#make-a-wish

#make-a-wish

Despite expert treatment, Andrew's illness led to multiple organ complications and extensive treatment in the ICU, where he is still receiving treatment over 6 weeks later.

"The bikes we give are brand new, because part of it is the delight of getting a new bike. These kids have been in treatment for so long and can miss out on big stages of development."

I think it's one of the biggest things in life to have been blessed to be where I'm at today, and being able to give back.

A community defibrillator fundraiser has begun to remember a "very friendly and therapeutic" cat named Defib which moved into an ambulance station in east London 18 years ago. Defib lived at Walthamstow Ambulance Station, after being rescued by paramedics as a kitten in 2008 and "adored by them ever since". In 2024, the cat was faced with eviction from his home but this was overturned after more than 62,000 people signed an online petition.

"Hello, how are you doing? Good to see you," says Honor Cousens, as she pushes a trolley loaded with cold drinks, sweets, biscuits, toiletries, newspapers and magazines. The volunteer at the Royal London Hospital is a familiar face on the wards, and has been supporting staff and patients for many years. She is part of the Friends of the Royal London Hospital, a charity that has been running at the Whitechapel site since 1979.

It is really, really hard. He said the family had 'cried and begged for help' in meetings at home. 'Does our family unit have to break down? Does it have to get to a point where we no longer sustain this and then they'll step in and give you support? Because right now that's where we're at. We don't have any alternatives. If grandparents were an option, we'd already be doing it.'

"I thought I was going to die in the street on this day." Moses describes the moment his health deteriorated to the point where he collapsed outside Victoria Station, having lived on the streets for several months. "I was there for maybe one hour on my knees with my suitcase, and crying in a lot of pain. I was broken." Moses now says he has found a "new family" at the Salvation Army church in Chalk Farm but is still trying to find a permanent home.

Rare Ireland does not receive any grants or funding from government agencies and it relies entirely on funds raised and the generosity of donors. Getting access to therapies is always going to be a challenge. The money raised through this fundraising event will go on various therapies from speech therapy to equine therapy to play therapy.

Broadway Bound Kids, the nonprofit that provides performing arts education to New York City students K-12, will be hosting their fourth annual benefit concert, Empower State of Mind, on Feb. 2 at City Winery in Manhattan at 7:30 pm. The evening will include show-stopping performances by theater legends who have starred on the Broadway stage. The participating performers include Kate Baldwin (Chicago), Kelsee Kimmel (Hell's Kitchen), Storm Lever (Six), Olivia Donalson (Six), Daniel Quadrino (Wicked) and Jacob Keith Watson (Ragtime), among others.