Brondesbury schoolboy meets Olympic and Paralympic legends at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Mark Matthews was alongside Sally Gunnell and Ade Adepitan at the opening of new medical centre
A brave Brondesbury schoolboy who underwent a kidney transplant two years ago met Olympic and Paralympic legends at the opening of a medical centre today (Friday).
Mark Matthews was alongside Sally Gunnell and Ade Adepitan at the opening of Great Ormond Street Hospital’s new Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, the first part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre.
The eight-year-old underwent a kidney transplant in 2010 and is hoping to make his debut at the Transplant Games this year.
The Games encourage transplant patients to regain fitness while highlighting the importance of organ donation.
The Olympic and Paralympic legends spoke of their admiration for Mark and the other current and former patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Mark represented the new British Kidney Patient Association (BKPA) Children’s Kidney Centre known as Eagle Ward. The ward brings together the dialysis unit and kidney wards for inpatients and contains 15 inpatient beds and 10 haemodialysis beds.
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It also includes a brand new teenage area for older patients who need regular dialysis treatment and offers more space and en suite facilities.
Dr Jane Collins, Chief Executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital said: “Today was an important day for the hospital – for Mark to be part of it just demonstrates the incredible work we do here. “I want to say a huge thank you to Sally and Ade for coming down to offer some words of encouragement to Mark and the other patients.”
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity is aiming to raise �45 million to complete the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre.
For more information visit www.gosh.nhs.uk.
