Children raise money for Sheffield hospital by completing 30-day challenge

Almost 100 supporters answered the call, moving in different ways and raising more than £5,700 for Sheffield Children’s so far. Here we tell you the stories of three young budding Sheffield fundraisers, Jamie, Patrick and Matilda.

10-year-old Jamie Yates was first referred to the Respiratory Team at Sheffield Children’s in 2014. He has suffered with conditions including bacterial bronchitis and asthma, with his prolonged breathing difficulties also meaning his rib cage now curves inwards.

Mum Michelle recalls: “Before he went under the care of Sheffield Children’s, Jamie struggled to play in the garden or even have a short walk. He would cry and ask why he couldn’t be like all the other children.

“The knowledge and support the hospital have given us has always been exceptional, they listened and found a treatment plan that worked for him. He is now healthier and happier, enjoying much more freedom in his childhood thanks to their care.

“The Respiratory Team emphasised that the more active Jamie was, the better his prognosis would be in later life. Before the lockdown, he was walking, swimming and cycling. When we saw Theo’s 30 in 30 challenge, we thought it would be the perfect way to keep Jamie motivated to improve his fitness whilst giving something back to Sheffield Children’s.

“Jamie is astonished by the support he has received from family and friends, to see him doing his activities with a smile is brightening everyone’s days during lockdown. We’re truly grateful to them, to know that they are behind him and our hospital is marvellous.”

Meanwhile, four-year-old Patrick Hickey pledged to run, walk, skip and hop for 2km every morning in his 30-day challenge, alongside his mum Eva-Maria and 14-month-old sister Anna. He is aiming by the end of the challenge to run the distance continuously.

Mum Eva-Maria explains: “We have had amazing days where he has been super-fast, but we’ve also had days when it has taken a little longer as he took a break to play charades from a distance in a friend’s driveway!

“Patrick has done amazingly well so far, it’s an achievement that we’re three weeks in and he has kept going for so long every morning. For me, it was always about getting him out of the house, in the fresh air and starting his days with positive thoughts and an achievement. We want him to know he can do anything he puts his mind to.

“We’ve been lucky to only need Sheffield Children’s for minor issues, but every time the staff have been fantastic. We thought it would be a great chance to raise some money and help others- Patrick just wants the money to be spent on ‘things to make people better”.

“We can’t believe how amazingly generous people have been. Whether it has been making a donation, having a little chat on our daily runs across the road or cheering Patrick on when he goes past, we can’t thank everyone enough for their support.”

Five-year-old Matilda Swift has decided to turn her love of dancing into a challenge to help Sheffield Children’s. With support from her mum Katie, brother Ailbe and an occasional cameo from dad Owen, the family have taken on and filmed a new routine each day to bring smiles to faces during the lockdown.

Mum Katie explained: “We have seen how many events that would have raised money for The Children’s Hospital Charity have had to be cancelled or postponed over recent weeks, so Theo’s 30 in 30 was a great opportunity to play our part to address the fundraising gap and support the hospital.

“We’ve loved doing the dances, especially Matilda, who has been missing her ballet since this started. As a family, it’s given us something to look forward to each day and all her school friends have been watching on. It has been a welcome distraction; we’re thrilled to have raised so much.”

Sign up to Theo’s 30 in 30 challenge here: www.tchc.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/theos-30-in-30.html

The coronavirus pandemic has seen many fundraising events cancelled or postponed, all of which were due to raise vital funds for Sheffield Children’s. As a result, The Children’s Hospital Charity’s fundraising has declined by more than 60%, which in turn limits the impact of charitable support for the amazing staff and their work at the hospital.

Money raised by The Children’s Hospital Charity at this time will help to ensure there is no long-term impact in charitable support for Sheffield Children’s, ensuring that the hospital’s ongoing and evolving needs continue to be met through this crisis and beyond.

If you would like to make a donation to the Charity’s COVID-19 appeal to support the patients and staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital at this unprecedented time, you can donate online at www.tchc.org.uk, call 0114 321 2470 or text SHEFFCHILDRENS to 70085 to donate £5. This costs £5 plus your standard message rate.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to The Star website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit https://www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.