Mo Gilligan opens new Play and Therapy Room at St Mary's Hospital
Mo Gilligan opens new Play and Therapy Room at St Mary's Hospital
16 May 2024
Yesterday, 15 May, we were delighted to welcome Comedian and TV Presenter, Mo Gilligan to St Mary’s Hospital to help us celebrate the opening of a brand-new Play and Therapy Room on the Great Western Ward.
Mo, who is about to start his world tour, made a special appearance to officially open the new space. After an introduction from Professor Tim Orchard, Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Mo cut the ribbon before he made his way around Children’s Services. Mo sat down with patients and families, eager to hear their tales and experiences of hospital life, swapping stories and sharing smiles.
Mo shared, “It’s a massive honour to open the playroom, after walking around the wards I understand how big this room is compared to the spaces where children are having treatment.
“Most importantly thank you to the people who put this together… We might forget that kids still want a safe space, and a fun space in a hospital.”
We were also joined by NHS staff and over 30 supporters who helped make this special project a reality.
After getting a first-hand look at the revamped space and learning more about its impact, guests were invited to join us for afternoon tea with delicious cakes donated by local bakeries, including Radio Lamington, La Maritxu, Laurents Deli and Bal Cakery.
In 2021, we embarked on a mission with Children’s Services team to give the playroom on one of St Mary’s Hospital’s busiest children’s wards a much-needed makeover. The old space was outdated and no longer suitable for the growing number of patients. The multi-purpose room is now not only a welcoming and fun space for play, but also provides a peaceful retreat where our dedicated therapy team can privately support a young patient on their road to recovery.
Thanks to the incredible support of our donors and the local community, we raised a tremendous £251,000 and have transformed the space into a bright and modern haven - meeting the needs of everyone who uses it.
Rebecca Biggs, Clinical Service Lead for Children’s Therapies at St Mary’s Hospital part of West London Children's Healthcare, the integrated children's services of Imperial College Healthcare and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said, “The Play Space has been transformed, giving therapists a fit for purpose, adaptable environment where they can support children and young people taking their first steps in rehabilitation following, in some cases, life changing illness and injury.
“It is a wonderful, uplifting space to work in, enabling positive therapeutic interactions with children and their families.”
Ian Lush, Imperial Health Charity CEO said, “We were thrilled to be able to welcome Mo Gilligan to Children’s Services to help us celebrate this occasion with patients, families, NHS staff and all our incredible supporters.
“The new space not only brings joy and excitement to our Children’s Services, but also provides a private sanctuary for physiotherapy to take place with those bravely facing the challenges of their conditions in hospital. It will support even more patients, harnessing the transformative power of play to heal and uplift countless lives”.
Professor Tim Orchard, Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "The modern play and therapy space is fantastic news for our patients and their families. It will both enhance the support we can offer children and young people, and I hope, make their time in hospital a little better.
"I'm very grateful to Imperial Health Charity and all the generous donors, supporters and staff for making this possible."
We would like to say a huge thank you to our donors, supporters, and the NHS staff who have worked so hard to get this hugely ambitious project completed.
Click here to find out how you can support the St Mary’s Children’s Fund, and how donating to St Mary's Hospital makes a real difference.
