and Arran whose children are cared for at the hospital each year.
The charity, which has spent over £30 million in Greater Glasgow, has been looking to extend its work to Ayrshire and Arran.
Each year Kilmarnock’s Crosshouse Hospital treats almost 8000 babies, children and young people in the paediatrics department, 4000 in the maternity services, 500 at the neonatal unit and almost 13,000 at the accident and emergency department.
The fund will help support children such as nine-year-old Kyle Fisher, who regularly attends Crosshouse for treatment and care.
Kyle, who has autism and cerebral palsy, is tube-fed and recently had a portacath fitted.
His mum Katie praised the “fantastic” support of Crosshouse and backed the new children’s fund.
“We have come to rely on the staff at the children’s ward at Crosshouse during Kyle’s regular stays, some of them following admissions when he has been very poorly,” she said.
“The staff are always sympathetic and supportive, showing care and compassion that is second to none.
“They do everything they can to make each and every admission as easy as possible for Kyle.”
Katie, from Irvine, North Ayrshire was joined at the launch by Varri Nichol, whose four-year-old daughter received care at Crosshouse while battling a brain tumour.
Varri said: “On the two paediatric wards the staff are always extremely caring and helpful, completely understanding and sympathetic to the concerns and worries you have as a parent in hospital with your child.”
Varri, from Ayr, South Ayrshire added: “Having experienced first-hand the additional support made possible by the charity up in Glasgow, the Crosshouse Children’s Fund is something that will be hugely beneficial to offer extended facilities, help and assistance in what is an extremely worrying time for families entering hospital with their babies or children.
“During our time spent in the children’s hospital in Glasgow, especially during our darkest days, incredible support was offered to all of our family.”
Shona Cardle, chief executive at the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend our work across Ayrshire.
“A lot of the work we do in Glasgow can be replicated down here.
“For example, we have a teddy hospital where a child can come if they have any fear about a procedure or operation.
“In there we have all the kinds of equipment they will come across from needles to masks and drips and they can put them on teddy and try things out to make it less scary.”
NHS Ayrshire and Arran chief executive John Burns said: “Having this dedicated fund will make it even easier for people to donate and they can be assured that every penny raised will be used locally to give children and babies in hospital the best possible experience.”
