The Big Little Moments Appeal

Helping make the biggest difference through the smallest moments.

Please support children's hospital services at West Herts Hospitals.

While NHS budgets cover basic medical care, your support funds the extra special touches that turn a scary hospital visit into a reassuring experience.

Small changes can make a huge difference when families need it most.

West Herts Hospitals Charity is fundraising for projects that will transform care for thousands of young patients.

Your gift will help us to…

…invest in new BabyWorks Ultrasound Simulator. 

The BabyWorks Ultrasound Simulator, is advanced training equipment that will allow our clinical teams to practise complex neonatal and paediatric scans in a safe, simulated environment.

…provide our clinical teams with the tools needed to deliver the best possible care for local babies and children.

“In neonatal and paediatric care, the rarest emergencies arise in the busiest, most pressured moments. A clinician may face a critical scan only a handful of times in a year, often when the clinical environment is busy, and the margin for error is smallest.

Simulation allows our team to rehearse those exact situations, so that when they arrive, the skill is already there. The BabyWorks Ultrasound Simulator will give our clinicians that opportunity, and we are grateful for every contribution that makes it possible.”

Dr Sankara Narayanan, Consultant Neonatologist, Watford General Hospital

 

…provide a MRI Entertainment system to keep children calm during scans.

“We are seeking to install an MRI-compatible entertainment system to help children remain calm and engaged during MRI investigations. The system enables children to watch or listen to age-appropriate content whilst undergoing scans, helping reduce fear and anxiety and potentially reducing the need for sedation or general anaesthetic.

The project is expected to benefit young patients, alongside some patients with learning disabilities and autism.”

Ben Thorn, Head of Radiology, Watford General Hospital

 

…Install sensory equipment and interactive play features in outpatient waiting areas.

Each year, over 7,500 children have to sit and wait in clinical adult outpatient areas with nothing stimulating to occupy their time. Your support will enable us to install sensory equipment, interactive play, textured walls and calming light features that will help pass the time, encourage the children to return and reduce anxiety for families.

“Thousands of children wait here for their appointments – bored, frustrated or playing with uninspiring toys.”

…Provide brighter, more engaging and welcoming side rooms for seriously unwell children.

Your support will allow us to refurbish isolation side rooms and bathrooms with new flooring, child-friendly décor, working TVs, storage, softer lighting and comfortable parent beds. Nobody wants to stay in hospital for weeks on end, but your support can make the experience more homely, positive and bearable for children and families who have to isolate due to their illness.

“We were stuck staring at four bare walls for weeks. It didn’t feel like a children’s space: bland and depressing.”

"During my stay on Starfish Ward at Watford, I was treated in one of the isolation side rooms. As someone who experienced the challenges of being isolated during treatment, I know how important it is to feel safe and comfortable in that space. Although the room provided protection for me, it often felt quite lonely and clinical. Supporting this appeal is personal to me because refurbishing these side rooms will create a warmer, more welcoming environment for patients facing similar journeys to mine. It means a lot to help improve not only the physical surroundings but also the emotional wellbeing of those undergoing treatment."

Abigail Jacobs, patient

“If there had been a quiet room on the dementia ward, I might have seen glimpses of the husband I once knew.”

Your support helps make those moments kinder, calmer and more reassuring for children, babies, young people and families receiving care across West Hertfordshire.

“By making a contribution to West Herts Hospitals Charity today, you can help the charity fund the BabyWorks Ultrasound Simulator, the Paediatric MRI Entertainment System and more.

This will provide our clinical teams with the tools needed to deliver the best possible care for local babies and children.”

Alison Rosen, CEO West Herts Hospitals Charity