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Current projects
There are several Sick Kids Friends Foundation projects ongoing in the hospital and Community.
You can support the Sick Kids Friends Foundation projects by donating now
The Brain Surgeons' Magic Pen
Our latest Sick Kids Friends Foundation equipment project is to raise £68,000 to purchase an ultrasonic aspirator for the removal of brain and spinal tumours.
It is a handheld instrument just like a fountain pen. Having been guided to the precise site of the tumour by our amazing Sat Nav equipment which was purchased by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in November, this magic pen irrigates and then uses ultrasound to drain away tumours, providing faster surgery, better cosmetic results and faster healing times; it is also capable of removing tumours which could not previously be treated in this way.
Lynn Myles, paediatric neurosurgeon for the Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, said: "The CUSA equipment comes has a very small delicate hand piece which makes it easier to use on children's heads and removes tumours with minimal tissue damage to the surrounding area allowing for quicker surgery, faster healing times and better cosmetic results.
"It uses a highly specialised technology developed to remove brain and spinal chord tumours offering a more complete excision of tumour. This leads to improved survival in most childhood tumours."
Soft Play Area in Outpatients
We will replace the Soft play area at Outpatients department in July at a cost of around £8000. This area is very busy with children waiting for their appointments during clinic hours and also at the weekends children who are staying on the wards are sometimes able to be brought down here for a little fun and exercise.
Soft play area at St John's hospital
This project will provide around £12,000 to replace the exiting soft play area at St John's hospital which has been in existence for around 18 years. It is invaluable as a resource where the children who are either inpatients, patients visiting the ward for tests or siblings during visiting times can spend a little fun time. The area also provides a chance for children to exercise gently and will be designed to cater for a wide range of ages and abilities.
Ward 5
This £30,000 project will provide significant improvements to bathroom facilities for patients, parents and disabled children and adults as the ward function changes to cover admissions and discharges. There will also be very comfortable reclining treatment chairs purchased as part of this project which will aim to provide a comfortable area for families and patients when awaiting admission or discharge.
KIDSnet Extension
We currently provide a safe internet access throughout the playrooms in the wards and several waiting rooms at hospital departments too. This allows children to maintain contact with friends and family and to stay entertained through fun, sport or educational sites. This year we would like to extend that service to provide wireless access and a laptop for each ward so that bed bound children can also enjoy benefit from this facility. In addition, we are working with Radio Lollipop to provide a vehicle for the streaming of their radio entertainment throughout the wards in the same system. It will cost approximately £7,000 to set up.
Artists in Residence
The Artists in Residence project funded by the Sick Kids will last for three years and encompass many different forms of art, including illustration, writing, working with different media, sculpture, dance, digital imaging and photography. It will increase the artistic input at the hospital and enrich the children's experience of time spent here as well as providing inspiration for the artwork at the new hospital. It will cost in the region of £90,000 over the full period.
Ongoing Projects
The Sick Kids Friends Foundation Drop In Centre, a homely flat providing family space round the corner from the hospital where families can enjoy time away from the wards and access the internet, arts and crafts, support, complementary therapies and entertainment. Funding required annually £150,000.
PJ's Loft and other Parent Accommodation, provides bedrooms for parents who need to be with their children day and night. Daytime living areas and showers are also provided for those who sleep on the wards beside their children. Housekeepers, funded by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, look after these areas and ensure that they are constantly kept clean tidy and in four star condition. Along with supplies and renewing furniture and fittings this costs £30,000 per annum.
Funding is also provided for Welcome Presents for inpatients (£3,000), Reward Boxes for children who undergo difficult treatment (£2,500), social work funding for families in difficult circumstances (£12,000), Clowndoctor visits (£10,000), fishtanks in several locations in the hospital (£3,500), KIDSnet safe internet access for patients throughout the hospital (£10,000) and the Volunteer Services department around £25,000.
