The Evelina London Children’s Hospital help children and young people live their best lives today and tomorrow. Every pound raised goes towards taking their care for sick children to the next level. The Evelina is part of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity.

This cause is very close to our hearts due to the life saving care they provided to our son Alfie after birth. Alfie was born in May 2017 at the Princess Royal University Hospital following a straight forward pregnancy and labour. Alfie became very poorly immediately after birth, and he was diagnosed with a grade 3 Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) injury  (condition resulting in a lack of oxygen supplied to the brain). As a result of the HIE, Alfie suffered severe and permanent brain damage. Alfie was transferred to the Evelina very shortly after birth where he was cared for in the NICU.

Alfie received therapeutic cooling therapy at the Evelina NICU, which is a process that cools the whole body down in order to prevent further brain damage. The body is cooled for 72 hours before slowly being warmed up. In addition, numerous tests were required in order to determine the cause of the HIE if possible and whether there were any underlying conditions. Initially we were unsure whether Alfie would survive, however the incredible care Alfie received meant that following a 6 week stay at the Evelina, Alfie was able to come home.

At the time of writing this Alfie is now 3 and a half years old (and will be 4 by the time of the event). Alfie has asymmetrical bilateral cerebral palsy as a result of the brain damage he suffered. Since leaving the Evelina, Alfie has got stronger and stronger and continues to amaze us on a daily basis. Everything Alfie achieves has been made possible thanks to the life saving treatment Alfie received after birth. The staff at the Evelina continue to go above and beyond for its patients, as well as the families of patients. Whenever we return to the Evelina, we always feel a sense of comfort and safety, and we are passionate in our support of the hospital so it can continue to help children who need it and support the families of patients.

I could go on for pages and pages about Alfie’s hospital and the incredible care that he received. To raise money for a very special cause, myself and a group of family and friends will be taking part in a sponsored walk covering a total of 26.5 miles. The route we are walking has been designed to represent Alfie’s journey, starting at the Princess Royal Universal Hospital in Orpington where Alfie was born, walking up to the Evelina in London where Alfie was cared for, before returning home in Orpington.

We would be very grateful if you could please help us achieve our goals so we can the hospital make a real difference to the lives of children and families who need it. Thanks so much x