Patients can now enjoy Disney+ on Lighthouse Ward

Imagine you are two-year-old Noah and told to sit for hours on end. Imagine having to do this again and again, every week, every month, every year.

Noah is like many other children cared for by Lighthouse Ward at Bristol Children’s Hospital, who rely on their ongoing dialysis treatment to keep them alive.

Spending 12 hours a week on the Lighthouse Ward can be tough, as children miss out playtime with their friends. But thanks to a very special family of fundraisers, these trips have just got better and the patients now have access to Disney+ when they visit. The subscription service offers some of the latest films and television programmes which can be viewed from multiple iPads on the ward.

We asked Beccy, the brains behind this project, why funding Disney+ at Bristol Children’s Hospital was so important to her.

“My little boy Noah has a rare kidney condition. He and I visit Bristol Children’s Hospital four times a week so he can receive dialysis. I know only too well how hard it can be to entertain a child during their treatment. A lack of up-to-date DVDs doesn’t help either and you can only imagine how many become broken or lost.

“Lighthouse Ward do such an amazing job. They have become our second family, and we wanted to fund something that would make their lives a little easier and benefit all the brave children they care for. Disney+ seemed like the perfect solution. Having access to it will mean children (and parents) can watch whatever they want, whenever they want!

“While our business had to temporarily close during the coronavirus outbreak, my husband Garth and I weren’t going to let that stop us raising the money to fund Disney+. By selling drink and food takeaways and pick ‘n’ mix to encourage people to donate, we raised £300. We were chuffed! Fundraising can seem daunting, but our idea has been both effective and easy to do.

“Noah’s nanna also caught the fundraising bug and got involved. Unfortunately, because of coronavirus she had to cancel her car boot sale but, undeterred, she has been busy trying to sell her items online instead.

“Seeing Disney+ now in place and so many patients enjoying it, including my Noah, has been wonderful. Television programmes and films don’t just provide entertainment but can be a useful tool to distract a child during upsetting procedures. Most importantly, it helps kids like Noah feel like any other child. Garth and I rarely visit crowded places like the cinema with Noah because his immune system is vulnerable. Disney+ means he doesn’t miss out on all the latest releases that his friends love to watch.

“Bristol Children’s Hospital has been fantastic from the first day we stepped inside. We couldn’t ask for a better hospital and that’s why it was so important for us to give something back. Along with its state-of-the-art equipment and incredible staff, it’s comforts like Disney+ that make Bristol Children’s Hospital the very best place to be for sick children. I feel proud to have contributed to that.”

Contact Steph to start your fundraising journey today and help make Bristol Children’s Hospital even better for sick kids.