We would like to say a huge thank you to the Hospital Saturday Fund for their latest donation of £4,000 towards our iMRI Suite Appeal.
We are extremely grateful for this donation from such an established healthcare charity especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which has been an exceptionally difficult time for charities. HSF Charity also donated £2,000 to this appeal in back in 2019 which makes a total of £6,000 in support of this campaign, taking us closer to our fundraising target.
The iMRI Suite appeal is our most ambitious challenge to date, which aims to raise £2.1million to fund a revolutionary (intra-operative) iMRI Suite at Southampton Childrens Hospital. This campaign will make the hospital a next generation centre for paediatric neurosurgery and pioneering research, which will advance the treatment and care of children across the region and beyond. Taking images of the brain using intra-operative MRI technology during surgery will make a dramatic difference for children with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions including tumours, hydrocephalus, epilepsy and trauma. These real-time images give the surgeon a greater chance of totally removing the tumour in that first operation.
“Treatment of children with brain tumours has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. We are now seeing children presenting much later in their illness. As a consequence they are in a far worse condition compared to a few months ago. We are working hard to prioritise children with brain tumours despite the pandemic. They need the urgent surgery with cutting edge equipment. The campaign for the iMRI Suite is as important now as it was before the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Aabir Chakraborty, Lead Consultant in Paediatric Neurosurgery
The HSF is a registered charity whose aims are to provide assistance through its charitable giving grants to health charities, medical organisations and individuals with a medical condition or disability.
Founded in 1873 the organisation has a fascinating history from a time when there was little co-ordination of health services.
At a meeting held in Hyde Park in London 1873, the founders made an appeal for the inauguration of a Fund to which all in employment would pay a regular weekly amount which would help to meet the cost of hospital maintenance. In those days pay day was on a Saturday and thus the name Hospital Saturday Fund was chosen.
Find out more about HSF at www.hospitalsaturdayfund.org
Pictured above: Paul Jackson Chief Executive HSF