Family bring in donations for Children's appeal

Parents Jessica and Nilesh Chauhan, along with their son Rhys, recently made the trip to Heartlands Hospital to present the Charity with a cheque for an incredible £1,000 which will go towards the Children’s Appeal.

This is not the first time that this amazing family has donated to the hospital charity, having previously raised £3,333 for a sensory trolley for the children’s department.

When he was younger, Rhys was diagnosed with autoimmune neutropenia (AIN), a condition that is most common amongst infants and young children. The body identifies the white blood cells as enemies and makes antibodies to attack them, as a result this reduced Rhys’s immune system.

Every year, Jessica and Nilesh want to host a fundraising event to remind Rhys how lucky he was that his life was saved thanks to Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The fundraising family and friends known as ‘Rhys’s Helping Hand’ raised the money by hosting a car wash and bake sale selling yummy cakes, brownies and for those who don’t have a sweet tooth, delicious sandwiches. The family organised the event at Ward End Fire Station raising money by washing cars for Heartlands Hospital Charity and the local firefighters gave a helping hand by hosing down all the suds. The day was a roaring success!

The money that the family raised will help Heartlands Hospital Charity to refurbish the children’s departments across the hospital, including renovating the children’s garden.

Jessica said: “Rhys has to come back to the hospital quite often for appointments and treatments, and he gets very anxious about this. The fundraising is a good way for him to come back into the hospital and take postives away from the experience.”

Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “Our thanks go to Jessica, Nilesh and Rhys for their amazing fundraising efforts for the hospital charity. The money that they have raised will help us to renovate the children’s departments across the hospital, making a huge difference to young children like Rhys who are anxious about their hospital appointments.”

Find out more about Heartlands Hospital Charity’s Children’s appeal.