For 30 years, Milton Keynes Hospital Charity has been making a difference to Milton Keynes University Hospital – and we couldn’t have done it without you. From tiny babies in state-of-the-art incubators to families finding comfort during their most difficult periods, from pioneering cancer treatments to children escaping into virtual worlds – your generosity has transformed lives in ways that go beyond medicine. During December we unwrapped 30 years of Milton Keynes Hospital Charity. If you missed any of the incredible stories – you can catch up here. Thank you for 30 incredible years. Here’s to many more.
Baby Leo Incubators
Triplets became the first babies to benefit from three brand-new ‘BabyLeo’ incubators at Milton Keynes University Hospital – the ‘Rolls Royce’ of neonatal care, thanks to our BabyLeo Incubator appeal. Together, with our local community, we raised over £75,000 to purchase three incubators, which are now helping our tiniest patients. These state-of-the-art incubators feature:
Inbuilt weighing scales for minimal disturbance
Advanced heating systems
Special mechanisms so parents can touch and hold their babies more easily
Adjustable height for C-section mums
Music and personalisation options
“The BabyLeos are greatly enhancing patient care and the experience of families at MKUH. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who made this happen,” says our Neonatal Unit Matron, Lisa.
Cancer Centre Appeal
In 2018, we launched our Cancer Centre Appeal with a bold vision – to create a comfortable, welcoming space where anyone affected by cancer could receive treatment and support under one roof, and together we made it happen. Thanks to our incredible community, we raised £1 million to transform cancer care at Milton Keynes University Hospital. What was once spread across three different locations is now a state-of-the-art centre welcoming over 150 patients every single day. Your donations mean that our patients now have comfortable chemotherapy and waiting area chairs, a snack station, and three beautiful gardens for all to enjoy.
Breast Cancer Seed Trial
Imagine something the size of a sesame seed changing the way breast cancer surgery is performed. Thanks to your support, Milton Keynes Hospital Charity funded a pioneering pilot using tiny radio-frequency seeds as an alternative to uncomfortable wires during breast cancer procedures. “It means less pain, a better experience and more accurate surgery for our patients,” says Consultant Breast Surgeon, Rachel. These tiny seeds are injected into tumours that can’t be felt, making them easier to locate during surgery without the discomfort and movement of traditional wires, meaning more women can keep their breasts, and early cancers can be treated more comfortably.
In the first year alone, over 100 patients benefited.
Children’s Artwork
Thanks to your donations, we raised over £200,000 to transform our children’s wards at Milton Keynes University Hospital. What were once functional wards with no colour or play space are now filled with artwork and toys to bring joy to children and their families during difficult times. Your generosity created:
Vibrant ‘river’, ‘farm’ and ‘meadow’ themed murals across the wards
Improved play areas filled with toys for all ages
Sensory equipment for young patients
Enhanced facilities for parents staying with their children
Dementia Care
“It’s been brilliant you visiting me throughout my time here. It felt like you’ve listened to me… kept me company… and given me so many different things to do. Your visits have helped to calm me down and keep going, thank you. I finally get to put up my bird box in the garden as well!” These were the words from patient, Shane, who received support, guidance and company from our Meaningful Activities Co-ordinator, Helen, a role funded by Milton Keynes Hospital Charity. Helen works with patients with dementia or delirium, helping to calm their feelings and relieve them from feeling frustrated or alone. She supports patients with their emotional and personal needs, meaning medical staff can focus on clinical care. Over two years, Helen made a difference to over 800 patients and their families, with one grateful daughter saying: “Thank you for befriending dad and doing all you did with him, and for him.”
PJ Care
In 2018, Alfie Russell was born seven weeks premature at Milton Keynes University Hospital and required immediate intensive care. A collapsed lung meant he required intubation, and Alfie and his family spent many weeks in the hospital. “Alfie went into an incubator the moment he was born,” says Neil. “Two days in, he stopped breathing and had to be intubated. He had a hole in one of his lungs which had caused it to collapse. It was a horrible time but the staff were out of this world.” Following the care and support Alfie and his family received, they wanted to give something back and donated to our BabyLeo Incubator Appeal on behalf of PJ Care.Their funds contributed to the purchase of three life-saving incubators, which will greatly enhance the life chances of babies admitted to the hospital’s neonatal unit, which looks after 450 babies born too early, too small or very ill each year.
ICU Relative’s Room
As a consultant anaesthetist at Milton Keynes University Hospital, Dr. Jamie Strachan knows firsthand what families go through when a person they care for is being treated in our intensive care unit. So, he got on his bike – and didn’t stop for 10 days. Dr Strachan cycled over 1,500km from Land’s End to John O’Groats, solo, to raise money to transform the ICU relatives’ room from a clinical waiting area into a thoughtful, comforting retreat where families can find moments of peace during the most difficult times of their lives. His efforts raised £1,400, helping create a non-clinical space with comfortable furnishings and a supportive atmosphere.
Matt’s Story
In 2023, Matt was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. Six months of gruelling chemotherapy at MKUH’s Cancer Centre followed, but the staff kept him going. The nurses he described as ‘angels’ carried him through his most difficult days of treatment. So, Matt decided to give back – in spectacular style. In November 2024, dressed as Macho Man Randy Savage, Matt completed a 5k run and raised an incredible £3,412 for the Cancer Centre that saved his life. “The staff helped me through emotional challenges I never expected,” Matt said as he presented the cheque to Lead Cancer Nurse Michelle. “This is my way of saying thank you.”
Covid-19 Support
In March 2020 lockdown turned all our lives upside down. At Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff worked tirelessly through the unknown – caring for patients while families couldn’t visit, whilst adapting to a new world we were all living in. Thanks to your donation to our Covid-19 Appeal, we created lifelines for our staff when they were needed most:
80 mobile phones reconnecting patients with loved ones
A calming Staff Hub where teams could rest
Hot meals, snacks, and care packages for long shifts
iPads, radios, soothing hand creams, and essentials
£88,000 grant transforming three staff rooms
Bereavement Suite
When Simon and Jenny Gill’s daughter Olivia was stillborn at 25 weeks, the care from staff was “amazing”, but a lack of facilities on the ward meant that Simon and his family had nowhere private to grieve or sleep. So, Simon ran 40 miles across the Peak District to raise money for the Butterfly Suite – a private bereavement room on the labour ward where parents can spend precious time with their stillborn babies in dignity and peace.
His Ultra Marathon raised over £5,000 – more than half the funds needed for a suite that features a double bed, sofa, and fold-down chair, tea and coffee facilities, a TV for moments of normality, an en-suite washroom, and most important of all, privacy. “As a husband, you just want to care for your wife. The new suite allows you to do that.” Said Simon.
End of Life Boxes
In someone’s final days, the smallest gestures can mean everything. Thanks to your donations, these moments of comfort are now possible. Our End-of-Life Comfort Boxes, funded entirely by charitable donations, help our Palliative Care team create peaceful, personal environments for patients and their families during life’s emotional moments.
Each box contains a soft knitted blanket, bedside radios and lamp, relaxing sound devices, essential toiletries and hand creams, notepads and pens for final messages, and supportive care leaflets. “We know that loved ones want to be with dying patients – and they need looking after too,” says Philip Ball, Lead Nurse for Palliative and End of Life Care. “These boxes make being with someone more comfortable and personal.”
VR Headsets
Children can escape to a tropical beach, gaze up at endless stars and paint a magical virtual world thanks to virtual headsets funded by Milton Keynes Hospital Charity.
Transporting children to positive places through technology has made a huge difference to children’s hospital experience, with 100% of children aged 6-15 years saying they felt less anxious during their procedure, 97% said they felt no anxiety at all.
Thank You
We would like to say a huge thank you to the team at Blue Lozenge for all of their hard work in creating the 30 Years unwrapped campaign for Milton Keynes Hospital Charity. The team visited MKUH, taking time to speak with patients, families and staff across all wards and departments, before creating this campaign completely free of charge for our hospital charity.
