Could you raise £60 for the Golden Hour Challenge? Help build a new emergency department for Sheffield Children’s Hospital

The ‘Golden Hour Challenge’ is based on the crucial first sixty minutes after a traumatic injury when treatment is most effective, with the public being encouraged to raise £1 for every life-saving minute.

The Children’s Hospital Charity say every pound raised up to £20,000 will be doubled by Graham Royle of GRI Group and an anonymous donor, ensuring young patients get the help when they need it most.

To start raising your £60, visit www.tchc.org.uk and request a fundraising pack or download sweepstake posters, bingo cards and golden materials for your event.

Ideas include asking your school, workplace or community group to wear gold or yellow for the day in exchange for a donation, setting yourself a challenge to raise £60 for running, walking or cycling or holding a bake sale with a golden theme.

Sheffield Children’s Hospital’s emergency department serves as a regional major trauma centre for children from across South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

The current department was built to see 32,000 patients a year, but now sees over 60,000 every 12 months.

With your help, they can ensure that patients, families and staff who use the emergency department have the space and privacy they need, so that children receive care in the most appropriate setting.

To take part in the Golden Hour Challenge, click here.

‘They talked to Isabel directly and explained everything’

One of the youngsters who would have benefitted from improved emergency department facilities is 11-year-old Isabel Downes.

Isabel was on holiday with her family in the Peak District on Halloween last year. On a family day out to Ladybower reservoir, Isabel and her younger sister Florence moved to the edge of the bank to peer at the drained reservoir. Isabel then lost her footing and fell.

“All I heard was this almighty scream,” said mum Vikki.

“My husband rushed down after her and I went to the Visitors Centre to call for help because there was no mobile reception.”

The impact of the fall meant that Isabel broke her left thighbone. While dad Nick was able to get to her, they were unable to climb back out of the reservoir. A mountain rescue team was called and an air ambulance followed shortly thereafter.

After lifting Isabel out of the reservoir, an air ambulance transferred her to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Due to the difficulty reaching the youngster, more than two hours passed after the accident before they arrived at the emergency department, which meant that the team’s first priority was to ensure that Isabel remained warm.

“The staff got everything moving so quickly,” said Vikki.

“They put her in a hot blanket and got her temperature back up to where it should be. The surgeon who performed the operation was due to finish his shift, but he worked longer to help Isabel.”

“Everyone at the emergency department was so welcoming and friendly. What I really appreciated as a parent was they were talking to Isabel directly and explaining to her what was going on. I’ve never known that before.”

The new emergency department would create space and privacy, so that children receive care in the most appropriate setting. It would see the waiting room expand to four times its current size, with more treatment, consultancy and examination rooms.

Within two days of the accident, Isabel was home in Shropshire and returned to school the following week, finding her wheelchair was a surprising new source of popularity with her classmates.

“Everyone at school wants to push her, because it means they get out of classes early to get her to the next one on time,” said Vikki.

“She’s just started her first year and I already think she’s the most popular girl in the school!”