The Royal Hospital for Sick Children has been caring for children and young people in the Lothians and beyond for over 150 years.

‘The Sick Kids’, as it is fondly known, provides a comprehensive range of dedicated children's services, including its own accident and emergency department offering services that include acute medical and surgical care, specialist surgical and medical care, haematology and oncology, day care and critical care.

Originally built in 1895, the current building needed to be bigger and more accessible. Work on this new building at Little France is now complete and the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People will open today, 23 March at 8am. The new hospital is a modern six storey building which has a large atrium with a shop and café, a helipad on the roof and a link to the adult emergency department in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

We are delighted to have played a part in creating the new building by providing some special touches to the new Lochranza Ward for haematology and oncology patients and other areas of the hospital. As a children’s cancer charity we are very aware of the experiences of patients and their parents while in hospital and often it’s the little things that can make a big difference. 

Thanks to fundraising, we were able to donate £80,000 to provide 100 comfy chairs for parents in wards and clinics and brightly designed wall art to make the hospital spaces more pleasant to be in.

Parents and siblings can often spend hours sitting bedside often holding children or sleeping. These new chairs provide better back support, arm rests and a more comfortable experience during these long hours.

The artwork, designed by Grosvenor Interiors, appears across various areas of the ward in bright colours which are stimulating to children during their stay. There is a wild life theme which we love because of our Ripple Retreat and includes bold images of red squirrels, deer, owls and foxes.

Our name has been included in the donor acknowledgment plaque in the hospital along with, Radio Lollipop, Ronald MacDonald House Charity, Teenage Cancer Trust and others for our contributions that helped make the new hospital a reality.

We are very much looking forward to it fully opening on 23 March and seeing it in operation. We thank each of you for supporting us over the past years as your generosity has allowed us to provide this wonderful support.

Lynne McNicoll OBE, Co-Founder, It's good 2 give.