Donation to benefit children's ward after death of three-year-old Lady Tiffany
A donation to benefit youngsters on New Cross Hospital’s Children’s Ward has been made in memory of a three-year-old patient whose family worked hard with staff to take her mind off her treatment.
A projector and a cinema screen have now been bought for the ward and donated to The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity thanks to a fundraising Disney walk led by Tiffany Benjamin-Mcfarlane’s brother.
Tiffany, known affectionately as Lady Tiffany, died on September 20, 2020 due to complications from extensive bleeding to her brain and lungs when she was born.
Her mum Stacey, who also has son, Ricardo, eight, created Lady Tiffany’s Tributes which is a legacy set up in her honour.
Tiffany spent most of her life on the Children’s Ward. During her time here, her family were fortunate enough to make many memories together which were supported by her medical team.
The Wolverhampton-based family decided to help other families in their position to make memories and offer distractions for other children in hospital.
Stacey said: “One of our fondest memories with Lady Tiffany was when Ricardo wanted to take her to the cinema.
“As she was too unstable to leave the ward, the medical team helped borrow a projector from another department so we could watch The Polar Express on Christmas Eve. We all wore matching pyjamas and it felt like we were able to escape from our current situation for a while.
“We wanted to purchase a projector to be kept on the ward so other families and children could have the same pleasure as us whenever they need it – from ward movie nights to intimate family moments.
“Ricardo asked his cousins and friends to dress up as Disney characters to do a sponsored three mile walk from the hospital to the cemetery where Tiffany is buried to raise the money. They had all been to parties of hers on the ward, so it was a way for them all to say thank you. Adults wore her favourite colour - pink.
She added: “We feel privileged to be able to make this donation. Lady Tiffany taught us to make the most of our time on the ward and we hope other families can make happy memories during their stay in her memory.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were some delays installing the projector on the ward, but it was up in time for the Queen’s funeral which meant all the children were able to come together and have the opportunity to watch it.”
Liz Luton, Play Leader at the Trust, said: “We are so grateful to Stacey and her family for donating the projector and screen to the Children’s Ward.
“This will enable us to have cinema nights for the patients and their families. It will also be lovely at Christmas time for us to show some movies to get everyone in the festive spirit. Previously we have loaned a projector from our IT department for this to happen; now that we have one of our own it gives us the flexibility to use it as often as we like. It will be well used in so many different ways.”
Stacey and Ricardo also do craft donations to mark various occasions in Tiffany’s memory from Halloween and Christmas to Valentine’s Day and Easter. They also make up toiletry and activity packs for parents and teenagers.
They are currently working on some Halloween sets and - to mark what would have been Tiffany’s fifth birthday - they helped restock the ward’s craft cupboard.
Lady Tiffany’s Tributes is on Facebook at @Ladytiffanystributes
