A mother is calling on our readers to support a hospital that became a ‘second home’ for her and her 12-year-old daughter who was treated for a benign tumour.
Ilana Metzger, of Gordon Avenue, Stanmore, used to drive past the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Brockley Hill, Stanmore, almost every day.
She said: “I would think to myself, ‘I hear this is an amazing hospital but I just hope I never have to go there’.
“Little did I know that not long after having that thought the RNOH would become our second home.”
Daughter Teia, 12, was sent to the hospital after she fell over and broke her leg and, by chance, doctors discovered a benign tumour in the limb.
Leading RNOH surgeon professor Tim Briggs fitted a metal plate in her leg the following month, and Teia returned in May 2012 to have it removed it.
With her daughter now extremely active, Mrs Metzger is encouraging people to donate to the RNOH’s plans to rebuild the building – a project which could cost up to £200million of which the government could commit £91million.
Mrs Metzger said: “I got to see quite a bit of the hospital during Teia's stay and I was surprised how they managed to keep going considering the age and state of some of the buildings.
“How they can achieve a world class outcome in this less-than-ideal environment is quite staggering.
“We must not take the RNOH for granted. We have a world class hospital in our back yard.”
The hospital trust is currently appealing to raise £15million through donations for a three-stage redevelopment which would include a new accommodation unit for non-local families of children being treated at the hospital, a new spinal cord injury centre, state-of-the-art equipment and a new children’s ward.
Donations can be made via www.rnohcharity.org or by text RNOH15 plus amount to 70070.
