Let’s go to the cinema!
Alder Hey Children’s Charity is fundraising for the installation and running costs of a brand new state-of-the-art MediCinema to be built at our hospital.
The cinema is set to provide a welcome boost to the wellbeing of our long-term patients and give them the opportunity to experience the joy of cinema from the safety of our hospital, all whilst providing them with memorable moments with their friends and families.
One patient that would have benefitted from the cinema during their time at Alder Hey is 7-year-old Ivy, who was born with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome and has had three open-heart surgeries at the hospital to date, as well as numerous other procedures. Clare, Ivy’s mum, told us: “Having a MediCinema in the hospital whilst Ivy was an inpatient would have been brilliant. Ivy has always loved films, particularly Disney films, her favourite is Wish and she so enjoyed going to watch it at the cinema. If this facility had been available whilst Ivy was in hospital it would have given her a bit of normality and the opportunity for a break away from the ward as the days can be so long when you are stuck in one room. Going to the cinema allows Ivy to escape into another world and forget about all the procedures she is going through and makes her feel like any other child, and it is so great that the children at Alder Hey are going to get this opportunity too.”
By equipping the cinema with space for wheelchairs, beds, and medical equipment, as well as being staffed by specially trained clinical staff, parents and carers can enjoy the film alongside their child with the knowledge that they are comfortable and safe. Clare said: “It would have given her some normality away from the ward, but we would also feel comfortable knowing nurses and clinicians were on hand should she need them. She loves watching films and it would have been something for us all to look forward to and enjoy as a family. It also would have given her the opportunity to spend some time with her brother who she missed whilst she was in hospital. Being able to spend time with the whole family and being able to see siblings and share that experience can reconnect the family during a difficult time and really boost the mental health of the child who is in hospital.”
A donation towards our MediCinema Appeal will help us to fund the regular running costs of the cinema and give more brave patients like Ivy the opportunity to watch all the latest family-friendly releases from the comfort and safety of our hospital. Give the gift of cinema today and help us to give patients at Alder Hey the Hollywood experience!
