Bandaged Bear Day - The Children's Hospital at Westmead

A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported Bandaged Bear DayTM 2010!

This year's Bandaged Bear Day was dedicated to the theme "When I grow up I want to be a grown-up" in honour of our brave patients who just want the chance to grow up. Thanks to your generosity we are able to grant their wish - to grow up and enjoy their own 21st Birthday and continue on to fulfill their childhood ambitions.

Thank to the generosity and support for the community Bandaged Bear Day 2010 was again a success. Bandaged Bear Day has raised over $557,500 for the sick kids at The Children's Hospital at Westmead and funds are still continuing to come in. This is a true testament to our supporters, thank you! Bandaged Bear Day also wouldn't have been possible without the 350 fantactic volunteers took to the streets on Friday 26th March, covering 61 shopping centre and train stations across Sydney and other parts of NSW, well done!

The "when I grow up I want to be..." poll clocked 694 votes during the appeal, with 31% of supporters dreaming of becoming rockstars when they grow up, followed Teachers and Doctors who tied for second. Thank you to our supporters who participated in the poll.

Thank you again for supporting The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Bandaged Bear Day.

Please note volunteer applications and merchandise orders are no longer being taken.

Congratulations to Rebecca Belzer from APRA who is the lucky winner of the $100 RedBalloon voucher! Thank you to everyone who settled their accounts on time and big thank you to RedBalloon for this prize (www.redballoon.com.au)

Congratulations are also due to Amber Gillogly and family who raised $3167 for sick kids by holding their own "When I grow up I want to be.." party. Amber was the winner of our Hold your own event competition and the recipient of a nights accommodation at the Hilton Sydney.

If you are still to reconcile your account please do so ASAP

Meet Zali

Zali is a bubbly two year old who loves to laugh. At age 18 months she was diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis - a severe disorder of the immune system that requires chemotherapy treatment. Children in the first two years of life only have a 20% survival rate.

During the four months Zali spent in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) she was intubated and ventilated to help her breathe and suffered major organ failure eight times. Whilst in PICU doctors also discovered that Zali had a condition known as calcification of the heart and lungs, a complication causing them to harden.

Zali continued to deteriorate but her family had not lost hope. With a number of different specialised teams working on her, the family was offered a life-changing option. It was called Pamidronate, a medication typically used for children with osteoporosis. It would be the first time this treatment would be used for this particular condition.

Against all odds she recovered. Four days after being given the medication she was running around the ward and laughing like she used to.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child – it took 15 groups of experts to save Zali’s life,” said Zali’s grateful mum Lisa. “Without their extraordinary skills we would have had a funeral for our two year old by now. The Hospital gives unconditionally.”

Zali’s virus is now inactive and she is in complete remission. She is no longer an inpatient at the Hospital but visits four times a week for physiotherapy and occupational therapy and fortnightly for a check-up.

DONATE NOW

Make a personal donation or hold your own "When I grow up I want to be..." fundraiser for Bandaged Bear Day

DONATE OR HOLD YOUR OWN PARTY

	VOLUNTEER ON FRIDAY 26 MARCH
	Please note Volunteer Applications have now closed. VOLUNTEER

	ORDER MERCHANDISE TO SELL THROUGHOUT MARCH
	Please note Merchandise Orders have now closed. ORDER MERCHANDISE

	WHERE CAN I BUY BANDAGED BEAR DAY MERCHANDISE?
	Click here to view a full listing of the 2010 outlets supporting Bandaged Bear Day^TM FIND OUT WHERE TO BUY