Spread a Smile today announces its newest partner, Newham Hospital, an NHS Hospital in Plaistow, Newham in London.
Children and their relatives are now invited to the Spread a Smile family and the partnership will allow smiles to be spread widely to children across the hospital, with monthly in person visits to its Oncology Clinics and its wards where we will visit both inpatients and outpatients.
In addition, the Spread a Smile team will also offer Newham Hospital patients access to their virtual visits and treat drops.
Newham Hospital joins the Spread a Smile support roster, alongside its other major and speciality London and nationwide hospital partners, taking the total to 27 partners.
Spread a Smile’s mission is to bring joy and laughter to all seriously ill children in NHS hospitals, clinical settings, hospices and homes across the UK and this partnership takes them one step closer. The Spread a Smile team will spend quality time with patients, as well as running virtual events and sending their entertainers to the Christmas party in December. The virtual visits, alongside the in-person sessions allow the team to see as many patients as possible. All with the aim of spreading hundreds of smiles at the hospital every single year.
As well as the in-person visits, children at Newham Hospital will be invited to join weekly virtual group hospital visits from entertainers, take part in themed activity days that include key calendar events such as the Christmas Grotto in December. Families of long-term patients will also be able to book one-on-one sessions with Spread a Smile’s wonderful entertainers.
Hamera Elahi, children’s play specialist at Newham Hospital’s children’s ward, said of the partnership, “All of us who work on the children’s ward at Newham Hospital are thrilled to be joining the Spread a Smile family. This partnership will allow us to provide vital entertainment and play opportunities to the children we care for, as well as providing them with lots of fun treats, which is vital to their recovery and recuperation. We’re so grateful to the Spread a Smile team and can’t wait to work with them more.”
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