NEWSFLASH  -  WEDNESDAY 31ST MARCH 2010

 

At 1230 today The Birthmark Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital took delivery of The Cynosure Cynergy II laser machine after two and a quarter years of our fundraising. The launch included a presentation of Cosima's case history which was an emotional experience re-living the pain and treatment she endured for the first eighteen months of her life. 

Cosima was four on 4th March and I cannot believe the incredible progress she has made thanks to the Birthmark Unit.  She is beautiful, vivacious, funny, kind and has a deep sense of compassion.  My love for Cosima, coupled with my gratitude to the Birthmark Unit was the force behind our quest which turned into a reality today. 

Thank you to everybody who has cared, supported, nurtured and donated both publicly and anonymously so as to help us realise our goal.  Special thanks to David Spinx and Cheryl Fergison who attended the launch, having been long-standing and generous supporters of our campaign.  WE'VE DONE IT!!!!!!! 

Our original target was £100,000 but Cynosure has generously reduced the overall cost of the package to £89,000.  This page and our fundraising campaign remains active and after a short break we will re-group and determine our next plan of action as there are three future projects that the Birthmark Unit would like to achieve and we would wish to support them.  Watch this space. 

Thank you again.

Lindsay and Cosima

 

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Thank you for visiting Cosima's fundraising page to raise money for The Birthmark Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital (fund number SS06C). 

Cosima was born on 4th March 2006 and has been a patient of GOSH since she was five weeks old.  She has a type of birthmark called a haemangioma which is when a group of capillaries are twisted and burst through the surface of the skin. Cosima has six of these, the largest of which is on her right cheek.  Cosima has been treated by The Birthmark Unit at GOSH which has involved her being on steroids for 10 months to try to control the rapid growth, three laser operations which provide pain relief and accelerate the healing process of the ulcers which riddled the surface of the birthmark.  They have also treated her twice for MRSA (not contracted at GOSH) and trained me, her mum, to clean and dress daily her birthmark (for eight months) which was a complex process and required her being on morphine for seven months. 

We cannot thank our Birthmark team enough for their care, support and guidance and want to raise enough money to purchase a new laser machine.  The laser machine is a Cynosure Cynergy II.  The cost and maintenance for three years is £100,000.  This machine is destined to become the new standard for treating specific vascular malformations such as port wine stains, telangiecstasia, vascular and pigmented lesions, adolescent acne, scars and unwanted hair growth in children with associated syndromes.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

2008

On Thursday 26th June 2008 a group of EastEnders cast members appeared on a special edition of The Weakest Link.  The winner, Cheryl Fergison generously donated the prize money of £22,700 to Cosima's Fundraising Campaign.   We held a quiz on Saturday 19th July 2008 at St Margaret's School in Bushey. We raised a fantastic total of £4471.  On 1st November we collected £4508.10 from Jeff, Laura, Lou and Dee in Basingstoke.   On Saturday 15th November, our great supporter David Spinx appeared on Cosima's favourite programme, Hole in the Wall.  Along with Darren Gough and Emma Rigby, he donated the £10,000 prize money to our fundraising.  

2009

David appeared on Celebrity Cash in the Attic in February and donated all of the auction proceeds to our fund.

Thank you to Rona, her friends and family for their generous donations to our fund on the occasion of her 40th birthday.

Thank you Rona and Sam for their Quadathon spectacular on 23rd May.  Their amazing strength and determination raised a total of £1940.50. 

Thanks to Ricky Groves for his support and to Cliff Parisi for raising £814.27 at a charity cricket match on 5th July. 

North London Collegiate School kindly raised £929.16 in their summer term.

St Andrew's Methodist Church, Bushey Heath (Cosima's former playgroup), raised £1300 over the Harvest Festival weekend.  We are incredibly touched by their kindness and support.

Thank you to everyone for your support as it has made an enormous difference to our total.

 

DIRECT DONATIONS

Thank you to everybody who has made donations directly to GOSHCC.  Unfortunately due to Data Protection rules, the Charity is unable to disclose your name and details of your donation so that I can thank you personally.  Your support is very much appreciated.  If you wish to contact me to let me know your details, please email me at cosimafundraising@btinternet.com

Please visit www.cosimafundraising.com 

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (GOSHCC) will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Many thanks for your support.

Lindsay Wiltshire (Weinstein)