Whipps Cross University Hospital

15th May 2009

Rita Simons has shown her support to Whipps Cross University Hospital Big Push Appeal. 

The actress from Britain’s Best Soap 2009 has joined forces with footballer Michael Dawson, Tottenham Hotspur defender and Fame Academy’s Kevin Adams to give a “big push” to a new maternity campaign at Whipps Cross Hospital.

Rita, who was born at the hospital, said: "As a Whipps Cross baby I thoroughly support the hard work done at the hospital."

On 7th May, Michael Dawson and Kevin Adams joined more than 100 guests at a special tea party to launch the Big Push appeal to raise £350,000 for equipment and improvements in the maternity department.

The event, staged at the Trust’s duck pond and garden, saw Kevin Adams, whose mother works at Whipps Cross as a community midwife, urge people to support the new appeal.

Julie Tyler, whose son Teddy was stillborn at the hospital in 2006, also spoke emotionally about the need to raise money so that women who lose a child have the support and resources they need.

She said: “I had to sit in a bed listening to all the other mother’s newborn babies crying.

“I was expecting to be bringing a baby home but all I left the hospital with was a brown envelope.

“I can’t fault the care I received, however, it is really important that women who go through the same ordeal I did have appropriate facilities and counselling. The Big Push appeal will help to make this possible.”

The increasingly busy unit that delivered 5,200 babies last year and aging estate means that it is in need of upgrading.

More than 5,000 families will use the Whipps Cross maternity services this year - that's 100 families a week who would benefit from the improved spaces and state of the art equipment that The Big Push will fund.

If you would like to donate please visit: www.whippsx.nhs.uk/thebigpush or contact Elizabeth Goshawk, Senior Fundraising Manager on 0208 535 6818 for more information.

Ends

Notes to Editor

• Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust is an acute Trust providing care to the local population of Waltham Forest, west Redbridge, Essex and east London.
• We provide a comprehensive range of acute healthcare services, responding to both emergencies and planned operations.
• The Trust has education, training and research roles as well as providing a number of 'shared services' to other NHS Trusts.
• The Trust is also working together with other NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts in outer North East London on an affordable programme of reconfiguration of health services and facilities, known as Fit for the Future.