Fifty players took part in the John Cunningham Golf Day at Barnham Broom Golf Club on 24 July, including a team from the Eye Clinic at the N&N.

The golf day came about after John Cunningham received specialist treatment at the N&N when he was struck in the eye by a golf ball. John joined this year's event as he enters the final stages of his treatment, which will include a lens replacement procedure.

Event organiser Peter Shields said about the event: "The day was requested by John to raise money for the Eye Clinic and Nelson Ward and sponsored by John.

"The surgeons and the team have been absolutely brilliant.

To see John back on the golf course and to have raised such an incredible amount for the department means a great deal to everyone involved.

“It was clear on the day that people did not realise just what impact an eye injury or of any damage to their sight can have. Even one of the team from the hospital commented how it hit home the reality of recovering from such an injury.

“To illustrate this, all players had to play one hole wearing an eye patch .”

The money raised will help fund specialist equipment for the eye clinic, supporting patients undergoing complex eye surgery and improving emergency eye care.

Rachel Backshall, Charity Director at Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity, said: "What makes this event so special is the story behind it. Just two years ago, John was facing a frightening and uncertain future after a life-changing eye injury.

“To see him back on the golf course, enjoying the game he loves and inspiring others through his fundraising, is incredibly uplifting.

"The support has been phenomenal. Together, players and supporters have raised more than double last year's total, which is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the generosity of our local community.”

Please contact charity@nnuh.nhs.uk for more information about how you can support our charity.

Pictured are some of the eye clinic team with John Cunningham, Peter Shields, Billy Cunningham and Alfie Hewett.

Since opening in 2022, the team at Norfolk Cafés Ltd, led by Carl Mann, has helped raise an incredible £177,000 for Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity, with 10% of every purchase helping to fund projects that make a real difference for patients, families and staff across our hospitals.

From barista-made coffee and homemade cakes to fresh sandwiches, soups and daily specials, the café has become a valued part of the hospital community. Alongside the CDC Café, which opened in 2025, it continues to combine great food with an even greater purpose.

Charity Director Rachel Backshall said: “We are incredibly grateful to Carl and the whole Norfolk Cafés team for their unwavering support over the past four years.

“Raising £177,000 is a remarkable achievement and every penny has helped us fund projects that enhance patient care, support our staff and improve experiences across our hospitals. They are wonderful partners and we are proud to celebrate this milestone with them.”

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by for a coffee, lunch or sweet treat and helped make this amazing contribution possible. Here’s to the next four years.

Scientists and clinicians at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) have joined forces to set up the oral biorepository, which will store tissue following tonsillectomy procedures.

The first tissues were stored earlier this month after a child had their tonsils removed at the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital to treat reoccurring tonsilitis.

The biobank has been established following a grant from the Quadram Institute Clinical Seedcorn Fund to help clinicians develop research ideas with scientists at the Quadram Institute, which is funded by QIB and the N&N Hospitals Charity.

The hospital carries out around 700 tonsillectomies a year and tonsilitis is one of the most common reasons for children to be admitted to hospital.

Prof John Phillips, Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon at NNUH, said the biorepository landmark was the first step to opening up the potential for new research studies into a range of oral conditions.

“This is a great collaboration and follows seedcorn funding last year to set up a biobank for tonsils and a knowledge exchange. Usually, when we remove the tonsils of a child, the tissue goes into medical waste.

This is the first step to demonstrate we can store the tissue - in the future there is the possibility to extract DNA to further our understanding of a number of conditions that affect children and adults.”

“There are so many opportunities with this – I am most interested in the causes of tonsilitis and the bacteria that causes it and my consultant colleague Alfred Addison is exploring cancer genetics in adults and treatment outcomes for patients with oral cancers.”

Permission has already been granted to store 32 samples through the Norwich Research Park Biorepository, which will be securely stored and anonymised following patient consent. The team are hoping to collect around 300 samples following Health Research Authority (HRA) approval which will include tonsils, saliva, cheek and tongue brushings.

Dr Jennifer Ahn-Jarvis, Food and Health Human Studies Lead at QIB, said: “We are very pleased to be working on this project - we are not aware of many biobanks that collect tonsils and could lead to new research opportunities to help improve patient care in the future. The project highlights the unique benefits of having a university hospital so close to our scientists at the Quadram to get samples from theatres to the lab within minutes. The unique position of the NRP Biorepository (between NNUH and QIB) is an excellent example why our model works and has so much potential for growth.”

Later this year, the Quadram Institute will be hosting an international oral tissue symposium.

The Quadram Institute is a partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience, NNUH, University of East Anglia and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Its mission is to deliver healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food and its vision is to understand how food and microbes interact to promote health and prevent disease.

The tonsil biobank is one of seven research projects to receive a share of £250,000 in seedcorn funding grants from the N&N Hospitals Charity with the charity continuing to support research projects.

N&N Hospitals Charity Director Rachel Backshall said: “Research is the key to unlocking better treatments, earlier diagnoses and improved care for future generations. Everyone who makes a donation or supports our charity enables us to invest in pioneering projects that could make a real difference to patients’ lives.

“We simply couldn't support research like this without the people who choose to donate to our charity. Their support is helping to drive innovation, expand medical knowledge and create a healthier future for people in Norfolk and beyond.”

To find out for more about supporting N&N Hospitals Charity, email charity@nnuh.nhs.uk​

Jessie and Ash’s daughter Nova was sadly “born sleeping” in October 2024.

Last month, the couple returned to the N&N to donate a privacy pram which they had purchased to support other families.

Jessie said: “During our foetal anomaly scan, Dr Timmons suspected that Nova had a fatal skeletal dysplasia.

“Upon further testing in partnership with Great Ormond Street, her diagnosis was confirmed and Nova was born sleeping.

“The care she and we received from the midwifery team was outstanding. We were so grateful as to how loved and cared for she was”.

Bereavement Midwife, Suzy Hankinson, said the donation of the pram would make a significant difference to the families in their care.

She said: “The privacy pram helps families to create memories, such as taking their baby for a walk and by providing dignified transport for those who wish to personally hand over care to the mortuary team.”

The pram has been specifically designed to offer privacy through a double hood and detachable privacy flap and has been manufactured to meet strict infection control standards.

Jessie and Ash said: “To be able to donate something in our daughter’s memory means the world to us.

“We feel so lucky to have received such amazing care, it’s important to us that the hospital and all of the amazing staff can continue to offer that same care to all parents who face similar heartbreaking situations.”

The prams are designed and produced by 4Louis which also provides memory boxes for families experiencing pregnancy loss or neonatal death at the N&N.

Thanks to your donations, the N&N Hospitals Charity is able to support the bereavement midwifery team in many ways.

Sprowston’s Louisa Dye spent five days covering thousands of steps along sections of the Great Wall of China.

Louisa was raising money for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s oncology department in memory of her mum and dad, Stuart and Christine Clarke, who both died with cancer.

The trek followed her earlier 500-miles-in-a-month challenge, which even inspired a message of support from Scottish band The Proclaimers, behind the hit song’ I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’.

Louisa returned to the N&N to meet the team which is benefitting from her hard-earned donations.

She said of the inspiration behind her efforts: “Since losing mum, I have struggled greatly with grief. Losing one parent is hard – losing two is heartbreaking.

“This is where the challenges have come from. I never knew I had this in me, but I now have the inner urge and adventure to do anything I can to help raise money for the oncology department.

“The China trek comprised flat areas, rugged areas and some with a sheer drop either side as well as 1,000 steps up to the Mutianyu wall to the Heavenly Ladder, which is a 45-degree climb, and you have to climb with your hands and feet.”

Everyone at the N&N Hospitals Charity is so grateful to Louisa for her support and she is an inspiration to us all.

Jack Baker was born by emergency caesarean section in September 2009 after mum Lucy suffered a placental abruption which meant that his heartbeat had slowed considerably.

The delivery team spent eight minutes resuscitating Jack before he was taken to the NICU where he took part in what was then a pioneering programme called TOBY which involved cooling his body to reduce any damage to the brain following oxygen deprivation.

Jack is now a happy, healthy 16 year old, and to say thanks to the NICU which cared for him, Lucy and husband Simon, and grandparents Jane and Adrian, held an annual garden coffee morning and crafts sale support if the NICU.

Jane said: “We have held annual fund-raising events in our garden all these years but decided that 2023 was the last one we were going to host.

“We managed to raise £2,500 that day, making a total over the years of about £25,000."

Lucy and Simon recalled their time on NICU: “When Jack was about eight hours old, Dr Roy, the consultant paediatrician, explained what had happened and that Jack had

 been deprived of oxygen at birth, and said th

at Jack was very poorly; he might experience fits and seizures, his liver wasn’t functioning properly and nor were his kidneys.

“Dr Roy suggested the TOBY cooling mat which usually needed to be started within seven hours of birth but, as long as we were willing to agree to try it, Jack would be put on it straight away.”

“The treatment involved cooling his body temperature by three or four degrees, thereby reducing any damage to the brain following his oxygen deprivation.

“During the next 72 hours, although we had a very poorly baby to think about, we were so impressed with and grateful to the whole NICU team.

“His recovery in the NICU was amazing thanks to the care and dedication of the staff and, during the 12 days we were there, we always felt welcomed.

“Had it not been for the treatment he received at the NICU, it would have been a very different story.”

Rachel Backshall, N&N Hospitals Charity Director, said: “The support over the past 16 years has been incredible and we can’t thank the family enough for what they have done. Jack’s is such a fantastic story and it’s lovely to have been able to follow it for so long.

“The money raised over the years has helped to support many other families and we are honoured to have received such support for so long.”

Now in its second year, Spineathlon 2026 begins on 26 June, during Scoliosis Awareness Month, and will see the team travel by kayak, on foot and by bicycle across Norfolk in support of the N&N Hospital Charity’s Spinal Appeal.

Over six days, the team will kayak down the River Yare from Norwich towards Gorleston, walk from Great Yarmouth to Sea Palling and onwards to Cromer, on to Holkham, then Hunstanton before completing the final leg by cycling from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn back to NNUH.

The challenge is raising funds towards an £841,000 EOS imaging system – advanced technology designed to improve imaging and significantly reduce radiation exposure for children and young people who require frequent spinal scans.

Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve and often develops during childhood. As children grow, many require regular X‑rays to monitor changes in their spine, meaning repeated exposure to radiation over many years.

Consultant Spinal Surgeon Tom Marjoram said: “The EOS system can capture images with around an 80% reduction in radiation exposure, which is hugely significant. Children are more vulnerable to radiation, particularly around sensitive areas such as the abdomen and pelvis, so reducing exposure wherever possible is incredibly important.”

“For patients who need repeated imaging, often from a very young age, this technology will significantly reduce their lifetime exposure to radiation. At the same time, it provides clearer, more accurate images, helping clinicians plan treatment more effectively and ultimately improve outcomes for patients.”

The EOS scanner would be the first of its kind in the East of England, benefiting children from across Norfolk and the wider region, including those with early‑onset scoliosis and rapid growth spurts.

The appeal has been welcomed by trainee dental nurses Scarlett Turrell, 19, from Lowestoft, who has received treatment for scoliosis.

“When talking about scoliosis not many people know or understand what it is. Clothing was my biggest issue as I felt very insecure and my confidence decreased massively once I knowing I had scoliosis,” she said. “When I was first diagnosed there were quite a few scans as it was all new. To monitor the curve, I then went once or twice a year. When I put my name down for my operation, I think it progressed to going twice a year and then it was a bit more before my surgery.”

The N&N Hospitals Charity is calling on schools, community groups, businesses and individuals to support the appeal through creative fundraising activities such as non‑uniform days, sponsored challenges, bake sales and community events.

Every donation brings the hospital closer to providing safer, more advanced spine imaging for children – now and for future generations.

To find out how to support the team, visit  Spineathlon - JustGiving

Erin was just 12 years old when her parents first noticed something wasn’t right. While swimming, one of her shoulder blades appeared more prominent than the other and further signs of misalignment in her shoulders and hips followed.

She was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition that causes a curvature of the spine and, for Erin, brought daily challenges.

“The pain could be breathtaking,” she said, describing what she experienced after playing sport.

Sitting in class, standing for long periods, lying flat on her back, or even playing football could trigger severe discomfort.

Erin needed regular monitoring, including multiple X-rays each year, to track the progression of her condition. The appointments often meant missing school and time with friends, impacting both her education and social life.

At the age of 14, Erin underwent spinal surgery. The procedure was life-changing, but recovery meant stepping away from football entirely for a year.

However, her determination never wavered and she has an incredible footballing future ahead of her.

Erin, who trains with Cambridge United and Peterborough United and has played in the Junior Premier League, has taken part in England trials, and has won a football scholarship in the United States, hopefully starting next year.

Her story is now helping to shine a light on the experience of young people living with scoliosis and the importance of how their condition is monitored.

Children like Erin often require repeated imaging over many years, meaning they are exposed to regular doses of radiation from standard X-rays.

Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity is raising funds for a new low-dose EOS X-ray machine, which would dramatically reduce radiation exposure while providing more detailed images for clinicians.

The charity hopes the technology will transform care for young patients with conditions like scoliosis making diagnosis and long-term monitoring safer.

Get in touch with our charity if you would like to change the future for children like Erin, or visit our JustGiving page.

When did you first realise something wasn’t quite right? What were the first signs?

I accidentally fell over on some ice in school during a PE lesson. I had a bit of pain but nothing unbearable. I did end up playing on this to get an extra day off school. My mum asked me to touch my toes and then noticed that something wasn’t quite right. My grandad has scoliosis so she grew up up knowing what it was. I was then taken to the GP and sent for an X-ray which confirmed it.

When people hear scoliosis they often don’t know what it means. How would you explain it?

When talking about scoliosis not many people know or understand what it is. I explain it by saying there’s a curve within the spine. Sometimes it can be noticeable however sometimes it’s hidden depending on the degrees. I also try to mention that not everyone has the same thing as there’s different types of curves such as rotational, an S Bend or a C bend - these aren’t the correct terminology but this is how I’d describe them to people who aren’t necessarily familiar with the terminology. 

Did you notice changes in posture, pain, clothing fit, confidence, sport?

Clothing was my biggest issue as I felt very insecure and my confidence decreased massively once I knowing I had scoliosis. I couldn’t wear tight tops as I felt like everyone could notice it. 

How often have you needed scans or X‑rays to monitor your spine over the years?

When I was first diagnosed there were quite a few scans as it was all new. To monitor the curve I then went once or twice a year. When I put my name down for my operation I think it progressed to going twice a year and then it was a bit more before my surgery. 

How has it affected your school and working life?

My appointments would usually be during school hours but I wouldn’t say it affected my school life massively as it would only be one or two lessons that I missed. However, now I’m working it is a bit difficult trying to get the time off for these appointments as they’re usually in the middle of the day.

Patients receiving oncology treatment and palliative care can enjoy light massage, aromatherapy, reflexology or reiki. The therapies are offered alongside hospital treatment, and they aim to help with symptom control and improve wellbeing. These services are also offered to carers, relatives and staff on the ward, supporting them while they visit and care for these patients. The Complementary Therapists also create aroma inhaler sticks containing essential oils that are given to patients with instructions for how to use them. There is a choice of scents – either an uplifting or relaxing blend. The sticks can support better sleep, ease pain, anxiety, constipation and nausea.

The team received a message from a lady who had visited the ward with her husband before he died:

Just want to say thank you so much for supporting my late husband and I when we were on the ward a few weeks back, a really amazing service being made available. When my husband was re-admitted at the weekend, we looked out for you… just can’t thank you enough for the lovely therapies and aroma sticks given, they really have helped.

Wife of a patient who received treatment and complementary therapies

There are hundreds of stories like this. In the first 16 weeks of 2024, a total of 312 complementary therapies were given to patients, carers and staff on Mulbarton ward. Following their therapies, the team collects feedback to make sure they’re offering exactly what people need. The people surveyed felt the therapies had eased stress and tension, poor mood, and lifted their spirits. Comments from the feedback forms included:

‘OMG it came exactly when I was feeling low and in pain.’ Patient

‘So helpful in this environment.’ Carer / relative

‘Sally was able to offer me treatments promptly, and at times to suit me. Extremely caring and responsive service.’ Patient

‘Felt so comfortable relaxed hard to explain. Would like more Reiki please. Loved it!’ Patient

 ‘I had a griping belly pain which is gone now after treatment.’ Patient

We go above and beyond what the NHS can provide, making people’s time in hospital as comfortable and positive as possible through services like this.

Our charity can only do what we do with your support, and we are so grateful for your kindness. To support more projects like this, please make a donation.

Ten years and more than 4,000 robot-assisted surgeries later, the expansion has been incredible. Robotics are now used in more complex surgeries by a wider range of specialities, and the N&N robots are some of the most-used in the UK. The robotic surgery programme owes so much to our charity supporters, whose generosity has funded two of the robots, bringing the total to four. The two new robots arrived in early 2026 – their £2.8 million purchase price entirely funded by gifts in wills and other donations.

To thank our supporters and celebrate this milestone anniversary, the hospital held a special event bringing together staff and supporters of the N&N Hospitals Charity. Guests including donors, patients, surgeons and staff attended live robot demonstrations, guided tours of robotic facilities and presentations on the future vision for the robotics programme.

During the event, surgeons from each specialty spoke about the impact of using robotics in their own clinical areas. They shared how the technology is improving precision, enabling less-invasive procedures, reducing recovery times for patients and offering exciting future advancements in surgical training, innovation and outcomes for patients.

Robotic surgery at the N&N would not exist in the way it does today without the generosity of our supporters. Your support continues to drive this transformation, and every gift to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity is an investment in the future.

Rachel Backshall, Charity Director, speaking at the celebration event

Ten years ago, nobody could have predicted the impact the surgical robots would have. Our hospital has become a major UK and European training hub, supporting surgeons in dozens of other hospitals to adopt robotic colorectal surgery. The N&N regularly hosts consultant surgeons, teams and trainees from across the country to observe advanced colorectal cancer surgery.

It’s important to remember that every robot-assisted surgery has somebody’s story at the heart of it. Robotic procedures are safer and more precise, helping patients to recover more quickly and get back to their normal life sooner. Steve is just one of the patients who’s seen those benefits, you can read his story here.

So what do the next ten years hold? We don’t know, but the fundraising hasn’t stopped:

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community we have already raised £2.8 million but we are not stopping there; our vision is to reach £3.2 million and secure a fifth robot, giving even more patients access to cutting edge treatment and faster recovery.

Rachel Backshall, Charity Director

To help provide two extra robots at the N&N Hospital visit our surgical robot appeal page.

The test just needs a urine sample which can be done at home – much more comfortable and cheaper than the current methods that all require a hospital visit for blood tests, physical examinations, MRI scans or a biopsy.

The innovative test can tell the difference between a low, intermediate or high-risk cancer, which allows doctors to determine the best way to treat it. The treatment for prostate cancer can cause more severe symptoms than the cancer itself – it develops so slowly that a lot of people don’t actually need treatment. By understanding their risk level, men with only low or intermediate risk can continue to be monitored with regular PUR tests instead of undergoing treatment.

Because the urine sample can be taken at home and sent by post, the PUR test could allow more men to screened more often, identifying their risk factors earlier and more accurately. In a pilot study, the PUR test predicted which patients were going to need treatment up to five years earlier than standard methods. It’s now in the validation stage, on its way to becoming available for clinical use.

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men and people with a prostate in their lifetime, making it the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer for men in the UK. Thanks to your support, we were able to give Kate a grant for her research. Her work will make a real difference to people with prostate cancer, helping them to avoid uncomfortable screening and unnecessary treatment. Thank you.

Support new research for better diagnosis and kinder treatment. A one-off donation or monthly gift can make a massive difference.

Donate today

The AccuVein device is a small handheld scanner that projects an image onto the patient’s skin, showing where their veins are. This means that staff are able to see which veins are most suitable to place a needle, and helps them find the right spot first time. Having an IV placed can be painful and tough for many patients, but for children it’s especially important to do everything we can to make the procedure is as quick and easy as possible, without multiple attempts to find a vein. Thanks to your support, the AccuVein scanners are helping patients and staff at the Jenny Lind.

“The paediatric team are delighted with the AccuVein scanner, as not only does it reduce distress to children requiring venepuncture, it also supports the correct placement of cannulas within the in one attempt, meaning less pain and upset to the child and their family, but also meaning less cannulations attempts. This prevents children from becoming needle phobic, especially for those children who require frequent blood tests, and also enables our clinical teams to provide more time-efficient care.”

Teresa Miles, Deputy Divisional Nursing Director, Women and Children’s Division 

Photo (left to right): Leanne Stafford, Carly Ryder and Gemma Dunnell. Carly is scanning Leanne’s hand to demonstrate how it works.

Before the training centre opened, finding suitable space for courses could be a challenge.

Training often had to fit around the demands of a busy working hospital, with limited room availability and practical restrictions. That made it harder for teams to deliver the wide range of training needed to support staff across the hospital.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our charity was able to award £100,000 in grants towards creating the training space.

Kirsty Lewis, Lead Resuscitation Officer

For Kirsty Lewis, Lead Resuscitation Officer, the difference has been significant.

"Having the use of the training centre has provided us with a new and spacious area to deliver basic life support training to staff at the NNUH which we were without for 18 months until the building was built and opened.

"This has also enabled us to run the RCUK ILS/PILS courses. These courses are for a whole day and require various equipment which, due to the space available in the room, we can now store. All the staff that have used the room have commented on how lovely it is."

The dedicated space means instructors like Kirsty can focus on delivering high-quality training without the practical challenges of finding suitable rooms and moving equipment between locations. Staff are also able to access support and guidance more easily from their tutors outside of scheduled sessions.

Every course delivered in the centre helps strengthen the skills and confidence of hospital teams. And every member of staff who learns there is better equipped to provide safe, effective care for patients across Norfolk and the wider East of England.

Because of your support, hospital staff have the space, equipment and opportunities they need to learn, grow and deliver the best possible care when it matters most.

With your support, we funded an Optos Camera for the NNUH Eye Clinic, worth £90,000.

The camera is a laser-based imaging device for viewing the retina. The Optos is special because it can show a much wider area than conventional cameras. It’s used to monitor lesions in the eye that could be a sign of cancer, and to check for abnormalities that could be a sign of a detached retina.

This widefield imaging is essential for a modern eye unit, saving the team having to reproduce images by hand:

Before widefield imaging we had to rely on hand-drawn illustrations of the back of the eye. When I was training, I would have to get a readymade A5 page of paper and then turn it upside down, so it matched the way our lenses view the back of the eye. I would then carefully sketch what I could see using a variety of coloured pencils to represent different parts of the eye. This was only 3-4 years ago. Of course, retinal cameras existed then but they captured a much smaller area of the eye, and several shots would have to be taken and then stuck together to create a composite image. Thankfully, this can all be replaced with the widefield imaging that was purchased using the charitable funds

Matt Schneiders, Ophthalmology Consultant

The camera is also helping to reduce the time people have to spend in the Eye Clinic. Before, specialists would want to see patients face-to-face more often because their cameras only gave a limited view of the peripheral retina. Now, the Optos gives a much better view, so patients can follow up with phone consultations in between their imaging appointments instead.

The camera has even helped a family with a diagnosis for their child. Matt explains:

There is no alternative to having the Optos when performing widefield fluorescein angiography. This is a technique where a dye is injected into a person's veins and then images are captured as the dye passes through the blood vessels within a patient's eye. It is vital for detecting disease that cannot otherwise be seen by just examining the eye. Just last week I arranged this test for a young patient and their parents, and we discovered a genetic disease which was unknown in his family.

Matt Schneiders, Ophthalmology Consultant

By purchasing cutting-edge technology like this camera – beyond what the NHS could provide – we are making a real difference to patients and staff throughout the hospital. With your help, we can do even more. To make a one-off donation or set up a regular gift, please visit our donation page. Thank you.

After visiting his GP with a “niggle in the bottom of his back”, Steve was sent for scans and a colonoscopy that showed there was a large tumour in his bowel. He was fast‑tracked to N&N colorectal consultant surgeon Professor Irshad Shaikh, who explained the need for major surgery and that he would wake up with a permanent stoma. Steve says:

“There was no other option. But he explained everything clearly. I didn’t need to know the ins and outs, I just said put me to sleep and I’ll deal with it when I wake up.”

People imagine something scary. The reality is completely different – I’ve benefitted massively.

Steve

The operation was carried out with robotic assistance. The robotic instruments require smaller incisions than a surgeon’s hands would need, and the camera view gives the surgeon a 10x magnified view, allowing them to operate very precisely. This means patients have lower blood loss or risk of infection, so they can recover faster.

“I’ve got tiny little dots – you can hardly see anything. No big scar. I was up and out of bed within two days. It’s amazing.”

Steve went home after just six days and continued his recovery at home and returned to his job – a fleet manager for First Home Improvements. Even now that he’s undergoing intensive chemotherapy, he’s determined to stay active.

 “I was at work at half six this morning – you can’t sleep, so you may as well get on with it.”

Our robotic surgery appeal is now close to funding its third and final surgical robot for the N&N, to give more patients access to life‑changing procedures like Steve’s. After experiencing robot-assisted surgery for himself, he’s backing our appeal all the way:

We’re so lucky to have this in Norfolk. If we can help more people get treated this way, we should. The surgery is quite simply changing lives.

Steve

Your support has funded a Safespace bed – a specialist, cosy place for children who need it to sleep safely. The bed has soft walls to prevent injury, with zips and holes for medical access.

It’s already helping children and their parents to get more sleep on the ward:

As a parent of complex children, this Safe Space bed is not a fancy want but is a basic need to keep my children safe while they are in the hospital.

Before the Safe Space was purchased, my children were either squished into a cot, or I was unable to sleep knowing my children could not keep themselves safe in a standard hospital bed, or they had the undignified experience of having only a mattress on the floor.

The difference this bed will have on not only my children, but many others is huge.

Laura Palmer, a frequent visitor to the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital

Rest is vital for recovery, so a comfortable night could mean getting better faster and going home sooner. Thanks to you, this bed will make a real difference to children and their parents during their stay in hospital.

At the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, we look after many children who require care in an adjusted environment and have needs which cannot be met by a standard hospital bed, such as children with mobility, sensory or safety needs. Many of these children have risk assessments completed by Occupational Therapists to enable them to have a Safe Space Bed at home, so to be able to provide this familiarity for them at hospital, enable the children to be safe and sleep, thus enabling their parents to have rest is a massive advantage.

It emphasises the importance of permitting a safe and adaptable environment for all of our patients who come to the Jenny Lind.

Thank you to all of our fundraisers and supporters for enabling this to happen.

Teresa Miles, Deputy Divisional Nursing Director, Women and Children’s Division, Jenny Lind Children's Hospital

Karen Green has raised £11,367 for NICU where both of her premature babies were cared for after being born just 10 months apart.

The couple’s first son, Hunter, was born in March 2022 at 28 weeks, weighing just 1kg and spent 70 days in NICU at the N&N. The following year, Jesse was born at 29 weeks, weighing 1.4kg and spent 123 days in NICU.

Since then, Karen has completed the Brighton Half Marathon, Catton Park 5k, a raffle and, most recently, her husband Lee completed the Inverness Marathon while injury and a blood clot forced Karen to take on the 5k instead, completing it in a great time.

NICU is a scary place. No-one knows what it’s like unless you have been through it. Going to hospital pregnant but not leaving with your baby is truly heart wrenching saying goodnight tucking them in kissing their forehead and going home is painful, it becomes relentless.

The truth is we leave our babies with miracle workers, and these miracle workers make life possible, they make our dreams come true… make the moment we all dream of to take our babies home
with their families.

Karen Green

Claire Nicholl has raised more than £60,000 for NICU and EACH in memory of baby Harrison who died in 2010.

Claire and husband Simon suffered heartbreak when their son Harrison Alexander Nicholl died four days after being born. Since then, Claire and Simon and their family and friends have fundraised in Harrison’s memory, including organising charity balls and walks.

Items purchased for NICU include a £6,000 portable ventilator and, most recently, £3,000 towards a VCreate secure video technology system.

Desira Group has supported our charity over many years, most recently as headline sponsor at our first Charity Golf Day at Barnham Broom which raised thousands of pounds for our Surgical Robots appeal.

Desira’s support dates back to 2019 and beyond and the launch of our Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal when the group donated a car to be raffled as part of the fundraising appeal

We are so grateful to everyone at Desira for continuing to support what we do across a whole range of events and appeals.

Ovarian Cancer Support Group has raised money to create comfort packs for patients. The group has raised money through bake sales and other events, with one member personally donating £1,000.

Theo Harrison – the eight-year-old, who spent his first weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit at the N&N, completed a marathon run raising more than £3,000 for the department which cared for him.

Theo was born with a serious lung defect but instead of asking for toys for his birthday he asked for a pair of new running shoes to take on the challenge to run 26 miles throughout March.

Theo spent one month in total at the NICU at the N&N and Great Ormond Street Hospital, which is where he had surgery at 19 days old to remove a lesion from his left lung.

The team at NNUH NICU played a huge role in Theo being transferred to GOSH to get the surgery that he needed – we will be forever grateful to Dr Florence and the team for really fighting Theo’s corner.

Sam, Theo's mum

The Tiny Tablet includes apps and tools that enable patients to work through interactive activities and exercises designed to boost wellbeing and recover motor function. This can improve recovery from a stroke or support patients with Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis or Motor Neurone Disease.

Apps like movement-based games can strengthen coordination and mobility, while quizzes and puzzles encourage focus and problem-solving. 

The tablet also includes music and sensory apps that can help to reduce anxiety. It can even be used for videocalls and group games, to encourage communication and stop patients feeling isolated.

The tablet is suitable for patients in bed, in wheelchairs or standing, without stretching or leaning – important in reducing the risk of falls.

Staff can quickly switch between activities, so everyone can join in with exercises to suit their abilities or with their unique recovery needs in mind.

The NHS can’t fund equipment like the Tiny Tablet, and that’s where we come in. Our charity buys pioneering equipment for departments throughout the hospital, making a difference for thousands of people, and it’s all thanks to your support.

The machines use ultrasound to show images of the heart, allowing staff to look at the chambers, valves and blood vessels, and how the blood is pumping through. Echo tests are quick and painless. They are used to diagnose heart attacks, heart failure, valve problems and other heart diseases.

The two new echo machines have made a real difference to the team in Cardiology, as well as the thousands of patients who come into the department. The waiting list used to be 11 months, and it’s now just six weeks – an incredible impact, and we’re so grateful for your help in making that happen.

The N&N Echo Team receive approximately 350 echocardiogram requests a week. This equates to 18,000 a year – the largest numbers in the region by far.

We have six echo rooms, each with a machine in, so every machine will be required for 3,000 scans per year. Without the two machines paid for with charity funding, we would be trying to squeeze 6,000 echoes into space that is not available.

Darren Hardy-Shepherd, Head of Echocardiology

With your support, we can make the experience of hospital treatment better. We can buy pioneering equipment and fund new research. We can provide family support and improve staff wellbeing. If you can help, please make a donation today.