Story
RNOH making the impossible possible
The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital has been doing the impossible for over 100 years by rebuilding people's lives when they face complex orthopaedic conditions or injury. They're doing things that no other hospital can. That's what makes this hospital extraordinary. But being extraordinary needs extra investment.
We need to raise more than £1million every single year to keep funding the pioneering care, treatment and research at RNOH that makes the impossible possible for people every day.
Your support today means that RNOH can rebuild people's lives when they face complex orthopaedic conditions or injuries.
Joint replacement
Did you know that hip replacements are expected to rise an enormous 134% in the next five years? By 2030, more people than ever will need surgery, including more under 65s. RNOH Charity is supporting research into 3D-printed instruments that will increase the chances of success with greater accuracy during surgery than ever before.
Spinal cord injury
Alarmingly, there are around 4,400 new spinal cord injury cases every year. This equates to someone being paralysed every two hours. The Spinal Cord Injury Centre at RNOH is there to help people facing this shocking situation, with access to cutting-edge surgery and dedicated recovery teams. Rehabilitation can mean many months on the ward. RNOH Charity is fundraising to support them, with upgrades including a refurbished day-room to help patients socialise, lift morale and boost their chances of a good recovery.
Sarcoma
Every day, 15 more people hear the news that they have sarcoma, a type of cancer that can appear anywhere in the bones or soft tissues of the body. RNOH specialists perform life-saving surgery for those affected by this devastating diagnosis, while experts carry out transformative genomic research to improve treatments and give patients a second chance at life. RNOH Charity helps to buy vital equipment, such as new scanners to help with faster diagnosis and better treatment planning, and funds research so RNOH can save even more lives.
There's so much your donation could do:
£10 could help buy materials for a therapy and rehabilitation session
£25 could help us continue providing the best possible treatment and care for RNOH patients
£50 could contribute towards upgrading vital patient facilities to aid in recovery
£100 could help us ensure our world-leading clinicians have pioneering equipment
£500 could help fund ground-breaking research into the treatment of bone cancer
Caitlin's story
Caitlin was just seven years old when her whole world was turned upside down. That's when she found out that the cause of the pain in her legs was bone cancer.
It felt like the end of the world for Caitlin when she was first told she needed a major operation and would need to learn to walk again. Suddenly, it seemed like there were so many things she would never be able to do. Even just growing up seemed impossible.
It was devastating news. But brave little Caitlin didnt give up. She came to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) for an amazing, life-saving procedure. Not only did RNOH surgeons remove a huge tumour from her leg, they also had to take out her whole thigh bone.
They then did something really extraordinary. They replaced the bone with a titanium prosthesis, which has a tiny motor in it, so it literally grows as Caitlin grows. This amazing innovation is painless, non-invasive and completely life-changing. It's helped Caitlin grow up without needing more and more painful operations on her leg over the years.
Four years later, Caitlin was given the heart-wrenching news that she had another bone tumour, this time in her arm. Thankfully, RNOH was there for her again and designed her another prosthesis. Despite the huge tumours, the incredible RNOH team avoided amputations, saving her leg and arm and giving Caitlin as near to normal a life as possible.
Now a happy, healthy 20-year-old, Caitlin said:
They literally rebuild people's lives. I wouldn't be here living the life I am without them.
Caitlin's story is amazing. What's more, it's just one example of the extraordinary treatment and care RNOH provides all the time.