I am running in the London Marathon 2025 to raise money for an amazing hospital in South West London that holds a special place in our hearts. At the end of January our daughter, Mabel, completed her full 26 months of treatment for Leukaemia: chemotherapy, many blood transfusions, and various other treatments for the inevitable infections that emerge.

We are now moving forward with our lives, but in a strange way we will miss the medical staff - the oncology team, paediatric consultants, the nursing staff in particular, the physios, play-team, teachers and volunteers. Mabel (and my wife or I) has spent well over 100 nights at St George’s. Mabel now looks forward to the occasional visit to Pinckney ward to catch up with the wonderful nurses. They do an incredible job in some very difficult circumstances.

We are lucky to live so close to this centre of excellence. The care has been outstanding, but the hospital itself and the facilities are in need of investment. The Time for a Change appeal is raising £5m to transform children’s services at St George’s. At the half way point, the first phase of work is due to start in June.

Thank you very much for your help.

A bit more about St George’s paediatrics:

Every year over 130,000 children and paediatric patients are treated at St George’s Hospital. Our outstanding care is world-renowned. Our children and their families deserve the best environment to match that care and support.

In 2022 we launched our Time For a Change Appeal to raise £5m by 2025 to transform children’s services at St George’s.

The funds will be used to overhaul children’s wards so that every patient and carer feels welcomed, safe and inspired in a centre of paediatric excellence.

We have reached a landmark and have raised almost half of our target and building work commences in June 2025 on transforming our first children’s ward. But we urgently need your support to raise a further £2.5m to realise our vision of world-class, leading children’s facilities.

For more details, please visit:

https://www.stgeorgeshospitalcharity.org.uk/time-for-a-change