Alder Hey

Alder Hey Welcome to the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust & Charity page.

Alder Hey in the Park cares for over 450,0000 young patients and their families each year. We lead research into children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology.

29/10/2025

There are lots of misconceptions when it comes to the vaccine. Here, our Chief Nurse Nathan Askew addresses some of the most common myths that you've likely heard.

Getting vaccinated against the helps to protect you, your family, and others. Our staff are getting protected, just li...
29/10/2025

Getting vaccinated against the helps to protect you, your family, and others. Our staff are getting protected, just like Chief Nurse Nathan Askew, who got his jab recently. Have you got yours?

You can find out more about the flu vaccine online at: https://t.co/dBd0cKy2RF

Congratulations to oncology nurse Mary Lamb, who is retiring after an incredible 49 years at Alder Hey! From the moment ...
24/10/2025

Congratulations to oncology nurse Mary Lamb, who is retiring after an incredible 49 years at Alder Hey!

From the moment Mary was 6 years old, travelling past Alder Hey with her mum, she knew her future was here. Mary began her journey in September 1976 as a Cadet Nurse at Alder Hey, before starting her Special Education Nursing training in July 1977 and qualifying in 1979.

Her early years saw her caring for patients on M2 General Surgery and later the Burns Unit. In 1990, she joined ward C3 at the old Alder Hey hospital, then moved to ward 3B at the current hospital.

Mary’s devotion to children and young people, as well as her colleagues, shone through every aspect of her work, earning her the title of “Nurse of the Year” in 2005. This moment stood out to Mary not just for the recognition but for how proud it made her parents. Though her mum was living with dementia at the time, she never forgot that her daughter was the "Nurse of the Year.” 🏆

Throughout her 49 years at Alder Hey, Mary has experienced countless unforgettable experiences. From taking a group of children to meet Father Christmas in Lapland, to meeting countless famous faces, from Princess Kate Middleton to comedian Romesh Ranganathan and many footballers in between.

After nearly five decades of care, laughter and compassion, Mary will forever be part of our story. Her kindness, professionalism, and the countless lives she has touched will continue to inspire generations of nurses.

Mary said: “I've just loved every minute of it and consider myself blessed to be able to do what I've always wanted to do. I think they [the children she has cared for] will never understand how much I've got from it. You know, how much they've given to me. Yes, you help people, but what you get back from them, just seeing them, knowing that you've helped them a little bit, has enriched me beyond belief.” 🫶

Thank you for your amazing commitment and hard work over the last 49 years, Mary. You'll be missed!

| Alder Hey’s REACH Staff Network hosted their first Onam Celebration recently, generously supported by Alder Hey Chil...
17/10/2025

| Alder Hey’s REACH Staff Network hosted their first Onam Celebration recently, generously supported by Alder Hey Children's Charity 💙

Onam is a Hindu harvest festival that marks the Malayali New Year. This year, the team organised vibrant Pookalam (floral carpet) and delicious Onam Sadhya (lunch) served on banana leaves, cultural performances, tug of war, and other energetic games, with every moment made special with the energy and enthusiasm from families and guests.

Raji Thomas, Deputy Chair of the REACH Staff Network, said: “A big sincere thank you to my colleagues and everyone who helped plan, execute to the minute details, decorate Pookalam, perform various games and activities and participate on that day, because of your presence this Onam was not just celebrated, but truly experienced.”

We've had a wonderful day today celebrating 🎉 Our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are an essential part of the work...
14/10/2025

We've had a wonderful day today celebrating 🎉

Our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are an essential part of the workforce both here and in the wider NHS. We use this day as a way to acknowledge and celebrate their contribution to providing care to our children and young people 💙

Throughout the day there have been lots of activities for AHPs to get involved in including; a full-day lecture programme, an awards ceremony, Arts for Health sessions, workout sessions with Alder Active, complementary therapy sessions and guided nature walks.

10/10/2025

For , we asked Mental Health Engagement Practitioner Safiyah to share her simple tips for improving your mental health 🧠

People are what makes the Alder Hey x Matalan Pyjama campaign so special 💙 We had 4 incredible patients feature as campa...
03/10/2025

People are what makes the Alder Hey x Matalan Pyjama campaign so special 💙

We had 4 incredible patients feature as campaign stars alongside the amazing Alder Hey staff who treated them and we'd like to give them a special shoutout for being such an important part of the journey.

A big thank you for swapping your uniforms for PJs and getting involved in this campaign: Chelsea, Respiratory Physio, Andrea, Senior Neonatal Nurse, and Sunil, our ENT Consultant Surgeon, you have helped make this campaign extra special! 🌟

This year marks 12 years of partnership with Matalan, and with 100% of the profits going to Alder Hey Children’s Charity (registered charity number 1160661), your support is making a lasting difference for children and young people everywhere.

30/09/2025

| Harrison was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell) in March 2025. Last month, he rang the end of treatment bell! 🔔

Now, Harrison is determined to regain his strength so that he can return to his swimming club, where he previously trained two hours a day, seven times a week. Having seen the impact of oncology teams first-hand, Harrison is also now passionate about one day pursuing a career in oncology medicine himself 🏥

Harrison’s mum, Pamela, said: “Throughout this journey, Ward 3B and Daycare became like a family to us. The staff provided not only expert medical care, but also constant encouragement, reassurance, and moments of joy during some of the most challenging days of our lives.” 💙

15 year old Mia has a condition called Microtia, a congenital condition in which the external part of the ear is underde...
29/09/2025

15 year old Mia has a condition called Microtia, a congenital condition in which the external part of the ear is underdeveloped, malformed, or missing. The condition left Mia with hearing loss in her right ear since birth 👶

Over the years, Mia has tried all different types of hearing aids but has still struggled, particularly in crowds of people or noisy environments and has had to learn to lip read from an early age.

Recently, we performed the first paediatric Sentio ear implant in the entire North of England, a state-of-the-art hearing technology designed to restore or enhance hearing in those with significant hearing loss. The 4 hour operation went well and Mia was discharged on the same day. A few weeks later, she came back to Alder Hey to have the device switched on and several weeks on she can’t believe the difference.

Mia said: 🗣️ “The day my implant was switched on it was really overwhelming, it was like my brain was catching up but now I forget it’s there and I’ve noticed a big improvement. The audiology team have been amazing and I’m so grateful, it really has been life-changing.”

Now, Mia is a Matalan x Alder Hey campaign star! 🤩

When Lillie’s mum was just 9 weeks pregnant, she and her family were informed that their unborn baby had gastroschisis, ...
27/09/2025

When Lillie’s mum was just 9 weeks pregnant, she and her family were informed that their unborn baby had gastroschisis, a rare condition where the abdominal wall doesn’t form correctly, causing the bowel to develop outside the baby’s body.

In January 2025, Ainslie gave birth to Lillie, who was blue-lighted to Alder Hey and, at just 2 hours old, underwent her first bowel surgery. After 3 weeks here, she made excellent progress and was discharged home.

Lillie has recovered amazingly and spent precious time with her family, including her big brother Louie (7), her young uncle Leyland (9), and their small dog, Rocco. Now, she's a Matalan x Alder Hey campaign star! 🤩

Mum Ainsley, said, “We’ve had no problems at all since Lillie was discharged. It’s like she never had a birth defect! I honestly cannot thank Alder Hey enough – if it wasn’t for them, my little girl wouldn’t be here. The staff were absolutely amazing, not just for Lillie, but for us as a family too.”

Babies like Lillie will benefit from a new state-of-the-art Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that is being developed at Alder Hey, as part of the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership (LNP). The LNP is a collaboration between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, aimed at transforming and improving the delivery of neonatal care for families across the North West.

Meet Oscar. He suffered multiple injuries, including head fractures and a broken eye socket, after a quad bike accident ...
26/09/2025

Meet Oscar. He suffered multiple injuries, including head fractures and a broken eye socket, after a quad bike accident last year.

Alder Hey teams had to operate on his extensive head and internal injuries, including ones to rebuild his face and skull and to manage his scalp wounds.

Mum Jessica said: “Oscar has been incredible. He takes it all in his stride. But the staff who have looked after him on HDU, trauma, radiology, ward 4A, A&E, and all the staff involved in his operations - everyone who we have seen or been part of his journey… I can’t thank them enough.” 💙

Oscar spent 9 days at Alder Hey before going home to spend Christmas with his mum Jessica, dad Paul, and little brother Monty. He will need to wear a brace for his spine and come to Alder Hey to manage his scalp wounds and check ups but Jessica says he is feeling more like himself:

Jessica continued: 🗣️ “I have had to tell him not to dance too much in case he injures himself again! He is a big Liverpool fan and loves singing from the Greatest Showman. Alder Hey will always hold a special place in our hearts. They didn’t just save Oscar’s life, they held ours together when it felt like our world was falling apart. We’ll never forget the kindness, the hope, and the smiles they gave us when we needed them most. We owe them everything.”

Now Oscar is a Matalan x Alder PJs campaign star! 🤩

9 year old Riziah was named after the word ‘resilient’ when she was just a little bump in her mum’s tummy, and this is w...
25/09/2025

9 year old Riziah was named after the word ‘resilient’ when she was just a little bump in her mum’s tummy, and this is why…

Riziah was born with a rare condition called Heterotaxy Syndrome, which causes internal organs to be abnormally arranged inside the body. In Riziah’s case, the condition caused her heart to mirror image itself which means her heart has two left sides. Heterotaxy syndrome also affects her other organs, such as her lungs, liver, bowel and spleen.

Mum Naomi said: 🗣️ “When I was pregnant with Riziah, me and my partner Farzam were told at our 12 week scan that our baby would not survive. But we refused to give up. At 28 weeks we were told that our little girl had Heterotaxy Syndrome. She needed to be over 2kg when born to be able to have heart surgery. Amazingly, Riziah was born at 37 weeks, weighing 5lb 13oz, and at four days old was transferred to Alder Hey. At just 9 days old she had heart surgery to repair a block in her heart, a coarctation repair & a PDA repair. She still lives with the possibility that her bowel could twist at any point but we are so happy with the surgeons at Alder Hey for what they did for her.”

Despite many challenges over her 9 years, including 35 hospital admissions, Riziah continues to live up to her name, and with the help of her family and Alder Hey, continues to flourish 💙

Riziah loves to sing, dance, do gymnastics and entertain everyone. Over the years, she has got to know and bond with many of the staff here.
She said: “Alder Hey is the best hospital in the world. They have helped me with all my surgeries and the staff make me feel like I’m a celebrity when I’m there because I know everyone so much and they know me.”

Riziah absolutely loves the Matalan X Alder Hey PJ’s and dresses up with her mum Naomi, dad Farzam, brother Daniel and chocolate cockapoo Betty every year! 😄

Address

Liverpool
L122AP

Telephone

+441512284811

Website

http://www.alderheycharity.org/

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Our Story

Since the NHS was established, Alder Hey has seen many changes, but has remained at the forefront of children’s healthcare.

Alder Hey was originally a workhouse, providing care for the sick. A hospital was built and opened its doors in October 1914, with 350 children taking occupancy of twelve wards. Alder Hey was also used as a military hospital during the Great War and Second World War.

During our history, we have become known for a number of famous firsts. Penicillin was tested on a child for the first time at Alder Hey and we were the first to establish a neonatal surgical unit in the UK. Other firsts include curing the most commonly encountered congenital heart defect and pioneering various splints and orthopaedic appliances.

In 2015, we opened a state-of-the-art hospital alongside a brand new research, innovation and education centre. Alder Hey in the Park and the Institute in the Park now cares for over 330,000 children, young people and their families every year and brings together excellent care, technology and design to provide the best possible healing environment for children and their families.