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Sir Chris Hoy opens new research facility to help sick kids
The new research unit will accelerate work to improve treatment for children with leukaemia, asthma, cystic fibrosis and other conditions.
Scotland's triple Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy opened a new unit at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday 22nd April 2009.
The new research unit will accelerate work to improve treatment for children with leukaemia, asthma, cystic fibrosis and other conditions.
Sir Chris Hoy met children and families affected by these diseases at the opening of the unit. The children are participants in ongoing research at the Royal Hospital of Sick Children, which has a strong relationship with the University of Edinburgh in pioneering research to improve the lives of sick children.
The new facility has been made possible thanks to a donation of £67,000 from the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, a £50,000 investment from The University of Edinburgh, and ongoing funding worth in excess of £20,000 a year from NHS Lothian's Research and Development Fund.
Sir Chris Hoy, on opening the new facility, said: "I am delighted to have been asked to open this important new facility which will benefit children today and well into the future. The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh has a strong reputation for providing world class paediatric care and research and this new unit will help deliver the kind of breakthroughs that will make a massive difference to lives of children and families now and in the future."
Sir Chris Hoy is a long time supporter of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. He added: "I would like to pay tribute to the efforts of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in helping to make this all possible. It is a wonderful example of how the wider community can support the work of our doctors, nurses and researchers looking at making things better."
The new purpose-built suite of clinical rooms is part of the existing university accommodation at the hospital, with easy access to the main wards and emergency facilities to ensure patient safety at all times.
Previous research has taken place in the hospital wards, but the new two-bedded facility and consulting room will ensure that children taking part in trials are seen in a welcoming, child-friendly environment.
Professor Robert Minns from the University of Edinburgh, who has led the development of this research unit, said: "Clinical research is pivotal for advancing the way we treat patients and manage diseases. This unit will bring together all research projects involving children, in a dedicated area, with experienced staff and state of the art equipment, in a children's hospital environment."
Grant Macrae, Chair of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation said: "This excellent new facility is a good example of how our fundraising directly helps sick children. We hope clinical research goes from strength to strength with the aid of this new facility, adding to our knowledge and understanding about important childhood illnesses and supporting improved treatment. "
Dr Charles Swainson, the medical director of NHS Lothian, which runs the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, said: "Developing tomorrow's medicine today is absolutely part of the mission of doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists and this new centre will further strengthen our partnership with the University of Edinburgh and the Sick Kids Friends Foundation as we all work to help sick children and young people.. Good research facilities are absolutely crucial and this new unit will be a good forerunner for the new world-class hospital for children and young people opening in 2012 at Little France."
The Royal Hospital for Sick Children is one of a small number of UK children's hospitals involved in large scale research into conditions such as cystic fibrosis and other breathing disorders. It is a centre of excellence in children's cancer care and research, with leading Edinburgh consultant oncologist Dr Hamish Wallace also the clinical lead for the new national managed clinical network for paediatric cancer care.
The Royal Hospital for Sick Children made international headlines for the work of pioneering surgeon Gordon MacKinlay in developing keyhole surgery for infants and young people.
