Morrisons Foundation found out about Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity’s latest campaign from 13-year-old Jenny Cook. Charity says support is “remarkable".
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has been left stunned after being awarded a £150,000 grant to fund a state-of-the-art surgical microscope by the charity arm of Morrisons supermarkets thanks largely to a 13-year-old patient.
The Morrisons Foundation, which uses funds raised by the 5p plastic carrier bag levy charged in stores to support charity projects, learned of the charity’s appeal for funding from East Kilbride schoolgirl Jenny Cook when she asked her local store to help with a car boot sale she was planning to raise funds for the cause.
Jenny, a young ambassador for the charity and patient at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, suffers from the chronic bowel disease ulcerative colitis and has been fundraising for the charity ever since she had an operation to remove her large bowel at just six years old.
Previously her local Morrisons at Stewartfield have helped her out with fundraising efforts but when she got in touch about the campaign for the new microscope they suggested the charity should also get in touch with its foundation for more help.
It’s remarkable that our partnership with the Morrisons Foundation started with Jenny’s small but thoughtful gesture
Following an application, a £150,000 grant was awarded, and the surgical microscope, the first of its kind in a children’s hospital in Scotland, has now been installed in the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
A delighted Jenny is over the moon with the result: “I’m very happy that the Morrisons Foundation gave Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity this donation, which is very generous and will help lots of boys and girls who are treated at the hospital like me,” she said.
“My local Morrisons has helped me with lots of fundraising activities. The staff are lovely and are always so kind, I’ve been allowed to bake biscuits in the bakery, help as a florist and even got to cut the ribbon when the store re-opened!”
The microscope will help thousands of children each year who undergo operations including facial reconstruction, cleft surgery, tumour removal and lower limb reconstruction.
Levels of detail provided by the microscope will give surgeons the ability to make more informed decisions, improving the surgical outcome and reducing the psychological distress children often experience as a result of multiple operations.
Shona Cardle, chief executive at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are hugely grateful to the Morrisons Foundation for this extremely generous gift, which will help to improve the treatment of so many children every year.
“The operations that these young patients require are often life-changing, and the importance of having the best possible equipment cannot be underestimated.
“It’s remarkable that our partnership with the Morrisons Foundation started with Jenny’s small but thoughtful gesture, and shows what can be achieved when we work together with local communities and businesses.”
David Scott, trustee of the Morrisons Foundation, added: “We are delighted to have awarded this grant to Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
“The microscope will make a life-changing difference for thousands of children in Scotland and will help to improve young people’s lives for many years to come.”
