I came out to Sierra Leone in June to run a training programme in a district hospital specifically to help children & neonates, it was aimed at up-skilling and empowering the nursing staff to save lives. It is funded & run by the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health and the WHO.

Myself and my Sierra Leonian nurse colleague are well on our way to achieving our training goals with the nurses, they are now able to recognise the severely sick children and they know how to treat them according to the most up to date guidelines EXCEPT the hospital does not have the life saving equipment needed for them to implement what we have taught them.

I am seeing children dying everyday because of a lack of basic equipment! - things like cannulas to give life saving drugs, tubes to keep their airways safe when they are unconscious & feeding tubes for our malnourished kids to have their daily milk. And of course it is awful & shouldnt be happening - there are many complex reasons why the supply chain of drugs, aid & funding are not getting through to these kids. But im a nurse not a politician, it is extremely frustrating and I need to do something to help the everyday situation on the ground.

I was hesitant at first about asking for money to help with this and the sustainability of providing equipment for the hospital but ive really learnt the huge value of these small & relatively cheap items, many of which can be washed & reused for multiple children. The nurses we work with have to see avoidable death everyday, it is so frustrating for them to know the right thing to do to save a life but not to have the equipment or drugs available to do it. I know whatever I can provide for them will make a massive difference to the children & babies we care for and they will look after and appreciate what is given 100%.

I will be here for another three months to be able to update you all on where & how the money is being spent & my links with the staff & children here will continue long after I return home. I know that people ask for donations everyday for many fantastic causes, and it isnt always easy to find spare cash - believe me this cause is extremely well deserving and anything no matter how small will help. Thankyou! : )