Evelina London Children's Hospital with lights on at night with trees on the left side.

Celebrating 20 years of the Evelina London Children’s Hospital building

It’s been two decades since Evelina London Children’s Hospital opened the doors to its iconic building next to St Thomas’ Hospital. So, together, we’re celebrating the last twenty years of caring for children and families.

Together, we can make the extraordinary happen

To celebrate a remarkable twenty years, Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, Patron of Evelina London, shared a special message of thanks.

The Princess shares how the bright, welcoming environment helps families feel “supported and nurtured”. And she recognises the amazing hospital team – who care for children with “compassion and expertise” every day.

Read her message.

The award-winning hospital building was made possible thanks to people like you. This continued support has enabled Evelina London to keep evolving and advancing. Today, we help the hospital to care for almost 70,000 children every year. That’s amazing! Discover the incredible milestones we’ve achieved together so far.

Oliver, a patient at Evelina London with Nurse Keely

Together, we help the hospital to grow

Sky Ward opened in 2020 thanks to charity support. It’s a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, with both children’s cardiac and critical care on one floor.

The opening of Sky Ward created more bed space, helping the hospital to care for more seriously unwell patients. On the ward, children can make their bed space their own. Using magnetised strips, they can display photos, cards and keepsakes that help them feel more connected to their lives outside hospital and more like themselves.

Evelina London’s neonatal team training

Together, we support the latest training programmes

The Evelina London team are at the heart of what makes the hospital so amazing. Our funding helps to provide vital education and training, enabling teams to learn from world-leading experts and explore innovative new ideas.

For example, we helped fund the Heartworks Simulator – an innovative piece of kit that staff use for practising heart scans on children. The simulator produces highly accurate imaging, allowing training doctors to learn what to look for in heart diagnosis.

A boy lying down in an MRI scanner who appears to be smiling, he is wearing a blue head set and wearing a blue t shirt with green blocks with faces on them.

Together, we provide state-of-the-art equipment

MRI scans can be daunting, especially for children who are already feeling unwell or anxious. This fear not only adds to the emotional burden on the child and their family but also creates significant challenges for their medical team.

Evelina London’s MRI simulator, the first in the UK, allows children to rehearse their scan in a calm and playful environment. The simulator is shaped like a rocket and children can watch films. In becoming familiar with the process, they overcome their fears, build confidence, and learn to stay still. This means fewer children need sedation, making their real scan gentler and easier.

In the sensory room, Jess an Evelina London Play Specialist is holding strands of lights, in her arms she

Jess, Evelina London Play Specialist with Kai in the sensory room

Together, we create a home from home for families

We make Evelina London Children’s Hospital feel more like home, with wards that provide a sanctuary for families and play spaces for children.

Many Evelina London services have a fun theme, so children can let their imaginations run wild! The hospital’s design can support children and their families to feel calm and cared for during their visit. On Arctic Floor, fun facts about animals like giant whales and noisy squirrels mean children can discover something new while they wait for their appointments.

Two baby twins, sleeping next to each other, the baby on the right has a feeding tube attached.

Together, we fund pioneering research projects

Every year more than 15,000 babies in the UK will develop a peanut allergy. For many years, the guidance for families recommended avoiding giving infants allergenic foods.

At Evelina London, pioneering research and clinical trials are leading the way in understanding allergies. The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy studies prove that eating peanuts regularly in early infancy reduces the rate of peanut allergy in at-risk infants by 80%. This incredible insight has the potential to save thousands of young lives.

“Charity funding has enabled us to accelerate research progress. These studies found that we can prevent peanut allergy from developing in 4 out of 5 babies. As a result, infant weaning policies have been revised worldwide, which will save many children’s lives.”

Professor Ming Lim, Head of Research at Evelina London

Over the last twenty years and beyond, our supporters have made an incredible impact – improving the health and happiness of little ones, teens and families. So, thank you.

Together, we can keep providing the very best care for children and their families. Now, and for generations to come.

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