The Disney Appeal for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity: £10 million celebration

© Disney

This book is dedicated to all our friends at The Walt Disney Company who bring

so much joy and laughter to the children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

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ContentsIntroduction ........................................ 3

Why we need your help: the redevelopment of Great Ormond Street Hospital .................... 4

The Disney Appeal reaches £10 million: how the money was raised ............. 6

How the money was raised: fundraising across the business ...... 8

How the money was raised: Disney employee fundraising .......... 9

The story so far: the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building .................. 10

The story so far: the Disney Interactive Play Area ....................... 12

Looking to the future: the Premier Inn Clinical Building .......... 16

Looking to the future: redevelopment update and the Disney garden .................... 17

Sharing the magic: creating memories to last a lifetime ........... 18

Making dreams come true in the Magic Kingdom ..................... 21

Bringing Disney Magic to Great Ormond Street Hospital ....... 24

Sharing the magic at Christmas ... 30

Disney VoluntEARS ........................... 34

The Disney Appeal in the press: highlights ........................................... 36

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IntroductionSince Walt Disney himself visited Great Ormond Street Hospital back in 1951, our two organisations have enjoyed a long history of working together to support the seriously ill children, from all over the world, who are treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital. This long-standing partnership was cemented in 2008, when The Walt Disney Company made the extraordinary commitment to raise £10 million through the Disney Appeal for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. We are beyond thrilled that we recently surpassed this phenomenal milestone, and wanted to take the opportunity to pause and reflect on the past six years of the Disney Appeal.

Disney employees from across the business have played a key role in reaching this milestone, with all divisions playing their part in this superb achievement. Additionally, hundreds of Disney employees have literally gone the extra mile for our patients too, collectively travelling the distance from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Burbank (and back again!) to raise money in support of the Appeal.

As one of the top five children’s research hospitals in the world, an ever-increasing number of seriously ill children are coming to Great Ormond Street Hospital to benefit from the world-class care provided by our amazing clinical teams. Unfortunately though, our ageing facilities do not match our exceptional standards of care and are in urgent need of replacement. The charity has therefore embarked on an ambitious multi-phase redevelopment programme which will see two thirds of the hospital site redeveloped over a 20-year period. The £10 million raised by Disney is contributing directly

to the construction of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre. Once the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre is completed in 2017, we anticipate that the hospital will be able to treat up to 20 per cent more children.

Disney’s exceptional contribution is recognised in the Disney Interactive Play Area which has been bringing joy to patients and families visiting the Lagoon restaurant since the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building opened in 2012. In 2017 a Disney-inspired garden will provide a calm, outdoor space for families to take time out, reflect and create new memories together.

While the money raised has played a vital part in facilitating the much-needed redevelopment and expansion of Great Ormond Street Hospital, our partnership has gone far beyond fundraising alone. Over the years, Disney employees have provided an enormous array of unforgettable experiences for thousands of children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, helping to create memories that will last a lifetime.

We hope you will enjoy looking back at just a few of the highlights of the last six extraordinary years. You brought a little Disney magic into all of our lives and, on behalf of everyone, we simply cannot thank you enough!

Tim Johnson Chief Executive Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

Professor Martin ElliottCo-Medical Director Great Ormond Street Hospital

Tim Johnson (top) and Professor Martin Elliott

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Why we need your help: the redevelopment of Great Ormond Street HospitalGreat Ormond Street Hospital is battling with buildings that are nearing the end of their useful lives and must urgently be replaced.

Why we need to redevelopIn order to maintain and advance our position as one of the world’s leading centres for paediatric care and research, we desperately need to upgrade our oldest buildings and create additional space to allow more children to be treated.

Many of our inpatient wards, housed in a building built in the 1930s, are increasingly unsuitable for the treatment of seriously ill children. These wards are failing to provide our young patients with the environment they should expect from a world-class hospital.

Without this redevelopment, advances in technology and treatments will not be so readily translated into real improvements in the care of sick children. Our ambitious four-phase redevelopment programme aims to rebuild two-thirds of the hospital site over a 20-year period.

Inconvenient, cramped wardsWe need to replace inconvenient, cramped, outdated wards with new facilities where parents can sleep comfortably alongside their child and where children can decide to leave their beds to eat their lunch in a separate room or spend some time in a playroom.

New facilities will allow us to redesign how we work, to give a better, more flexible, convenient and comfortable service for our patients and their families and give our researchers and clinical staff the resources they need to develop new treatments.

Increase in patient visits There is a growing demand for our services. However, with clinical services already operating to their full capacity, we cannot meet the extra demand without new facilities. The redevelopment will enable us to significantly increase the number of children we can treat.

The importance of caring for sick children and their families in suitable and comfortable surroundings has long been recognised. Doing everything possible to help them cope with what can inevitably be a stressful and traumatic experience is vital and there can be no better reassurance than for a child to know their parent is right beside them.

Victoria Ward room (left) and old Southwood building balconies (right)

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The Disney Appeal reaches £10 million: how the money was raisedThe Disney AppealIn 2008, Disney announced a partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, which would raise £10 million towards the hospital’s vital redevelopment programme, while at the same time bringing magical experiences to patients at the hospital. This commitment cemented a partnership between our two organisations which dated back more than 70 years to when Walt Disney himself visited Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1938.

In October 2014, Disney officially surpassed the £10 million fundraising milestone. The occasion was marked by a visit to the hospital by Andy Bird, CBE, Chairman of Walt Disney Company International. Some very special guests also visited almost every ward in the hospital so that our patients and staff could share in this wonderful celebration.

The Appeal, Disney’s largest charitable project outside the United States of America, was launched by Robert Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, with a £1 million donation, on 15 January 2008.

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“Visiting today and seeing the happiness of the staff and children brings home how great it is to be able to help!”Andy Bird, CBE, Chairman of Walt Disney Company International

Andy Bird, CBE, Chairman of Walt Disney Company International signing the visitor’s book at Great Ormond Street Hospital during his visit to celebrate the £10 million milestone in October 2014

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How the money was raised: fundraising across the businessFollowing the generous £1 million donation that was made to launch the Appeal, Disney went on to make several more significant corporate donations, totalling more than £7.7 million. Disney products sold in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity also proved to be a big hit with Disney Store customers – the Thumper

soft toy sold out in days and similar success was seen with Dumbo, Roo, Nemo and Simba, who followed. Supplier golf days, cinema ticket promotions, movie reward redemptions, and many other initiatives have also added to the fundraising totals.

How the money was raised

Corporate donations

Sales promotions and commercial activity

Disney employee fundraising

Gift-in-kind

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How the money was raised: Disney employee fundraisingIt seems that there is almost nothing that Disney employees won’t do to raise money for the children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Disney employees from across the business have run (and rowed!) marathons, climbed mountains and even jumped out of planes. Collectively, they have covered almost 12,000 miles (that’s all the way from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Burbank, and back again!). They’ve also organised quiz nights, sample sales and other events, cooked up a storm and done more than a little dressing up! Together, they have raised more than £850,000 towards the Disney Appeal.

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The story so far: the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building Thanks to Disney and everyone who generously donated towards our redevelopment programme, we were able to open the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, the first part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre, in June 2012.

AimTo open a new clinical building that would allow the hospital to:

• Increase its capacity in line with growing demand.• Provide inpatient facilities that offer more space, privacy

and comfort, where a parent or carer can stay overnight by a child’s bedside in comfort.

• Provide additional operating theatre capacity and improve models of care for patients by co-locating clinical teams.

• Improve the working environment for staff.

AchievementThe Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, the first part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre, was officially opened by Lord Coe KBE and Baroness Grey-Thompson in June 2012. Three of the hospital’s largest specialties, cardiac, renal and neurosciences, have moved into the new building. They have experienced a huge difference, with larger ward space and facilities, cutting-edge equipment and new operating theatres, plus a new family and staff restaurant with a 3D-capable cinema and the Disney Interactive Play Area. The new building has provided vastly improved facilities for patients and parents, including more space and privacy, single patient bedrooms and en suite facilities. For many families who visit us, it has become a home away from home.

The general facilities are excellent and supportive of children and their families. Parent on Koala Ward

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ImpactSince opening the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, inpatient admissions have increased by around 15 per cent to 47,000 and feedback from patients, families and staff has been overwhelmingly positive:

• Of patients in the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, 89 per cent feel that the ward is spacious, compared with 21 per cent who are still experiencing the older wards.

• Eighty-three per cent of patients in the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building feel that there is enough privacy on the ward, compared with only 38 per cent on the older wards.

• Eighty-seven per cent of children in the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building say that their bedside entertainment is good, compared with only 50 per cent of children currently experiencing the older wards.

• Eighty-eight per cent of families in the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building say that there are plenty of toys and games in the playrooms, compared with only 39 per cent on the older wards.

The Morgan Stanley Clinical Building was funded almost exclusively by charitable contributions and simply would not have been possible without the generous contributions of supporters like Disney.

The new space provided following our move from Ladybird to Bear Ward has made an enormous difference to our children and families. The ward as a whole is lighter, brighter and more airy. The majority of patients have their own cubicles with an en suite and a parent is able to sleep in relative comfort in the room, instead of being squeezed in a foldout bed next to the child.Carolyn Akyil, Ward Sister, Bear Ward

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The story so far: the Disney Interactive Play AreaOne of the best-loved features of the new Morgan Stanley Clinical Building is the Disney Interactive Play Area situated within the bright and spacious Lagoon restaurant. The play area has proven to be a huge hit with our younger visitors who can enjoy Mickey’s Clubhouse, Imagination Station and the Princess Magic Mirror. Modelled on the key interactive elements within Disney Stores, this area has inspired many hours of play and brought countless hours of fun and entertainment to the hospital’s young visitors. The area is also widely used by hospital staff, who run a variety of patient activities within it each week.

The Disney Interactive Play Area has been a fantastic extension of space for us to be able to run wonderful activity clubs for the children. It’s a fantastic space with all the different things already there. The kids love coming down here and really enjoy playing with all the games available in the space. Jamie Wilcox, Head of Volunteer Services

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We’ve been coming to Great Ormond Street Hospital for six years so remember the old restaurant. Having the Disney Interactive Play Area is a huge improvement. It’s great to have all the games and activities that the kids can do. The pictures on the walls and bright colours make it a great space and very entertaining for the little ones. Darrell, father of Ruby

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We run our weekly Crocodile Club in the Disney Interactive Play Area – the space is brilliant. The children can either do activities sitting down, such as arts and crafts, or run around and interact with the space, turning wheels, pressing buttons and climbing. It’s so good for them to keep active and the bright colours and characters make it a really friendly, welcoming space. Isabelle Raobelina, Volunteer Team Leader

The Disney Interactive Play Area makes things so much easier for families. Harry has severe autism and ADHD, so finds it difficult to play with other children. Seeing him here playing in the area is amazing for me. Claire, mum of Harry

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Looking to the future: the Premier Inn Clinical Building Following the successful opening of the Morgan Stanley Clinical building in 2012, our attention moved to the construction of the Premier Inn Clinical Building. Due to be completed in 2017, the Premier Inn Clinical Building will complete the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre, and will see the hospital’s vision to provide modern facilities for all our acute inpatients, where a parent or carer can stay comfortably by their child’s bedside, become a reality. It will also enable us to keep up with the growing demand for our services and provide world-class care to more children.

Why it’s so important• We need to treat more patients. With clinical

services already operating to their full capacity, we cannot meet the extra demand without new facilities. The completion of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre will enable us to treat up to 20 per cent more children.

• Children need to have a parent or carer by their side. In some of our current wards, there is no space for a parent to stay by the bedside overnight. The Premier Inn Clinical Building will enable the last inpatient wards to move out of the ageing and cramped Southwood Building.

• Modern, spacious facilities are vital in providing world-class care to children and their families. Coming to hospital can be a stressful and traumatic experience for children and their families. Children need space to play and eat

with other patients, and parents need to be able to prepare a meal or take a break from the bedside, without leaving the ward.

• More children need operations or procedures. A new surgery centre at the heart of the hospital will help us to provide safe and effective care, as well as provide a better experience for families.

Artist’s impression of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre

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Looking to the future: redevelopment update and the Disney garden Breaking New GroundHaving completed significant enabling works to prepare the site, on 30 September 2014, a ceremony was held to mark the beginning of works that will see the top four floors of the hospital’s outdated Cardiac Wing demolished to make way for the construction of the Premier Inn Clinical Building.

The Disney gardenThe Premier Inn Clinical Building will sit alongside the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building. In between these two buildings is a courtyard area that will be transformed to recognise Disney’s substantial contribution to the redevelopment. Our two organisations will work together on the design and development of a Disney-inspired garden, with Disney lending their creativity to the project to create a space to stimulate the senses and delight young minds. The Disney garden will provide a calm outdoor place for families to take time out, reflect and create new memories together.

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Sharing the magic: creating memories to last a lifetimeWhile the money raised by Disney has been vitally important to our redevelopment efforts, our partnership has been about so much more than fundraising alone. Every year, Disney provides dozens of Great Ormond Street Hospital patients and their families with unforgettable experiences, creating memories to last a lifetime.

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Matthew has not stopped talking about it and he will remember the evening forever.Matthew’s mum, Karen, Bedtime Stories premiere

I can’t tell you how much fun she had and after everything she’s been through it’s so good to see her having so much fun! Disney Store opening patients’ tea party

It was incredible – Jade, myself and my nephew loved every second of it. Thank you so much for the tickets, though thank you really doesn’t seem enough. Pirates of the Caribbean 4 premiere

What a magical memory. Going on the boat on the ice was something I will never, ever, ever forget! Emma, Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes

It was just the best night….ever! Isabelle, Disney’s A Christmas Carol world premiere

The night could not have been any better, so a sincere thanks to whoever made it possible for us to experience this memorable day. Zain, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time premiere

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Making dreams come true in the Magic KingdomHaving a child with complex health needs means that family holidays are usually the stuff of dreams. However, thanks to Disney, six families’ dreams came true when they were given the chance to enjoy an unforgettable break at Disneyland Paris. The families were treated like royalty during their visit and left with wonderful memories that will stay with them forever.

What a fantastic weekend. We are just coming back down to earth after experiencing a fun-filled and magical weekend at Disneyland Paris.

Ellie’s dad

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Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in us having a fantastic weekend in Disneyland Paris and for making Kaychanel and Megan’s dream come true. We have a lot of happy memories that will last a lifetime. Megan’s mum

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Meet KaychanelKaychanel was born with a severe form of VACTERL Syndrome, which meant her windpipe and oesophagus were joined and she also had major problems with her lower gut and bladder. Within hours of being born she was taken straight to Great Ormond Street Hospital, one of the few hospitals where this condition can be treated.

Kaychanel and her mum, Louise, spent her first three months at the hospital while surgeons performed a number of very complex operations. Kaychanel now has a permanent tracheostomy (an opening at the front of her windpipe which enables her to breathe) and they discovered that she had three kidneys – unfortunately none of which worked well.

A frequent visitor to GOSH, Kaychanel had always wanted to visit Disneyland Paris. In 2011 her dream came true, when Disney kindly organised a very special trip for her and her family.

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Bringing Disney Magic to Great Ormond Street HospitalDisney has spread smiles to many patients who are unable to leave the hospital with a huge range of incredible activities from providing wonderful DVD libraries to every ward in the hospital to hosting red-carpet premieres of the latest movies, sometimes before their official UK release.

Just to say we REALLY appreciated the characters coming up to the ward - as you know, many of our patients cannot leave Parrot or don’t feel well enough to be downstairs so this was such a treat for them! And the actors were BRILLIANT, very interactive, keen to spend quality time with the kids, not put off by some weird looking equipment and just genuinely nice, caring people. We couldn’t drag them away! It lifted the ward no end.... Thank you! Juliette, Parrot Ward, The Lion King week

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It’s her first day off the ward in over three weeks, so it’s such a treat to have something like this to come to. Sometimes it’s worth being in the hospital for a long time. Sometimes. Niamh’s mum, Monsters University mini-premiere

I just wanted to write and let you know how much my son benefited from the Winnie the Pooh screening last Thursday. He was recovering from abdominal surgery and in great pain. He came back in such high spirits and started to recover more and more, which I attribute largely to his enjoyment of the event. Winnie the Pooh mini-premiere

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Roderick has a lifelong condition and has been coming to GOSH regularly since he was a tiny baby. After the showing of UP, he described the day as ‘One of the best days of my life!’. To leave a 10 year old boy who is always going to have to come to hospitals with such a positive experience of staying in hospital is just fantastic. Add to that his ambition of becoming a movie director one day and being given the opportunity to meet such a great one! Thank you so much to you and all your team. Roderick’s dad, Disney Pixar’s Up mini-premiere

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I haven’t seen my daughter smile like that for a really long time, she was mesmerised. Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings mini-premiere

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I didn’t like it, I loved it! The Muppets are awesome. Joshua, Muppets Most Wanted mini-premiere

Jamie now has a ‘Disney magic moment’ to trump them all, and Alex considers the whole day an ‘Epic Win!’ Alex’s mum, Cars 2 premiere

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Meet DominicDominic, now 15, was born with foetal alcohol syndrome and has complicated medical needs. He underwent major heart surgery when he was just one year old, and still has a small leak in his aorta for which he needs regular check ups and will require further surgery when he reaches 16. He was also born with an abnormality in his eyelid muscles which were so weak he had to tip his head backwards to be able to see. When he was four, surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital used a graft from his thigh to attach his eyelids to his forehead muscle, enabling him to open his eyes. This sophisticated surgery is extremely rare and drastically improved Dominic’s quality of life. He now enjoys going to school and playing with his many friends.

Great, great, excitement here this morning!! The Disney parcel arrived just as Dominic was getting ready for school! He was hopping around and jumping like Tigger!!!! Thank you so much! Dominic’s mum

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Sharing the magic at ChristmasFor the children who have to be in hospital in the run up to Christmas, the teams at Disney work incredibly hard to ensure that it remains a magical time for our patients. Beginning with the official launch of Christmas at the Disney Store on Oxford Street, and ending with the Jingle Bells tour which sees Disney characters visiting almost every ward in the hospital to hand out goody bags to the children who are too ill to attend the patient Christmas parties. In between, there’s often a premiere or two, a VIP shopping trip and a special visit from Disney VoluntEARS who deliver a soft toy to every patient in the hospital.

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I don’t know how I have coped… treats like today really make the difference.

Mum, Jo, Disney plush donation

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That was my first Jingle Bells Tour and it really was a magical experience… just seeing the children smile makes it such an amazing event to be a part of! Disney employee, Jingle Bells Tour

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Meet JohnathanJohnathan was referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2012, when he was just five years old. He was diagnosed with a rare genetically inherited immune condition called chronic granulomatous disease, which means his immune system finds it very difficult to fight off disease-causing bacteria, leaving him increasingly vulnerable to bouts of infection.

He has had long periods in hospital with serious infections and also has to cope with partial sight and hearing. He became critically unwell with pancreatitis triggered by his genetic condition and although doctors were able to manage the inflammation he was prevented from eating or drinking for five months.

In 2013 Johnathan underwent a bone marrow transplant and although he still has problems with his sight and hearing, he has recovered well.

In December 2013 Johnathan and his family were treated to a private shopping spree at the Oxford Street Disney Store and also enjoyed face painting, balloon modelling and the chance to write his own Letter to Santa.

Mum Amelia said: “We had a fantastic time at the Disney Store party and it really helped us to get in the festive spirit. It was brilliant to meet Mickey and Minnie and lovely to spend time with other families who had been through similar experiences.”

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Disney VoluntEARSIn addition to organising and supporting all the amazing fundraising that takes place, over 600 Disney VoluntEARS have given up their time to help with events at the hospital, like helping at our Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas patient parties and giving out toys as part of the annual plush donation. Disney VoluntEARS are always incredible with the children and staff, bringing joy and laughter and helping ensure that our events go off without a hitch.

The Disney VoluntEARS were absolutely amazing! The smiles on the children’s faces were fantastic. Hospital staff Plush donation

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The Disney Appeal in the press: highlightsThe partnership between Disney and Great Ormond Street Hospital has captured the imagination of the press, who have consistently provided regional, national and international coverage of our activities since the very beginning of our partnership.

OK! November 2013

The Guardian, January 2008

Evening Standard, November 2013

The Independent i, July 2011

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Daily Star, July 2012

Evening Standard, October 2010

Daily Star, July 2011Daily Star, December 2013

You injected a little magic into all our lives. You made us feel incredibly special and the memories of all this will stay with us forever.

Mum of Great Ormond Street Hospital patient Ella

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Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Registered charity no. 235825.HWV

© Disney