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Will you support Alder Hey Children's Charity and keep our wards playing?
Jaxxon was just a few hours old when he was rushed to Alder Hey with a serious heart condition. Ever since then, he’s been in and out of hospital. He’s 3 now and is such a wonderful, happy little boy who takes everything in his stride – even after 7 operations here.
You might have read about Jaxxon in the Liverpool Echo in June – about how he puts smiles on everyone’s faces at our hospital. He’s been that way since we first met him, and a big part of it is that we fill his time here with fun and laughter
Jaxxon always greets you with his huge smile and lovely manners whenever you see him. Our full-time Play Specialists like Lorna make children like Jaxxon feel like they’re in a fun place, which is great for their mental wellbeing and can even help with their physical recovery.
We rely on supporters like you who keep our wards a happy place, full of toys, games, arts and crafts. A gift of just £10 could help us buy single-use paintbrushes so that Jaxxon and his friends on the ward can paint, get messy, and let off steam while they’re in hospital.
Lorna makes reward charts for Jaxxon and gives him stickers every time he does something helpful for his recovery – things like eating and drinking or having blood tests. When he fills his chart, he gets to pick a prize from the reward box. Little things like slime, sticky spiders and funny drinking straws only cost a few pounds, but they brighten up his day so much.
Doing everything they can to distract the children is what Ashlee, one of our Play Assistants, and Lorna love about their jobs. When they’re playing a fun game of dinosaur bingo with Jaxxon or watching him get stuck into some messy paint play (his favourite!), he completely forgets about everything going on around him. It’s like he has not a care in the world.
“Like many three-year-olds, Jaxxon loves dinosaurs and messy play which have played a big part in his play journey at Alder Hey. He loves playing the game Dinosaur Lotto with us, even though he’s always cheating! Messy painting activities give him a great release when he’s feeling frustrated.” - Lorna, Jaxxon’s Play Specialist.
Our children need toys more than ever. But we also need to keep them safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by not re-using or sharing. Having a big supply means playful children like Jaxxon can let off steam safely and take toys home with them when they finish their treatment.
Your support will help us to go the extra mile for young people and families who need us, ensuring that play services at Alder Hey bring hours of joy and entertainment to children when they need it most. Will you help them to keep playing?
