Help Christmas feel like Christmas for seriously ill kids by sending your own special stocking message to the children, families and staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) when you make your donation. These messages will be displayed in the hospital and will help bring joy to the wards during the festive period. Donate here to help Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) continue to support seriously ill children and their families, not only during the festive season but all year round.
Meet Emily
Emily was born with a severe heart condition and spent the first three months of her life at GOSH, undergoing open heart surgery at two days old. When Emily was transferred back to her local hospital, she was given 24 hours to live. This is when her special guardian, Val, stepped in, and Emily was able to come home from hospital for the first time. Val and her niece Amie focused on making memories and reaching as many firsts for Emily as possible.
In 2022, Emily had life-changing heart surgery at GOSH, which changed her prognosis from terminal to a much more positive outcome, meaning Emily will now reach adulthood – something her family never thought possible. Emily is now a confident and happy seven-year-old, and her heart is the best it has ever been. As well as her heart condition, Emily also lives with severe sight loss and multiple health conditions, for which she continues to receive care at GOSH.
Val has said that “Emily loves Christmas, she even had a Christmas themed seventh birthday party this year, and yes, Santa came! For us, Christmas is all about family time, making memories and making sure Emily joys every bit of it. When she was a baby, I was told she wouldn’t make Christmas, so it’s a very special time of year for us.”
Make an impact
Your donations help to create magical memories like Christmas parties, crafting, Santa visits and free home-from-home accommodation to keep loved ones close, as well as funding vital research that means more children can look forward to many more Christmases to come.
Visit the GOSH Charity website to send your stocking message today.
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