Elephant Ward, Great Ormond Street Hospital

Baby Sensory Haslemere & Petersfield are raising money for Elephant Ward, Great Ormond Street Hospital. The incredible angels on Elephant Ward have have been caring for gorgeous Orla who attends our classes since she was just 7 weeks old.

Please read Orla's story from her Mummy, Siobhan...

Back in May 2023, Orla was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer.

Orla’s right leg was paralysed by the size of the tumour occupying her pelvis and was told she would lose the leg and certainly will never walk. (A minor price to pay by all accounts, just keep my baby alive!)

Within 24 hours of the initial MRI at the Royal Surrey, Orla was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she had 4 general anaesthetics across 2 days and was hooked up to emergency chemotherapy, she was just 7 weeks old.

During Orla’s second cycle of chemo, she had a stroke and her 4th cycle she had an anaphylactic reaction to the chemo at which point we came moments from losing her.

The wonderful nurses, doctors, health care assistants, play team and volunteers at GOSH work tirelessly to save and enrich the life of these incredibly poorly children.

As it stands, Orla’s tumour is inoperable but stable and monitored very closely. She is WALKING, an option that wasn’t to be and what became critical at the end of treatment was to look at her socialisation, as much of her little life had been spent in hospital or locked down due to vulnerability and susceptibility.

So, once Orla ended treatment and started to get stronger and well, we contacted Charlotte at Baby Sensory Haslemere, desperate to squeeze her into a class. Charlotte worked so hard and closely with her to bring Orla out of her shell and as a result she is THRIVING.

Baby Sensory Haslemere is raising money in aid of Elephant Ward (who saved Orla’s life, not once, not twice but THREE times!) and the new Cancer Centre that is being built at Great Ormond Street.