How your money will help...

With the money raised through your virtual bricks, Emma's Babies will be funding at least seven vital pieces of equipment for the children of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Your participation will fund the purchase of two new baby scales and five new humidifiers.

Why are precision baby scales important?

On Fox & Robin Wards (Bone Marrow Transplant, Immunology & Infectious diseases) the baby scales are used to weigh all babies and some toddlers. Monitoring the children's weight is a very important part of the care provided on these Wards. Some patients are weighed more than once a day, especially those who need their fluid balances monitored or patients who have problems with profuse diarrhoea, poor nutritional intake and absorption problems.

Why is a humidifier important?

During normal respiration the upper airways warms and humidifies inhaled air before it reaches the lungs. This humidification is a natural defense against inhaled dust & other particles that may result in irritation or even lead to disease conditions. If the humidification process during breathing is disturbed, the mucus can thicken and cause obstruction of the airway.

Patients being nursed in Critical Care are often placed on ventilators, which bypass their airways. A humidifier ensures that the inhaled air is adequately humidified before it reaches the lungs, preventing damage to the mucous membranes and reducing the risk of infection.

We very much hope to surpass the £7,000, and as we do we will look at new pieces of equipment which can be funded.