THE INSPIRATIONAL schoolboy who has raised thousands for the hospital which treated his brain tumour has helped launched its Christmas appeal.
Rafe Walker is backing the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Let Us Play campaign, aiming to raise £200,000 towards transforming its playrooms.
Launched on Monday (November 10), the appeal aims to help the 100 children who spend Christmas day at the hospital as well as thousands more helped throughout the year. Although each year residents donate toys to the hospital, the space to play with them in is outdated and desperately needs refurbishment.
The 15-year-old St Augustine’s student, who has regularly featured in the Standard since becoming a patient six years ago and turning his attention to fund-raising for them, has called on Redditch residents to back the appeal.
He said: “Some kids are in hospital for a long time and it’s really important for them to just be kids and to go and play.
“It would have been cool to have somewhere to play with my friends and sister when I was in and out of hospital with my brain tumour.
“Somewhere where we could have watched movies and had a Christmas party, somewhere we can go on Christmas morning to open our presents around the tree with our families and to forget that we’re in hospital for a while.”
To support the appeal, visit www.bch.org.uk/letusplay and choose from one of the wish-list items or text the word HAPPY to 70030 to donate £4. E-mail [email protected] or call 0121 333 8506 for more information or to spread the word, tweet using the hashtag #LetUsPlay.
