Last week volunteers David and Vicky took our first delivery of 2021 to Ward 84 at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
We are now approaching our 5th year of supporting new families admitted onto Ward 84 and have provided 587 Milly Bags which values at almost £120,000.00.
Our Milly Bags have evolved over the last 5 years, growing in both size and content. This is due to feedback from both families and nurses on the ward, suggesting additional items that would be beneficial.
The bags are now very well known and recognised throughout the hospital, families tell us that they are able to identify other oncology families, especially when they are in another part of the hospital, and this gives them a great starting point for striking up a conversation with someone they don’t know.
The latest addition to our Milly Bags are the heat-packs, the nurses told our delivery team how well they have been received, they say the children are loving them and find them both comforting and therapeutic when using them to help with pain and aches associated with chemotherapy.
For us one of the most heart-warming things was the renaming of our bags, initially the bags were known as ‘Welcome Bags’ however whenever families talked about our bags they would call them ‘Milly Bags’ – we absolutely love this, and so that is what they are now known as.
We still feel very privileged and humbled to be able to support families during such a difficult time. We will forever be grateful to everyone for their support in allowing us to continue to make a difference every day.
